Orthodox Bouquets - English Flowers of Orthodoxy 13: Orthodox Bouquets

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Orthodox Bouquets

English Flowers of Orthodoxy 13

ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY – MULTILINGUAL ORTHODOXY – EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH – ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΙΑ – SIMBAHANG ORTODOKSO NG SILANGAN – 东正教在中国 – ORTODOXIA – 日本正教会 – ORTODOSSIA – อีสเทิร์นออร์ทอดอกซ์ – ORTHODOXIE – 동방 정교회 – PRAWOSŁAWIE – ORTHODOXE KERK - නැගෙනහිර ඕර්තඩොක්ස් සභාව – СРЦЕ ПРАВОСЛАВНО – BISERICA ORTODOXĂ – GEREJA ORTODOKS – ORTODOKSI – ПРАВОСЛАВИЕ – ORTODOKSE KIRKE – CHÍNH THỐNG GIÁO ĐÔNG PHƯƠNG – EAGLAIS CHEARTCHREIDMHEACH – ՈՒՂՂԱՓԱՌ ԵԿԵՂԵՑԻՆ / Abel-Tasos Gkiouzelis - https://orthodoxsmile.blogspot.com - Email: gkiouz.abel@gmail.com - Feel free to email me...!

♫•(¯`v´¯) ¸.•*¨*

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Sinners that repent are still saved; both publicans and fornicators cleansed by repentance enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

The compassionate God still calls to Himself all that have turned away, and He awaits them and promises them mercy.

The loving Father still receives His prodigal sons come back from a far country and He opens the doors of His house and clothes them in the best robe, and gives them each a ring on their hand and shoes on their feet and commands all the saints to rejoice in them.

+ St. Tikhon of Zadonsk: Journey to Heaven

Part II: The Way of Salvation

https://orthodoxchurchquotes.wordpress.com

INS

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“Prayer does not consist merely in standing and bowing your body or in reading written prayers….it is possible to pray at all times, in all places, with mind and spirit. You can lift up your mind and heart to God while walking, sitting, working, in a crowd and in solitude. His door is always open, unlike man’s. We can always say to Him in our hearts Lord , Lord have mercy.”

— St. Tikhon of Zadonsk

INS

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“In going to church, think that thou art going to the house of the King of Heaven, where with fear and joy one ought to stand as in heaven before the King of Heaven. While standing in church, do not look around to the sides and do not look at how someone is standing and praying, lest thou be condemned with the Pharisee, since thou didst not come to judge others, but to ask for mercy for thyself from God the Judge and Knower of hearts. Gaze with compunction toward the altar alone, where the holy sacrifice is offered. More than anything else, beware of laughter and conversations, for whoever laughs or converses while standing in church does not render honor to the holy place and tempts others and prevents others from praying.”

— St. Tikhon of Zadonsk

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“If we want, Christian, to have our heart filled with divine love we must first empty them of the love of this world, its frivolous and sinful customs and then turn our hearts to the one God, our only good and happiness and eternal beatitude.”

— St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, “True Christianity”

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“Let thy mind fast from vain thoughts; let thy memory fast from remembering evil; let thy will fast from evil desire; let thine eyes fast from bad sights: turn away thine eyes that thou mayest not see vanity; let thine ears fast from vile songs and slanderous whispers; let thy tongue fast from slander, condemnation, blasphemy, falsehood, deception, foul language and every idle and rotten word; let thy hands fast from killing and from stealing another’s goods; let thy legs fast from going to evil deeds: Turn away from evil, and do good.”

— St. Tikhon of Zadonsk

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“Do we refuse to forgive? God, too, will refuse to forgive us. As we treat our neighbours, so also does God treat us. The forgiveness or unforgiveness of your sins, then, and hence also your salvation or destruction, depend on you yourself. For without forgiveness of sins there is no salvation. You can see for yourself how serious it is.”

— St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, Journey to Heaven: Counsels on the Particular Duties of Every Christian

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“When pride retreats from a man, humility begins to dwell in him, and the more pride is diminished, so much more does humility grow. The one gives way to the other as to its opposite. Darkness departs and light appears. Pride is darkness, but humility is light.”

— St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, Journey to Heaven: Counsels on the Particular Duties of Every Christian

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“You came into the world to save sinners; therefore You came to save Me also? You came to find and to save him who was lost; therefore You came to seek me too, for I am one of the lost. O Lord, O my God and Creator! I should have come to You as a transgressor of Your law. I should have fallen at Your feet, cast myself down before You, humbly begging forgiveness, pleading with You and craving Your mercy. But You Yourself have come to me, wretched and good-for-nothing servant that I am; my Lord has come to me, His enemy and apostate; my Master has come and has bestowed his love of mankind upon me. Listen my soul: God has come to us.”

— St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, A Treasury of Russian Spirituality

https://orthodoxchurchquotes.wordpress.com

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“Do that which is good, and no evil shall touch you. Prayer is good with fasting and alms and righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than much with unrighteousness. It is better to give alms than to lay up gold: For alms doth deliver from death, and shall purge away all sin. Those that exercise alms and righteousness shall be filled with life: But they that sin are enemies to their own life.”

+ St. Raphael the Archangel, Tobit 12:7-10

This is a story about a man who was considered withdrawn and unsociable by his neighbors and relatives. He lived alone in his small apartment, didn’t really communicate with anyone, worked as a cook in a canteen. And so he died alone. But on the day of his funeral, hundreds of people came to his house - old people, sick people, young people. The crowd occupied the entire yard and stretched out along the street. Many of them were crying. Neighbors and relatives who knew this man inordinary life, of course, were surprised. And when they began to find out who these people were who came to see the lonely deceased off on his final journey, they were even more shocked. It turned out that this man spent all his free time working as a volunteer in hospices, nursing homes, and shelters. He visited the elderly, the sick, the homeless. He talked to the dying, brought bread to the hungry, clothed the homeless, consoled, as best he could, the dying and their relatives in the hospice. Many loved him. But no one knew about it.

The same story happened in the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius several years ago. There was one brother there, Hierodeacon Alexy. He had an obedience - to deal with burial issues for the brethren when someone passed away. Every day he was also busy caring for people who are not always pleasant to most of us.

He fed the homeless. But not only fed them. He buried them. He took all the worries upon himself. And when he himself, as always, not having enough sleep, was rushing to his mother's name day in Diveyevo, fell asleep at the wheel and crashed, so many people came to his funeral that the Lavra was full.

These were mostly homeless people, people suffering from various vices. But they came to his funeral, and there were so many of them at the funeral of Hierodeacon Alexy, as not every venerable archimandrite had ever had.

In such people, living an everyday holy life, the words of the Savior are fulfilled: "Your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly" (Matthew 6:6).

Metropolitan Ambrose (Ermakov)

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The dog at the burial of Saint Ephraim of Nea Makri, Greece (+1426)

On May 5, 1426, Saint Ephraim from Nea Makri was martyred at the hands of the Turks.

A nun from the Annunciation Monastery of Nea Makri narrated in a vision what happened after the martyrdom of the Saint.

She saw how a dog from the monastery of that time, white with black spots, who lived at the time with the Saint, kept close to the scurvy tree (this is the mulberry from which Saint Ephraim the Younger was hanged, a mulberry that still exists today, around which a chapel was built today).

The dog was very unhappy and tears were flowing from his eyes. Then three villagers entered the monastery suddenly the dog started going back and forth between the villagers and the tree, barking. One of the men realized something was up. They approached and saw the bloody and mutilated body of the Saint. They dug a hole and placed the body in it.

After they had taken the body of the Saint, the dog ran to the grave and took a piece of the body, which had fallen off from the many tortures that had been inflicted on him, and, holding it gently between his teeth, put it in the grave with his body Saint. Then the people covered the grave and left.

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God's blessing comes when we give a blessing.

Elder Savvas the Philotheusite had told me that during the great famine of 1917, the Iberians, seeing the monastery's storehouses empty, had reduced their hospitality. In fact, a stingy superior insisted and cut it off completely. Next, Christ would stop all His blessings. Then the Fathers began to starve and complain to Christ and the Virgin Mary that they were not taking care of their monastery. Unfortunately, they had not realized their mistake. One day, therefore, Christ appeared to the Monastery's Gatekeeper, as a poor man, and asked him for a little bread. The Gatekeeper sadly said to him: - We have nothing, my brother, and that is why we have cut off our hospitality. But wait a moment while I bring you this little piece that I have in my cell for myself.

He ran, went to his cell and brought him the bread he had for himself and gave it to him. But he saw the poor man's face shining. After the Poor Man took the bread, he said to the Doorman:

- Do you know why this misfortune came to the Monastery? Because you expelled two from the Monastery: the "give" and the "it will be given".

After that, he disappeared, scattering a light that dazzled the Doorman. The Doorman then lost his mind and, frightened, ran to the Superiors of the Monastery and told them the incident. At first, the Fathers racked their brains to remember which people they expelled. But then they understood that the poor man was Christ and they understood His Gospel words: "Give and it will be given to you".

They immediately repented of their mistake and as soon as they began to give from their surplus to the poor, God's rich blessings arrived.

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A lady recounted the following shocking incident that marked her life when she was young:

"I was seven years old and it was Christmas Eve, we lived then, in a provincial town of Macedonia, Greece, in the black and terrible Occupation of '41, when the executions and massacres of innocent people were merciless and massive, the imprisonments, beatings and tortures terrifying, and hunger irritated everyone...

My family was very pious and even more pious were grandpa and grandma! People of prayer and almsgiving!

On Christmas Eve, my five-year-old sister woke up and asked me to accompany her out into the yard to use the toilet (at that time, toilets were outside, in the yards). There were six of us children and we all slept on the floor, on mattresses. There were no beds and feathers and quilts, like today...

Slowly, therefore, we went out of the room, into the small corridor towards the courtyard. Opposite was the room of grandfather and grandmother, but we were surprised, because we saw a bright light coming out of the cracks and the many openings of the shabby door.

We got closer and then, through the cracks, we saw our grandmother engulfed in flames! We immediately shouted: “Fire, fire, grandma is burning…”.

Of course, everyone woke up, as expected. Our parents ran first, who opened the door to grandma and grandpa’s room, looked inside, and then closed it gently and quietly. They then returned to our room, and our father said to us in a low voice:

“Don’t be afraid, my children, what you saw is not fire. It is the flames of the Holy Spirit that look like fire!! It is slowly disappearing!! This is how it always happens when grandma and grandpa pray, almost all night long!

If my children grandfather and grandmother, as well as who knows how many other unknown Christians, had not prayed so much, we would have been cut to pieces by the Bulgarian occupation troops... From such prayers and vigils, the Lord will never allow our Homeland and our Faith to be lost!

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For those who received the crouton from Diveyevo you might be wondering what is the meaning of it. They were consecrated in the pot of the St. Seraphim of Sarov.

People came to Venerable Seraphim in his cell, located in the forest, from afar, many came hungry. Taking care of them, Seraphim dried croutons from the bread brought to him in a pot and distributed to those who came.

The pot has been preserved. Now crackers are also dried in it and distributed for reinforcement. Naturally, in Father Seraphim's pot, only a part of the croutons is dried, over which a prayer is read, which are then mixed with the rest (according to the principle "a drop of holy water sanctifies the sea").

Here is a miracle story:

I want to tell you about a miracle that recently happened to me. When I woke up, I felt severe pain in my right side. I thought that sciatica was starting again. I smeared it with ointment, put on a bandage, as usual. But in the evening the pain intensified. Rubbed, tied - nothing helped. The pain became unbearable, it was necessary to call a doctor. I understood that I would be immediately admitted to the hospital, but I really didn’t want to. And I decided to endure. But day by day the pain intensified, so that it was impossible to lie down, or sit, or walk. I didn't feel like eating or drinking. All the same, I endured, and in the morning and in the evening, as usual, I prayed. At night, in the second week, the pain became such that there was no longer the strength to endure. And I prayed: "Lord, my strength is no more. Help!"

And then I remembered about the crouton from Diveyevo, consecrated in the pot of the Monk Seraphim of Sarov. This carefully kept bowler pot is now in the altar of the church in Diveyevo. During his lifetime, Father Seraphim gave out crackers to everyone as a blessing, which had healing powers. And now the Diveyevo nuns put crackers into the priest's pot and then distribute them to the pilgrims. And one religious woman brought the crackers to Klin, who gave two crackers to my neighbor, and that one gave me one.

And now, remembering him, I got up forcibly, found a crouton, found a prayer to the Monk Seraphim, knelt down, read it three times and asked the priest to help me. I took a crouton and ate half. I lay down and waited to see what will happen.

This is where a miracle happened to me. I felt that I was hanging about ten centimeters from the bed and did not feel the weight of the blanket. And there is no pain. A black shadow fell over my eyes, and I fell asleep.

I woke up from the doorbell. I got up, went, opened the door, walked back - and then I just realized that there was almost no pain. After a week, the pain completely disappeared, as if it had never existed. At the same time, the usual pain from the hip to the heel in the left leg disappeared. So through prayer to Seraphim of Sarov, I recovered. There is an icon of him in our Sorrowful Church. I immediately went to her to thank Father Seraphim and the Lord.

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“In any stage you may be do not get discouraged, pray even if you feel compulsion and the Lord will visit you with His mercy: ‘Let it be to you according to your faith,’ [Matt. 9:29].”

— Saint Cleopas of Romania (+1998)

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Desert Fathers: Instructions about lustful thoughts

A brother asked one of the Fathers, What shall I do? My thoughts are always turned to lust without allowing me an hour’s respite, and my soul is tormented by it. He said to him, Every time the demons suggest these thoughts to you, do not argue with them. For the activity of demons always is to suggest, and suggestions are not sins, for they cannot compel; but it rests with you to welcome them, or not to welcome them. Do you know what the Midianites did? They adorned their daughters and presented them to the Israelites. They did not compel anyone, but those who consented, Icon of Spiritual Warfaresinned with them, while the others were enraged and put them to death. It is the same with thoughts.

The brother answered the old man, What shall I do, then, for I am weak and passion overcomes me?? He said to him, Watch your thoughts, and every time they begin to say something to you, do not answer them but rise and pray; kneel down, saying, Son of God, have mercy on me.

Then the brother said to him, Look, Abba, I meditate, and there is no compunction in my heart because I do not understand the meaning of the words. The other said to him, Be content to meditate. Indeed, I have learned that Abba Poemen and many other Fathers uttered the following saying, The magician does not understand the meaning of the words which he pronounces, but the wild animal who hears it understands, submits, and bows to it. So it is with us also; even if we do not understand the meaning of the words we are saying, when the demons hear them, they take fright and go away.

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Since he was young, Saint Hesychios, who came from Andrapa in Galatia, longed for the ascetic life, so he went to Mount Maion, where he settled.

There he began to cultivate the land to earn a living. But the birds of the area would go and eat or destroy what he had cultivated. Even though he chased them away, they wouldn't tell him to leave him alone. So one day he came out of his cell, raised his hands to the sky and, addressing the birds, said:

- Get away from the monks and do not harm their labors.

Then the birds, as if sensible, listened to his command, went away and did not return.

On another occasion, coming out of his cell, he saw a driver trying to lift the ox that was pulling his carriage, which, for some unknown reason (perhaps from fatigue or some disease), was lying on the ground, almost dead. Saint Hesychios then approached, comforted the conductor, who, unable to do anything, was crying and fainting. Then he bent over the half-dead animal, made the sign of the Cross on its neck, and said:

- Get up and go on your way, because if you stay here someone may be found to slaughter you, blessed one. As soon as the animal heard these words, it immediately got up and continued on its way.

For his great virtue Saint Hesychios was claimed by the Lord to converse with the Angels. Even on the day of his sleep, he was informed a few days earlier by an Angel of the Lord. His holy and miraculous relic was transferred in 781 AD. in Aliasia, King Constantine.

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One day, Saint Porphyrios of Kafsokalyvia, Greece (+1991) was lying in his cell and an electrician was fixing the electrical in it. Many people waited outside to receive his blessing and listen to his advice.

In a moment the electrician asks the elder:

"Well, old man, what does this whole world, waiting outside, want from an old man like you?"

And Saint Porphyrios answered him:

"Well, one by one they come here and I tell them a fairy tale, and then they leave."

"Well, are all those who are waiting for you to tell them a fairy tale so stupid?", asked the electrician with wonder.

"Look, since you say they're all fools, I'll tell you a tale too."

And the elder began to tell him all his family history and all his faults, so the electrician, surprised by the revelations he was hearing, began to shout:

"Stop old man, stop, all that you tell me are not fairy tales...".

"Well then," the Holy Elder tells him, "stop asking and being curious, and look at your electricals," leaving the electrician amazed!

INS

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Homily on Theophany by St. Luke of Simferopol

The Gospel reading of Theophany provides a word of Christ of great importance. And on this I wish now to turn your attention for a bit.

This great event of the Theophany of the Lord was preceded by the preaching on the banks of the Jordan River by John, the Forerunner of the Lord, the greatest among those born of women. His fiery preaching of repentance, for which he prepared beforehand for twenty years in the desert of Judea, attracted to him a great multitude of people. The fiery word of his preaching set ablaze the hearts of men, whom he baptized in the waters of the Jordan to purify their sins.

But on that great day, to his great astonishment, among the others who were coming to be baptized was Him Who he had never seen, but was Him Whom he revealed would come to baptize him with the Holy Spirit. And having fallen at His feet, he told Him with reverence: "I have need to be baptized by You, and You come to me?" (Matthew 3:14)

We, hope are truly baptized by the Holy Spirit and fire, could not understand why the sinless Son of God went to His servant John and asked to be baptized by him with the baptism of repentance, in order for Him to be loosened from sins that He did not possess, if Christ had not responded to the question of the Forerunner in this way: "Let it be so, for thus we will fulfill all righteousness." (Matthew 3:15)

O, our Lord! We venerate You and Your Forerunner, and we thank You from the depths of our hearts for teaching us to respect and honor "all righteousness", and to hate any type of injustice, for this comes from the devil. Every righteousness, even the most insignificant righteous act, is blessed by God. You received baptism from John in the Jordan River for the remission of sins, because You wished to fulfill whatever was seen beforehand in the plan of God. The descent into the waters of the Jordan served as a seal of repentance for those who were coming to be baptized. For repentance from one's whole heart in those who received the baptism of John, received from God remission of their sins...

Therefore, the baptism of John was righteous. Our Savior was not speaking only about this righteousness to John, however, in order to silence him and to answer his question, but He was speaking about every righteousness, in other words, regarding the plan of God. With His Divine Word, He sanctified and blessed every truth and simultaneously condemned every injustice.

Think, my beloved, people of the spirit as myself, communicants of the little flock of Christ, how much injustice exists in the word! What a great sin is war, when the faithful, and especially Christian people kill each other! If the murder even of one person is punished by death in many peoples, then, how much will our Lord punish those who have led the murder of tens of millions of people?! Any sin is injustice, and war is the greatest injustice, which we all must despise...

The Baptism of our Lord has for us an exalted meaning as well, for we have the revelation of the Holy Trinity. At the instant when the Lord stood up from the water, from Heaven was heard the voice of God the Father, Which bore witness to the Son, saying: "This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well-pleased." (Matthew 3:17) And the Holy Spirit "in the form of a dove", descended from Heaven upon the head of the Pre-eternal Son of God. This Theophany has great importance, as it is also called besides the Baptism of the Lord. He Himself, the tri-hypostatic God, revealed the divinity of His Second Person, of the incarnate Word of God. God--Father and Holy Spirit as well--were revealed as well to mankind together with the Savior of the race of men...

O, Son of God! O, our Savior, Lord Jesus Christ! To Your works of love, to Your countless wonders, please do another wonder: draw close with Your right hand to my stony heart and turn it to a "heart of flesh". Amen.

-From the Words and Homilies of St. Luke of Simferopol, Vol. II., Published by Orthodox Kypseli

https://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2021/01/homily-on-theophany-by-st-luke-of.html

“If [the disease of sin] is natural, then it cannot be cured. Thus it would remain always, no matter how hard you worked to rid yourself of it. If you accept this thought, you will lose heart, and say to yourself: this is how it is. For this is that woeful despair, which, once it has been introduced into people, they have given themselves over to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness (Ephesians 4: 19).

“I shall repeat again: Maintain the conviction that our disorderliness is not natural to us, and do not listen to those who say, ‘It is no use talking about it, because that is just how we are made, and you cannot do anything about it.’ That is not how we are made, and if we undertake to cure ourselves, then we will be able to do something about it.”

+ St. Theophan the Recluse

Woe to those who are rich, who are full, who laugh, and who are praised. But good shall come to those who endure every wrongful accusation, beating, robbery, or compulsory difficulty. This is completely opposite to what people usually think and feel! The thoughts of God are as far from human thoughts as heaven is from the earth. How else could it be? We are in exile; and it is not remarkable for those in exile to be offended and insulted. We are under a penance; the penance consists of deprivations and labors. We are sick; and most useful for the sick are bitter medicines. The Savior Himself all of His life did not have a place to lay His head, and He finished his life on the cross — why should his followers have a better lot? The Spirit of Christ is the spirit of preparedness to suffer and bear good-naturedly all that is sorrowful. Comfort, arrogance, splendor, and ease are all foreign to its searching and tastes. Its path lies in the fruitless, dreary desert. The model is the forty-year wandering of the Israelites in the desert. Who follows this path? Everyone who sees Canaan beyond the desert, boiling over with milk and honey. During his wandering he too receives manna, however not from the earth, but from heaven; not bodily, but spiritually. All the glory is within.

+ St. Theophan the Recluse

Refuse to listen to the devil when he whispers to you: give me now, and you will give tomorrow to God. No, no! Spend all the hours of your life in a way pleasing to God; keep in your mind the thought that after the present hour you will not be given another and that you will have to render a strict account for every minute of this present hour.

+ From Unseen Warfare, St. Theophan the Recluse and St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain

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In order that you may move your will more easily to this one desire, in everything—to please (God and to work for His glory alone—remind yourself’ often, that He has granted you many favours in the past and has shown you His love. He has created you out of nothing in His own likeness and image, and has made all other creatures your servants; He has delivered you from your slavery to the devil, sending down not one of the angels but His Only-begotten Son to redeem you, not at the price of corruptible gold and silver, but by His priceless blood and His most painful and degrading death. Having done all this He protects you, every hour and every moment, from your enemies; He fights your battles by His divine grace; in His immaculate Mysteries He prepares the Body and Blood of His beloved Son for your food and protection. All this is a sign of God’s great favour and love for you; a favour so great that it is inconceivable how the great Lord of hosts could grant such favours to our nothingness and worthlessness.

+ From Unseen Warfare, St. Theophan the Recluse and St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain

https://orthodoxchurchquotes.wordpress.com/

You must never be afraid, if you are troubled by a flood of thoughts, that the enemy is too strong against you, that his attacks are never ending, that the war will last for your lifetime, and that you cannot avoid incessant downfalls of all kinds. Know that our enemies, with all their wiles, are in the hands of our divine Commander, our Lord Jesus Christ, for Whose honour and glory you are waging war. Since He himself leads you into battle, He will certainly not suffer your enemies to use violence against you and overcome you, if you do not yourself cross over to their side with your will. He will Himself fight for you and will deliver your enemies into your hands, when He wills and as He wills, as it is written: ‘The Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee’ (Deut. xxii, 14).

+ From Unseen Warfare, St. Theophan the Recluse and St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain

An evident sinner will turn towards good more easily than a secret sinner, hiding under the cloak of visible virtues.

+ From Unseen Warfare, St. Theophan the Recluse and St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain

The parable about the talents offers the thought that life is a time for trading.

That means that it is necessary to hasten to use this time as a person would hurry to a market to bargain for what he can. Even if one has only brought bast shoes, or only bast, (very inexpensive, unsophisticated items) he does not sit with his arms folded, but contrives to call over buyers to sell what he has and then buy for himself what he needs.

No one who has received life from the Lord can say that he does not have a single talent—everyone has something, and not just one thing; everyone, therefore, has something with which to trade and make a profit.

Do not look around and calculate what others have received, but take a good look at yourself and determine more precisely what lies in you and what you can gain for that which you have, and then act according to this plan without laziness.

At the Judgment you will not be asked why you did not gain ten talents if you had only one, and you will not even be asked why you gained only one talent on your one, but you will be told that you gained a talent, half a talent or a tenth of its worth.

And the reward will not be because you received the talents, but because you gained.

There will be nothing with which to justify yourself—not with nobleness, nor poverty, nor lack of education. When this is not given, there will be no question about it.

But you had hands and feet. You will be asked, what did you gain with them?

You had a tongue, what did you gain with it?

In this way will the inequalities of earthly states be leveled out at God’s judgment.Book Thoughts for Each Day of the Year

+ St. Theophan the Recluse, Thoughts for Each Day of the Year: According to the Daily Church Readings from the Word of God

When going to the Holy Mysteries, go with simplicity of heart, in full faith that you will receive the Lord within yourself, and with the proper reverence towards this. What your state of mind should be after this, leave it to the Lord Himself. Many desire ahead of time to receive this or that from Holy Communion, and then, not seeing what they wanted, they are troubled, and even their faith in the power of the Mystery is shaken. The fault lies not with the Mystery, but with superficial assumptions. Do not promise yourself anything. Leave everything to the Lord, asking a single mercy from Him — to strengthen you in every kind of good so that you will be acceptable to Him. The fruit of Communion most often has a taste of sweet peace in the heart; sometimes it brings enlightenment to thought and inspiration to one’s devotion to the Lord; sometimes almost nothing is apparent, but afterward in one’s affairs there is a noted a great strength and steadfastness in the diligence one has promised.St. Theophan the Recluse Spiritual Life

+ St. Theophan the Recluse

“True, one may know man’s final goal: communion with God. And one may describe the path to it: faith, and walking in the commandments, with the aid of divine grace. One need only say in addition: here is the path-start walking!”

+ St. Theophan The Recluse, The Path to Salvation: A Manual of Spiritual Transformation

It was an August Sunday in Lent.

I had gone to church, and as usual I would occasionally say the Jesus Prayer, mixed with some "request" I had to God.

"Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me... have mercy on me... on... me"

I stopped praying when the word "me" hit me in the stomach!

"Only for myself am I praying for," I thought to myself.

I was reminded of the words of St. Porphyrios: "Since we are all "one", if you pray for yourself, you pray for everyone."

Again, though, in this case the "me" was 90% about me.

"How is it possible to pray for another with the same fervor as you pray for yourself?" I thought.

It seemed impossible for me to feel for another the same "need to pray" as I felt for myself and my problems.

So I continued: "have mercy on me... have mercy on me", while my mind was only thinking about myself.

The time was passing, "after fear of God..." was heard, I stood in line to take communion. Standing in front of me was a gentleman, around 45... nice looking.

The line was moving slowly, I was still saying the Jesus Prayer "have mercy on ME"

And then, I took a closer look at that gentleman. While we all took small leisurely steps forward, he clutched his waist with each step and grimaced in pain!

He was trying to support himself wherever he could so as not to fall down.

He was in almost excruciating pain in his lower back. But he wouldn't leave the line.

I looked at him in admiration. and compared his approach to Holy Communion with mine: I walked proud and firm, he was in pain at every step, but he continued.

I approached him, stood beside him, and inclined my shoulder towards him:

"I see your back is hurting. I've been through it too. Do you want to hold on to me until we get to the front?

He turned and looked at me with surprise and an invisible smile of joy as if he was relieved.

"No, thank you very much," he answered me. "I'll make it!"

Maybe he was embarrassed to hold on to me. I didn't insist, smiled at him and went back behind him in line.

AND THEN IT HAPPENED TO ME...

I felt a wave of love wash over me for this man, who, despite his pain, was still moving towards the Holy Chalice. He was waking as if he was walking towards his own Golgotha, his own Resurrection.

And all of a sudden, I felt the "Jesus Prayer" I was saying inside of me was for that person TOO! Again "have mercy" I said, but in some strange way the meaning of "ME" was no longer just about myself. It was mostly about that man who was in pain but kept walking towards the God of mercy.

"Have mercy on ME" had unexpectedly, in my heart, taken on the meaning of "Have mercy on US"

And so, almost effortlessly (as God always effortlessly whispers to us) I got an answer to my question: the only way to become "one" is to put ourselves in the place of the other, to feel his own path to Calvary, to give him "our shoulder" to hold on to.

Then, we both enter into Divine Mercy.

When we freely and unconditionally accept it, "ME" becomes "US".

<>.

A little mouse once watched from his hole the farmer and his wife unfolding a package and wondered:

"What delicacy was that package hiding?"

When they finally opened the package, you can't imagine how big the shock was for the little mouse when he realized that it was a mousetrap. So he quickly runs to the barn to announce this terrible news to the other animals, shouting:

"A mousetrap inside the house... A mousetrap inside the house...".

The hen crowed and raising her neck said:

“Sir, I understand that this is a problem for you. But I don't see it having any effect on me. I don't mind the mousetrap at home at all."

The little mouse then turned and looked at the pig plaintively.

The pig showed sympathy at first, but replied to the sulky mouse as follows:

“I am very sorry, my lord, but there is nothing I can do for you. I wish you never to get caught in the trap they prepared for you and not for me."

Then the mouse turned to the ox begging for help:

And the ox said to him:

"Look, Mr. Mouse , I'm very sorry for the danger you're in, but the only thing a mousetrap can do to me is a pinch and nothing else."

So, our good mouse left with his head down, confused and disappointed because he would have to face the danger of the mousetrap alone. No one was willing to help him, but no one was willing to comfort him either.

That same night, a strange click, something like the noise a mousetrap makes when it closes, woke the farmer's wife, who ran to see what was going on. In the middle of the night, however, he did not notice that a snake was caught by the tail in the lens.

The woman approached the lens and the frightened snake bit her with one sharp movement. Her husband ran quickly and offered her all the help he could. Alas, the woman developed a high fever. The farmer brought a doctor, who gave her some medicine and advised him to make her hot soups.

So the farmer slaughtered the hen to make a good chicken soup.

The woman was going from bad to worse and all the neighbors were coming to the farm to help. Each in turn sat at the woman's head. To feed them all, the farmer had to slaughter the pig.

Eventually the woman failed to recover and died.

A lot of people came to her funeral, because she was a good woman and everyone loved her. In order to accommodate all this world, the farmer was forced this time to slaughter the ox...

The mouse watched this whole adventure, saddened by the unexpected loss of his friends, while feeling absolute safety in his nest, no longer afraid of the mousetrap.

A large clock had been placed in the bell tower of the village Church. It was the only one in the village and everyone, passers-by and not, adjusted their watches according to it. So did Mr. Tasos. Going to work every morning, he always stopped, and adjusted his watch according to the Temple clock. One day the priest of the Temple called him and said: "Mr. Tasso, I see you every day passing by here and fixing your watch. But I never saw you enter the Church to be churched. Our Church doesn't just have a clock...". And Mr. Tasos answered as follows:

"Father, what should I come to do in the Church? I also see the kindness of those who come regularly as well as their behavior outside in society...".

The next day the priest deliberately left the bell tower clock unwound and when Tasos passed by, he realized that the clock did not show the real time and went to leave. But the priest caught up with him and said to him: "Mr. Tasso, where are you going?" "I'm going to work father." "Well, it's not time yet. The clock shows that it is still very early in the morning," the tactful priest told him. "And if the clock always shows the wrong time, should I never go to work?" replied Mr. Tasos.

"Ah! In this case you ignore the problematic clock of the Church and finally go to your work... While the "bad" Christians who go to church, you don't ignore them and choose not to go to the Church and the Liturgies"!

Mr. Tasos, listened carefully to the parable made by the priest, recognized his mistake, and returned to the Church, while the priest, happy for the change of Mr. Tasos, fixed the out-of-tune clock!

<>.

10 WISE QUOTES BY ST. PAISIOS OF MOUNT ATHOS

1. Whatever God deprives us of, is either to test us or to protect us, let us accept everything with joy.

2. If you have absolute faith in God, you have no need to ask for, or worry about, anything, for He already knows and understands.

3. Never remain in a state of sadness but strive to do something spiritual that will help to get you out of this state.

4. God does not allow a trial unless something good comes out of it... God allows everything for our good.

5. The main value of life is family. As soon as the family perishes, so does the world.

6. Live as simply as you can. Do not make your own lives difficult. Too many conveniences turn people into slaves.

7. If man doesn't start to work on himself, then the devil will ﬁnd another job for him - to seek for flaws in others.

8. A Christian must not be fanatical; he must have love for and be sensitive towards all people.

9. It is only next to God that we can find tru and eternal joy. We taste bitter poison when we live apart from sweet Jesus.

10. God never leaves us. We leave Him.

There is no better way to teach a child Christianity than to live it truly and from the heart. You cannot teach what you do not live.

St. Silouan the Athonite

Saint Niphon, Bishop of Constantiane, had the following admirable habit:

When he was going to take a little sleep, he would first spread stones on the ground and throw a small mattress on top. Then he would chant funeral hymns, as if he were intending to bury himself, and recite by heart four readings from the Epistles and four from the Gospels, as well as a few other prayers. Finally, making the sign of the Cross three times over his bed, he would lie down, using a stone for a pillow.

The demons often attacked him in his sleep. They would pester him and not let him rest. He would then take his staff and with spiritual strength hit them fiercely, mocking their weakness—to the point that the demons were completely confounded.

“What are we to do with this stiff-necked man?” they would ask themselves. “First he beats us and then he reviles us and puts us all to shame.”

One night, then, when the servant of God was dozing, the devil approached with a spade and wanted to hit him. But suddenly, in great terror, he dashed noisily outside again and vanished like smoke. As he was leaving he gnashed his teeth and exclaimed:

“O Mary, everywhere you burn me, protecting this hardhead.” Hearing these words, Niphon perceived that the Theotokos defended and guarded him. And this because every night before lying down to sleep, he would take oil from her vigil lamp and anoint his forehead,ears, and all his sensory organs. Thus was the devil was routed and disappeared.

He thenceforth understood the power the oil from the vigil lamp of the Theotokos and all the Saints had, and he would often give it to his acquaintances to anoint themselves before going to sleep.

An Ascetic Bishop: Stories, Sermons, and Prayers of St. Niphon.

<>.

One day an American appeared to Saint Porphyrios the Kausokalyvitis and told him that he had come to the conclusion that there is no God. Saint Porphyrios did not react, he simply told him:

"You recently bought an estate in California. Now that you're back home, go to the east side of the estate, where the fountain is, dig 1-1.5 meters deep and you will find Spanish gold coins and an amphora. Go, do what I told you and then come and discuss whether there is a God. "

The American did not believe the words of the Elder, however when he returned to his homeland and went to his estate, he thought of digging out of curiosity. He did dig in that place and find exactly the number of coins and the date of the coins and the amphora, as the Holy Elder had told him. The American was shocked. The next summer he went to Saint Porphyrios again and told him everything. The Elder listened to him carefully and at the end said:

"My child, you do not know what is in your estate, how can you know what is in heaven?"

“In a certain city there was a man named John, very devout and rich, but his mind was so heavy that he could not by any means learn a prayer, nor say a prayer according to the commandment of the Christians. That's why he went to a monastery and giving away everything he had, he became a monk so that the brothers could teach him tp pray.

So, because of the great wealth he possessed, he was received with love and everyone said Psalms and prayers to him, but he could learn nothing. Then a skilful brother of good deeds, reading to him all the prayers, one by one, asked him which of them seemed the most beautiful, in order to teach him, he said that this one: "Rejoice,O Virgin Theotokos, Mary full of grace " he liked best.

Therefore, putting in a lot of effort, after a long time he learned the angelic worship, that is, this one: "Rejoice,O Virgin Theotokos, Mary full of grace.."

And he was filled with such joy and exultation that he had learned that angelic worship, that he seemed to have found a treasure of great value. And all the time he said no other word, but this: "Rejoice,O Virgin Theotokos, Mary full of grace.." Wherefore all the brethren gave him a nickname, saying, "Rejoice, Mary," in which he rejoiced much, and he always prayed to the Virgin, saying that angelic devotion with incomparable joy and gaiety.

And this he always said until the time when his happy soul left him.

And after they had chanted the service for him according to the order, they buried him in a special place, because his holy relics spread a fragrance, which did not diminish after they covered him, but daily increased. And the brothers smelled an unspeakably good smell.

So when they commemorated him for nine days, they saw a glorious miracle and were afraid. That is, a very beautiful lily sprang from his grave, and on each leaf were written these words in golden flowers: "Rejoice, blessed art thou o Virgin Theotokos" And the sweet fragrance of that lily was unlike any earthly flower.

And the abbot said to the brothers: My beloved! From this wonderful thing we can know what great holiness this blessed man had and how much love for our Virgin Mary! Well, it is appropriate to look at the root of this lily, to understand with what gifts he is rewarded who loves the eternal Virgin Mary with all his heart.

And digging the grave they saw how the lily grew from the pious man's mouth and they were afraid. And when the abbot ordered the holy relics to be removed, they saw that in his heart was the image of the Most Holy Theotokos, and they were greatly frightened.

So taking that holy lily with litanies and incense, they placed it in the place of honor, together with the holy relics. And everyone honored him and venerated him, for the love of the Virgin".

From: Miracles of the Mother of God, Printed in Romanian in 1820 at Neamț Monastery

ΑΝΤ.

<>.

"If your marriage is like this, your perfection will rival the holiest of monks."

St John Chrysostom's advice to husbands:

+ Never speak to your wife in a mundane way but with compliments, with respect and with much love.

+ Tell her that you love her more than your own life, because this present life is nothing, and that your only hope is that the two of you pass through this life in such a way that in the world to come, you will be united in perfect love.

+ Say to her, 'Our time here is brief and fleeting, but if we are pleasing to God, we can exchange this life for the Kingdom to come. Then we will be perfectly one both with Christ and with each other, and our pleasure will know no bounds. I value your love above all things, and nothing would be so bitter or painful to me as our being at odds with each other. Even if I lose everything, any affliction is tolerable if you will be true to me.'

+ Show her that you value her company, and prefer being at home to being out at the marketplace

+ Esteem her in the presence of your friends and children

+ Praise and show admiration for her good acts; and if she ever does anything foolish, advise her patiently.

+ Pray together at home and go to Church; when you come back home, let each ask the other the meaning of the readings and the prayers.

If your marriage is like this, your perfection will rival the holiest of monks.

Modern Miracles of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

St. Nicholas helped!!! When I was 35 years old, I decided to get pregnant with my second child, I had never had any health problems and thought that a month or two would be easier, and I would have a baby. It was not so, during the year the pregnancy did not happen, I checked myself I checked my husband, and we were told that this age was no longer suitable. In 2012, we flew to Turkey, to the city of Demre, to the temple where Saint Nicholas served during his lifetime. There we prayed and asked Saint Nicholas to send us a child. And I promised, if a boy is born, I will call him Nikolai.

And it hasn't even been a year since I got pregnant. At that time I was already 38 years old and being pregnant, I forgot my promise. When the baby was still in my belly, I gave a completely different name. I gave birth to him on December 19 on St. Nicholas day. The doctor kept persuading me to call my son Nikolai. I remembered my promise! Now my little Nikolas is growing!!!

INS.

We must be prepared to accept the will of God. The Lord permits all sorts of things to happen to us contrary to our will, for if we always have it our way, we will not be prepared for the Kingdom of Heaven. Neither heaven nor earth will receive those who are self-willed.

God has a Divine plan for each one of us, and we must submit to His plan. We must accept life as it is given to us, without asking, "Why me?” We must know that nothing on earth or in heaven ever happens without the will of God or His permission. We must not become too engrossed with our hardships but concentrate on preserving our inner peace.

Even when we are praying for something, we are trying to force our will instead of accepting God's. All hardships and sorrows that God sends us are necessary for us, but we do not understand this when we are young. When we are older, then we understand that this is the way God shows His love for us.

Elder Tadej of Vitovnica

An old legend says that when the three wise men were on the way to Bethlehem, they fought over who was holding the most precious gift for the Holy Infant. After this quarrel, raising their eyes to the sky, they found that the star, which until that moment had been their guide, had disappeared!

Continuing their way, at some point, they reached a village.

There, they found the villagers gathered around a well that had dried up. Seeing their thirst, the wise men felt sorry for them. Immediately each of these containers with the water they were carrying for their journey was emptied and thus the villagers quenched their thirst. Bending over on the surface of the well, the wise men saw in the remaining water the reflection of the star that had disappeared.

The above legend hides a great truth: Selfishness opposes love. As each wise man selfishly claimed that his gift was the best, the star, which showed them the way to Bethlehem, disappeared.

This means that the best preparation for worshiping the divine Infant is not selfishness, vanity. But when the wise men forgot their differences, their egos and fraternized in a common act of love, then the star once again gave its guiding presence.

So if we too really want to celebrate the coming Nativity of our Lord, let's try to cleanse our hearts of every selfish mood, of every mood of showing off ourselves.

And in the place of this void, let us strive to put the life-giving virtue of love, that whoever has it, knows how to forget himself, to overcome his smallness and to help others wholeheartedly.

On the other hand, this Nativity feast itself is the great celebration of the infinite love of God, who for all of us humans, was humbled so much that he was born in a manger.

So what better gift can we offer to the incarnate God, than full and rich love for all people, starting first with our family, with our friends, colleagues, neighbors? Love, even more, let it be offered as a precious gift to the Holy Infant and to some who may have embittered us with their words, have wronged us with their behavior.

Let's try it!

"MY CHOICE IS ORTHODOXY!"

"The depth I found in the Orthodox Faith is not found anywhere else. It is not easy to become Orthodox, considering how many religious conflicts there are in the world. But for me, the sign of God is the opportunity to become an Orthodox Christian and the opportunity to find my people.

No matter what trials await me, I accept them like a true Japanese warrior.

I am not afraid of death, I am afraid of being unworthy of God's love."

KARI-HIROYUKI TAGAWA - (Japanese-born American actor, martial artist)

Nun Martha, spiritual child of St. Nicholas Planas, writes:

"I quote in the same words what a devout Christian woman told me:

"Once, 40 years ago, I was misunderstood, or rather slandered by some of my relatives. I didn't exchange a single conversation, no insults, none of that. When both our families settled in Athens, we only talked about formal conversations.

I confessed and told Elder (Father Nikolas Planas) about the case and, at the same time, that I do not want to exchange visits with my relative.

"It's good so far", I tell him, "since we greet each other when we see each other".

She married, worldly, me close to Elder, another life. That's what I said and believed, that I have nothing to do with her...

Had he been another confessor, he might have told me:

"Well, let it be, my child, so far, there is no need for more relationships."

That's what I thought Elder would tell me.

Where suddenly I hear him say to me:

“No, my child, so far. It is necessary to go to her house, to eat at her table, and to sleep for a day in her house, because passion lives in you"!

If lightning struck me, it would make less of an impression on me. I could drink the bitterest and smelliest medicine, rather than do what he told me. Then he saw with awe how much passion was harboring inside me, hidden, that even I myself had not understood... But come, I had to obey!

With trembling knees I finally went to her house.

Fortunately, elder's blessing enlightened them and they welcomed me well, both she, her husband and her mother. We had lunch, and at the table I said to myself: "Devil's triad". I meant, of course, the androgynous and her mother. Imagination will never be able to describe my mental struggle that day. At noon I slept in this room with my relative. As soon as I fell asleep, I saw satan beside me saying to me:

"Did you come here to sleep? Too bad you're lost."

I woke up devastated and I say to her:

"I had a bad dream."

She tells me at the same time:

"I also had a very bad dream."

I neither told her what I saw, nor asked her what she saw.

Since then we have returned to the first line of brotherhood, and we are, together with God, very beloved."

10 WISE QUOTES BY JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

1. The husband and wife should be similar to the hand and the eye. When the hand hurts, the eyes should be crying. And when the eyes cry, the hand should wipe away the tears.

2. Endurance is the queen of all virtues.

3. God loves us more than a father, mother, friend, or any else could love, and even more than we are able to love ourselves.

4. This is the highest point of philosophy, to be simple & wise; this is the angelic life.

5. Nothing will divide the church so much as the love of power.

6. It is folly to abstain all day long from food, but fail to abstain from sin and selfishness.

7. We are commanded to have only one enemy, the devil. With him never be reconciled! But with a brother, never be at enmity in thy heart.

8. If you've come to church to find holy people, you've made a mistake. If you came to find God, you chose correctly.

9. Children weren't born by chance and we are held responsible for their salvation.

10. It is not wine that is evil, but drunkenness.

Before Sister Timothei became a nun she had met St. Porphyrios 8 years ago in Crete.

At that time she was studying as a kindergarten teacher in Chania because when she wanted to become a nun, the devil had stirred up so many temptations that had bent her and she was very upset. She also felt a burden that caused her such intense discomfort that one day she decided to walk to the Temple of Saint Nectarios. Then she had heard that he works great miracles. She wanted to tire herself and walked for a long time without taking the city bus.

When she arrived at the Temple, she prostrated and prayed fervently. She begged St. Nectarios for quite some time but the burden did not leave her. Sadly, as she began to leeave, she sees a small figure entering the Temple. It was an elder accaompanied by a group of priests and laity behind him. Because she was very timid, she was ashamed to speak and withdrew to the side. She made a bow and asked from a distance:

- "Your blessing, elder."

- "May you have the Lord's blessing!",

The elder shouted and at the same time he blessed her, raising his hand as high as he could and making the sign of the cross. At the same moment, she felt the weight lifted on top of her. She felt the bad energy leave her body. Under her feeet and towards the above she felt a power and an indescribable joy. In other words, some demonic energy left her that was tormenting her unimaginably in order to thwart her plans to become a nun. All this discomfort was some kind of demon and it never bothered her again.

In the midst of her joy, she asked some people outside:

- "Who is this elder?"

- "Father Porphyrios! He has been in Chania for days... Didn't you know?"

If you left the Church to avoid hypocritical people, consider this: by the same logic, you’d need to quit your job, leave school, cut ties with friends and family, and isolate yourself completely.

Instead, try to see the Church for what it truly is — a hospital for the wounded. It’s a place where we are both patients in need of healing and practitioners learning to help others. Wherever there are people, flaws exist. Go to the Church not only for your own healing but also to help others who, like you, are struggling with their own challenges.

Let God’s grace work in you, transforming you day by day. And as you grow, extend compassion, patience, and love to those who are still on their journey to healing.

In such people, living an everyday holy life, the words of the Savior are fulfilled: "Your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you openly" (Matthew 6:6).

Metropolitan Ambrose (Ermakov)

ANT.

Vision before death

The story of a deacon

For more than twenty years, Peter Ivanovich Belov served as deacon in our Petrovsky church. When he once again fell ill with a cold, he did not pay attention to it, but the disease itself did not go away, and soon he fell ill. His condition rapidly deteriorated and he fell into an unconscious state. He remained in this position for four hours. Then he suddenly woke up and asked:

– Where is the icon of the “Sign” of the Mother of God?

His wife, having crossed the patient, said:

- Pyotr Ivanovich, what is the matter with you?

After a pause, he replied:

“Listen to what I will tell you,” and, crossing himself, he began to say: “I am still alive!” Glory to Thee, Lord, that I am still alive! I saw how my sinful body was transferred in a coffin to our church and buried. Then they carried me from the church to the city cemetery. When they began to approach the grave, the deceased parents and our dead children came out to meet me. They shouted, “Daddy! We have been waiting for you here for a long time!” When they wanted to lower my coffin into the grave, a monk suddenly appeared and said: “Stop! He must die in ten days, on November 14, on the feast of Cosmas and Damian, at four o'clock in the afternoon." As soon as he finished his speech, I saw above me the icon of the Mother of God "The Sign" with outstretched arms over me. I wanted to kiss the image and suddenly came to life.

The patient's story amazed many, everyone wanted to know if the monk's words would come true. The next day, the sick man took communion. Five days later he took communion for the second time. The day before his death, his relatives, without asking the patient, wanted to invite a priest, but Pyotr Ivanovich begged him to postpone it until morning. So they did. After the early liturgy, on the day of his death, he was honored for the third time with communion of the Holy Mysteries, and the prayer of departure was also read over him. Then the sick man blessed the children, said goodbye to his relatives, and peacefully departed to the Lord at the hour foretold to him in the vision.

ΑΝΤ.

"Pascha at Dachau"

On Easter Day, May 6, 1945, 18 Orthodox priests, one deacon, and several believers entered barrack No. 26, where British and American prisoners had a chapel in a small room. The sick Greek Archimandrite Meletios was brought on a stretcher, and the whole service he lay, unable to get up, praying and crossing himself along with everyone else. There was nothing in the chapel except a small table and a single icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Czestochowa" hanging on the wall.

And Boris F., the chief interpreter of the committee of prisoners, came to the barracks to Gleb Aleksandrovich Rar. He said that, thanks to the help and participation of the Greek and Yugoslav committee of prisoners, everything was prepared to hold a real Pascha service! Even though there were no priestly vestments, the prisoners sewed stole from towels, sewing red hospital crosses on them. They did not have service books, icons, candles, prosphora and church wine. But there was faith and mercy of God, which appeared in this terrible place.

In the entire history of the Orthodox Church, there has never been such an Pascha service as on May 6, 1945 in Dachau - Memorial Day of the great Orthodox saint and warrior George the Victorious! Homemade robes of priests from towels with sewn on hospital crosses were worn directly on the striped prison uniforms. They served from memory. The Pascha canon, the Pascha stichera - everyone sang by heart. After the exclamation of the priest, the choir sang hymns in Greek, and then in Church Slavonic. The gospel was also read from memory. The young Athonite monk came out in front of the fathers, bowed, and in a voice trembling with excitement began to recite the Word on Pascha of St. John Chrysostom by heart. He spoke the Word and wept. And everyone around was crying too. From the very heart of death, from the depths of this earthly hell, the words "Christ is Risen!" And in response it was heard: “Truly Risen!”.

INS. ΑΝΤ.

Before Sister Timothei became a nun she had met St. Porphyrios 8 years ago in Crete.

- "Your blessing, elder."

- "May you have the Lord's blessing!",

In the midst of her joy, she asked some people outside:

- "Who is this elder?"

- "Father Porphyrios! He has been in Chania for days... Didn't you know?".

“Here [in the Transfiguration], in a shrouded manner, is revealed to us all of the greatness, all the significance, not only of man, but of the material world itself, of its indescribable potential, not only earthly and transitory, but also eternal and Divine...

And if we attentively and seriously accept what is revealed to us here, we must change as profoundly as we can our attitude toward everything visible, toward everything tangible; not only toward humanity, not only toward man, but toward his very flesh, and not only toward human flesh, but toward everything around him that is physically perceptible, tangible, and visible... Everything is called to become the place of indwelling of the Lord's grace; everything is called to be at some time, at the end of time, drawn into that glory and to shine forth with that glory.”

- Metropolitan Anthony Bloom

The priest and the demon!

The following happened to a newly ordained priest:

After his ordination was over, he went to his home. There he lay down on his bed to rest. In the afternoon when his relatives went to wake him up, they found that the priest did not want to get up. He even wrapped his head in the bedclothes and did not uncover himself with anything, despite the entreaties of his relatives.

This lasted that day and the next and the day after. No one could understand what was happening to their father.

The weekend was approaching and the priest did not leave his bed. His family kept everything that happened to the priest a secret from the village. However, the priest had to officiate on Sunday, and then what would they say to the world? Not even in the metropolis did they want the problem to be known.

They then thought of notifying Fr. Vissarion, who arrived the fastest and went directly to the priest's room.

"Get up my child, I am Fr. Vissarion. You have to get up, eat something, get stronger and talk," he told him.

The priest uncovered his head a little, greeted the elder and covered himself again.

It was Saturday. In the afternoon, the Elder begged him to get up, but to no avail. Then, he ordered the men of the house to pick him up by force, put him in the car and take him to the church. It was evening time.

There in front of the holy altar, the elder forced him to wear a petrachili and said to him in his hoarse voice: "Father say: "Blessed is our God...". He refused and the elder insisted more urgently.

At some point the priest, with a trembling voice, said "Blessed" and immediately a loud shout was heard throughout the church. The priest burst out and the priest was freed, came to his senses and celebrated vespers normally. The Elder stood beside him and advised him.

Everyone with tears in their eyes saw their priest officiating and their joy was very great. Father Vissarion stayed that night at their house. He confessed to the priest and his relatives and the next day, Sunday, they performed the divine service together, they shared the holy mysteries and everything went well and blessed.

Once, my Christians, a certain monk left the common life and blessed obedience and went to the desert to become a hesychast. His calculus demanded that he devote himself day and night to the study and theory of the name of Jesus Christ and indeed to the mystery of the Trinity of the Holy God.

Thus he believed that in the wilderness and in the peace of the quiet he could unite with God without worries and without interruptions.

But after two or three days, can no one endure more than that, as we speak, at some point in his sacred meditations, he felt the presence of someone close to him.

What was it? A little mouse.

He had climbed into his patched and holed slipper, and was smelling his big toe. Thus he was distracted, and it was impossible to keep his mind still, in the remembrance of God and in his prayer.

He saw it and said to himself, "I left everything to communicate carelessly and correctly with God and now a mouse has spoiled it for me. Well, that's it, he pulls the string, and says angrily to the mouse, loudly now:

-"Why are you interrupting my prayer, you b*st*rd?"

-"Because I'm hungry," replied the mouse.

And the hesychast retorted with indignation, not noticing that the mouse spoke with a human voice,

-"Get out of here, you wretched one, I am trying with a thousand efforts to see how I can unite with God, and you came to ask me to deal with your belly?" and frap, he shook his leg and flung the mouse into the opposite corner of his cave. And then the mouse turns and very calmly, after looking him in the eyes, answered him, in human language:

- "Learn this once and for all, father, if you can't with your fellow worshipers around and with old Abbakum, who is burning with fever and dying of hunger in a cave next to you, but also with each Abbakum, that is, your neighbor, who hurts and suffers, who hungers and thirsts and lies naked and wounded, and you do not sympathize with him, and do not stand with him, in his problems, then, never, never will you be able to unite with the God of love and mercy. » And the mouse disappeared.

In 2019 I was diagnosed with a mass in my left breast, round with clear contours, about 10mm in size, presumably an adenoma. In September 2020, I went to the White Rose Charitable Foundation, which deals with women's health, for an examination. The adenoma was detected. I was scheduled a consultation with a mammologist oncologist. On the eve of the visit to the doctor, my son fell ill with coronovirus, the consultation had to be postponed. My sister in Christ Maya bought St. John's Maximovitch oil in Moscow and sent it to me by mail. For a month I prayed to St. John and anointed my breasts with the oil several times a day.

A month later, when I went to the doctor I had another ultrasound in the same place. There was no trace of the adenoma! Thank God!

A monk from the Holy Mountain told the following story about Saint Paisios the Athonite.

In 1977 there was a great drought throughout Greece, but especially in Thessalonicki. The villagers were in complete despair: it had not rained for about a hundred days, and misfortune was inevitable. I went to my father Paisios, to open his thoughts to me and receive benefit. I did not even think about a possible disaster in the countryside from drought: I heard something about it, but did not pay attention.

Father Paisios seemed concerned, but completely calm in the depths. Out of compassion for the unfortunate farmers, at the end of our conversation he said:

“Father, have mercy. Keep a vigil tonight and ask the Lord and the Lady of the Mother of God to gather clouds and pour rain in Thessalonicki, because the sun and the heat burned the crops, and the people suffer and fall into despair. We must support them with our prayers. And I, too, will be awake with you, but each of us is in his own cell.

I said: “Bless, Father Paisios,” and went to the monastery of Koutloumous. The next day, the sky over Athos turned black, and rain poured down on us. Joy, God's mercy, blessing! I ran to the cell of Elder Paisios, and as soon as he saw me, he said to me:

“Blessed by God, I told you to pray that it would rain only in Thessalonicki, and not on the Holy Mountain. I will give you penance.

Saint Nikolaos Planas used to go to Christian homes to bless with holy water or perform holy unctions. Once he was in Kolonaki (with Papadiamantis who was his cantor) the people of Kolonaki had learned that he was pious and called him.

When he came from a noble house, the beggars see him and they say among themselves: "Where is the priest going? He goes there. Let's go too."

He was walkiong and a beggar came who was more of a fool and goes limp and says to him, "Father, give it to me." And the Saint took out what he had in his pocket and gave it to him.

Papadiamantis was next to him and he says to him: "Father, pay attention, because I see him in the square."

- Yes, yes, yes, it's okay, it's okay.

The beggar goes around the block from the apartment building to the next and goes to the second alley, and limps again and goes again in front of saint.

And the priest pulls out from the other pocket again and gives what he has to him.

Papadiamantis got angry and said to him:

– Father!!

– Yes, yes, I have it in mind, I have it in mind .

The third time he does the same. There, Papadiamantis lost control and said to him:

- Can't you see well, father? Lift your head to see him. Since he is the same, he wears the same clothes, does the same pranks.

And he says:

- Be quiet, blessed one, it is Christ and he is testing us.

The very famous Dr.

Dr. Mark, was a well-known specialist in the field of oncology. One day he was going to a very important conference in another city, where he was to be awarded a prize in medical research. He is veryhe was worried, because at this conference his many years of work were to be evaluated.

However, two hours after the plane took off, there was an emergency landing at the nearest airport due to some technical problem. The doctor was afraid not to be in time, so he rented a car and drove himself to the city where the conference was to be held.

However, soon after he left, the weather turned bad and a violent storm began. Due to heavy rain, he turned the wrong way and got lost.

After two hours of unsuccessful driving, he realized that he was done. He felt hungry and terribly tired, so he decided to look for a place to stay. After a while, he finally came across a small decrepit house. Desperate, he got out of the car and knocked on the door.

The door was opened by a beautiful woman. He explained himself and asked her to use the phone. However, the woman told him that she didn't have a phone, but that he could come in and wait until the weather improved.

Hungry, wet and tired, the doctor accepted her kind offer and entered. The lady gave him hot tea and something to eat. The lady said that he could join her in prayer. But, Dr. Mark smiled and said that he only believes in hard work and refused.

Sitting at the table and drinking tea, the doctor watched the woman in the dim candlelight as she prayed next to the crib. The doctor understood that the woman needed help, so when she finished praying, he asked her:

“What exactly do you want from God? Do you really think that God will ever hear your prayers?"

And then he asked about the little baby in the crib where she prayed. The lady smiled sadly and said,

“The baby in the crib is my son, who suffers from a rare type of cancer and there is only one doctor, his name is Mark, who can cure him, but I don’t have the money to afford him, besides, Doctor Mark lives in another city. God has not yet answered my prayer, but I know that He will help and nothing will break my faith.

Stunned and speechless, Dr. Mark simply burst into tears. He whispered,

“God is great…"

He remembered everything that had happened to him today: a malfunction in the plane, heavy rain, due to which he lost his way; and all this happened because God not only answered her prayer, but also gave him a chance to get out of the material world and help poor unfortunate people who have nothing but prayer.

Once, a villager met Fr. Joel Giannakopoulos and mentioned to him some serious reasons, in his opinion, that prevented him from reconciling with his brother. So he said to him

"I cannot, my father, speak first. My brother must speak to me first. It was his fault and not mine. And then, he is younger and I am older..."

"Then tell me", Fr. Yoiel asked: "Who is older? Us or God?'

"But what kind of question is this father? God of course!", replied the villager.

"And who blamed the other?" God to us or we to God?

"We blamed God," said the villager confidently.

"And who initiated the reconciliation? Did we go to God or did God come to us?", the wise elder asked again.

"God has come to us!" said the villager.

And then, as if enlightened, he said to Father Joel:

"Ahh! Well…, thank you. You are right! I will go to my brother!"!!

Once, a villager met Fr. Joel Giannakopoulos and mentioned to him some serious reasons, in his opinion, that prevented him from reconciling with his brother. So he said to him

"I cannot, my father, speak first. My brother must speak to me first. It was his fault and not mine. And then, he is younger and I am older..."

"Then tell me", Fr. Yoiel asked: "Who is older? Us or God?'

"But what kind of question is this father? God of course!", replied the villager.

"And who blamed the other?" God to us or we to God?

"We blamed God," said the villager confidently.

"And who initiated the reconciliation? Did we go to God or did God come to us?", the wise elder asked again.

"God has come to us!" said the villager.

And then, as if enlightened, he said to Father Joel:

"Ahh! Well…, thank you. You are right! I will go to my brother!"!!

The Veneration of the Mother of God During Her Earthly Life

Saint John Maximovitch of San Francisco, CA, USA (+1966)

FROM APOSTOLIC TIMES and to our days all who truly love Christ give veneration to Her Who gave birth to Him, raised Him and protected Him in the days of His youth. If God the Father chose Her, God the Holy Spirit descended upon Her, and God the Son dwelt in Her, submitted to Her in the days of His youth, was concerned for Her when hanging on the Crossthen should not everyone who confesses the Holy Trinity venerate Her?

Still in the days of Her earthly life the friends of Christ, the Apostles, manifested a great concern and devotion for the Mother of the Lord, especially the Evangelist John the Theologian, who, fulfilling the will of Her Divine Son, took Her to himself and took care for Her as for a mother from the time when the Lord uttered to him from the Cross the words: Behold thy mother.”

The Evangelist Luke painted a number of images of Her, some together with the Pre-eternal Child, others without Him. When he brought them and showed them to the Most Holy Virgin, She approved them and said: “The grace of My Son shall be with them, ” and repeated the hymn She had once sung in the house of Elizabeth: “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and My spirit hath rejoiced in God My Saviour.”

However, the Virgin Mary during Her earthly life avoided the glory which belonged to Her as the Mother of the Lord. She preferred to live in quiet and prepare Herself for the departure into eternal life. To the last day of Her earthly life She took care to prove worthy of the Kingdom of Her Son, and before death She prayed that He might deliver Her soul from the malicious spirits that meet human souls on the way to heaven and strive to seize them so as to take them away with them to hades. The Lord fulfilled the prayer of His Mother and in the hour of Her death Himself came from heaven with a multitude of angels to receive Her soul.

Since the Mother of God had also prayed that She might bid farewell to the Apostles, the Lord gathered for Her death all the Apostles, except Thomas, and they were brought by an invisible power on that day to Jerusalem from all the ends of the inhabited world, where they were preaching, and they were present at Her blessed translation into eternal life. The Apostles gave Her most pure body over to burial with sacred hymns, and on the third day they opened the tomb so as once more to venerate the remains of the Mother of God together with the Apostle Thomas, who had arrived then in Jerusalem. But they did not find the body in the tomb and in perplexity they returned to their own place; and then, during their meal, the Mother of God Herself appeared to them in the air, shining with heavenly light, and informed them that Her Son had glorified Her body also, and She, resurrected, stood before His Throne. At the same time, She promised to be with them always.

The Apostles greeted the Mother of God with great joy and began to venerate Her not only as the Mother of their beloved Teacher and Lord, but also as their heavenly helper, as a protector of Christians and intercessor for the whole human race before the Righteous Judge. And everywhere the Gospel of Christ was preached, His Most Pure Mother also began to be glorified.

https://ortodoks.dk/ortodoks-tro-og-praksis/de-hellige/the-orthodox-veneration-of-mary-the-birthgiver-of-god

The First Enemies of the Veneration of The Mother of God

Saint John Maximovitch of San Francisco, CA, USA (+1966)

THE MORE the faith of Christ spread and the Name of the Saviour of the world was glorified on earth, and together with Him also She Who was vouchsafed to be the Mother of the God-Man,-the more did the hatred of the enemies of Christ increase towards Her. Mary was the Mother of Jesus. She manifested a hitherto unheard-of example of purity and righteousness, and furthermore, now departed from this life, She was a mighty support for Christians, even. though invisible to bodily eyes. Therefore all who hated Jesus Christ and did not believe in Him, who did not understand His teaching, or to be more precise, did not wish to understand as the Church understood, who wished to replace the preaching of Christ with their own human reasonings-all of these transferred their hatred for Christ, for the Gospel and the Church, to the Most Pure Virgin Mary. They wished to belittle the Mother, so as thereby to destroy faith also in Her Son, to create a false picture of Her among men in order to have the opportunity to rebuild the whole Christian teaching on a different foundation. In the womb of Mary, God and man were joined. She was the One Who served as it were as the ladder for the Son of God, Who descended from heaven. To strike a blow at Her veneration means to strike Christianity at the root, to destroy it in its very foundation.

And the very beginning, of Her heavenly glory was marked on earth by an outburst of malice and hatred toward Her by unbelievers. When, after Her holy repose, the Apostles were carrying Her body for burial in Gethsemane, to the place chosen by her, John the Theologian went ahead carrying the branch from paradise which the Archangel Gabriel had brought to the Holy Virgin three days before this when he came from heaven to announce to Her Her approaching departure to the heavenly mansions.

“When Israel went out of Egypt, and the house of Jacob from among a barbarous people,” chanted St. Peter from Psalm 113; “Alleluia,” sang the whole assembly of the Apostles together with their disciples, as for example, Dionysius the Areopagite, who likewise had been miraculously transported at that time to Jerusalem. And while this sacred hymn was being sung, which was called by the J ews the ” G reat Alleluia, ” that is, the great “Praise ye the Lord,” one Jewish priest, Athonius, leaped up to the bier and wished to overturn it and throw to the ground the body of the Mother of God.

The brazenness of Athonius was immediately punished: the Archangel Michael with an invisible sword cut off his hand, which remained hanging on the bier. The thunderstruck Athonius, experiencing a tormenting pain, in awareness of his sin, turned in prayer to the Jesus Whom he had hated up to then and he was immediately healed. He did not delay in accepting Christianity and confessing it before his former co-religionists, for which he received from them a martyr’s death. Thus, the attempt to offend the honor of the Mother of God served for Her greater glorification.

The enemies of Christ resolved not to manifest their lack of veneration for the body of the Most Pure One further at that time by crude violence, but their malice did not cease. Seeing that Christianity was spreading everywhere, they began to spread various vile slanders about Christians. They did not spare the name of the Mother of Christ either, and they invented the story that Jesus of Nazareth had come from a base and immoral environment, and that His Mother had associated with a certain Roman soldier.

But here the lie was too evident for this fiction to attract serious attention. The whole family of Joseph the Betrothed and Mary Herself were known well by the inhabitants of Nazareth and the surrounding ‑countryside in their time. Whence bath this man this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brethren: James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? (Matt. 13:54–55; Mark 6:3; Luke 4:22.) So said His fellowcountrymen in Nazareth when Christ revealed before them in the synagogue His other-worldly wisdom. In small towns the family matters of everyone are well known; very strict watch was kept then over the purity of married life.

Would people really have behaved with respect towards Jesus, called Him to preach in the synagogue, if He had been born of illegitimate cohabitation? To Mary the law of Moses would have been applied, which commanded that such persons be stoned to death; and the Pharisees would have taken the opportunity many times to reproach Christ for the conduct of His Mother. But just the contrary was the case. Mary enjoyed great respect; at Cana She was an honored guest at the wedding, and even when Her Son was condemned, no one allowed himself to ridicule or censure His Mother.

https://ortodoks.dk/ortodoks-tro-og-praksis/de-hellige/the-orthodox-veneration-of-mary-the-birthgiver-of-god

Attempts of Jews and Heretics to Dishonor The Ever-Virginity of Mary

Saint John Maximovitch of San Francisco, CA, USA (+1966)

THE JEWISH slanderers soon became convinced that it was almost impossible to dishonor the Mother of Jesus, and on the basis of the information which they themselves possessed it was much easier to prove Her praiseworthy life. Therefore, they abandoned this slander of theirs, which had already been taken up by the pagans (Origen, Against Celsus, I),and strove to prove at least that Mary was not a virgin when She gave birth to Christ. They even said that the prophecies concerning the birth-giving of the Messiah by a virgin had never existed, and that therefore it was entirely in vain that Christians thought to exalt Jesus by the fact that a prophecy was supposedly being fulfilled in Him.

Jewish translators were found (Aquila, Symmachus, Theodotion) who made new translations of the Old Testament into Greek and in these translated the well-known prophecy of Isaiah (Is. 7:14) thus: Behold, a young woman will conceive. They asserted that the Hebrew word Aalma signified “young woman” and not “virgin,” as stood in the sacred translation of the Seventy Translators [Septuagint], where this passage had been translated “Behold, a virgin shall conceive.”

By this new translation they wished to prove that Christians, on the basis of an incorrect translation of the word Aalma, thought to ascribe to Mary something completely impossible a birth-giving without a man, while in actuality the birth of Christ was not in the least different from other human births.

However, the evil intention of the new translators was clearly revealed because by a comparison of various passages in the Bible it became clear that the word Aalma signified precisely “virgin.” And indeed, not only the Jews, but even the pagans, on the basis of their own traditions and various prophecies, expected the Redeemer of the world to be born of a Virgin. The Gospels clearly stated that the Lord Jesus had been born of a Virgin.

How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? asked Mary, Who had given a vow of virginity, of the Archangel Gabriel, who had informed Her of the birth of Christ.

And the Angel replied: The Holy Spirit shall come upon Thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow Thee; wherefore also that which is to be born shall be holy, and shall be called the Son of God (Luke 1:34–35). Later the Angel appeared also to righteous Joseph, who had wished to put away Mary from his house, seeing that She had conceived without entering into conjugal cohabitation with him. To Joseph the Archangel Gabriel said: Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is begotten in Her is of the Holy Spirit, and he reminded him of the prophecy of Isaiah that a virgin would conceive (Matt. 1: 18–2 5).The rod of Aaron that budded, the rock torn away from the mountain without hands, seen by Nebuchadnezzar in a dream and interpreted by the Prophet Daniel, the closed gate seen by the Prophet Ezekiel, and much else in the Old Testament, prefigured the birth-giving of the Virgin. Just as Adam had been created by the Word of God from the unworked and virgin earth, so also the Word of God created flesh for Himself from a virgin womb when the Son of God became the new Adam so as to correct the fall into sin of the first Adam (St. Irenaeus of Lyons, Book 111).

The seedless birth of Christ can and could be denied only by those who deny the Gospel, whereas the Church of Christ from of old confesses Christ “incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary.” But the birth of God from the Ever-Virgin was a stumbling stone for those who wished to call themselves Christians but did not wish to humble themselves in mind and be zealous for purity of life. The pure life of Mary was a reproach for those who were impure also in their thoughts. So as to show themselves Christians, they did not dare to deny that Christ was born of a Virgin, but they began to affirm that Mary remained a virgin only until she brought forth her first-born son, Jesus (Matt. 1:25).

“After the birth of Jesus,” said the false teacher Helvidius in the 4th century, and likewise many others before and after him, “Mary entered into conjugal life with Joseph and had from him children, who are called in the Gospels the brothers and sisters of Christ.” But the word “until” does not signify that Mary remained a virgin only until a certain time. The word “until” and words similar to it often signify eternity. In the Sacred Scripture it is said of Christ: In His days shall shine forth righteousness and an abundance of peace, until the moon be taken away (Ps. 71:7), but this does not mean that when there shall no longer be a moon at the end of the world, God’s righteousness shall no longer be; precisely then, rather, will it triumph. And what does it mean when it says: For He must reign, until He hath put all enemies under His feet? (I Cor. 15:25). Is the Lord then to reign only for the time until His enemies shall be under His feet?! And David, in the fourth Psalm of the Ascents says: As the eyes of the handmaid look unto the bands of her mistress, so do our eyes look unto the Lord our God, until He take pity on us (Ps. 122:2). Thus, the Prophet will have his eyes toward the Lord until he obtains mercy, but having obtained it he will direct them to the earth? (Blessed Jerome, “On the Ever-Virginity of Blessed Mary.”) The Saviour in the Gospel says to the Apostles (Matt. 28:20): Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Thus, after the end of the world the Lord will step away from His disciples, and then, when they shall judge the twelve tribes of Israel upon twelve thrones, they will not have the promised communion with the Lord? (Blessed Jerome, op. cit.)

It is likewise incorrect to think that the brothers and sisters of Christ were the children of His Most Holy Mother. The names of “brother” and “sister” have several distinct meanings. Signifying a certain kinship between people or their spiritual closeness, these words are used sometimes in a broader, and sometimes in a narrower sense. In any case, people are called brothers or sisters if they have a common father and mother, or only a common father or mother; or even if they have different fathers and mothers, if their parents later (having become widowed) have entered into marriage (stepbrothers); or if their parents are bound by close degrees of kinship.

In the Gospel it can nowhere be seen that those who are called there the brothers of Jesus were or were considered the children of His Mother. On the contrary, it was known that James and others were the sons of Joseph, the Betrothed of Mary, who was a widower with children from his first wife. (St. Epiphanius of Cyprus, Panarion, 78.) Likewise, the sister of His Mother, Mary the wife of Cleopas, who stood with Her at the Cross of the Lord (John 19:25), also had children, who in view of such close kinship with full right could also be called brothers of the Lord. That the so-called brothers and sisters of the Lord were not the children of His Mother is clearly evident from the fact that the Lord entrusted His Mother before His death to His beloved disciple John. Why should He do this if She had other children besides Him? They themselves would have taken care of Her. The sons of Joseph, the supposed father of Jesus, did not consider themselves obliged to take care of one they regarded as their stepmother, or at least did not have for Her such love as blood children have for parents, and such as the adopted John had for Her.

Thus, a careful study of Sacred Scripture reveals with complete clarity the insubstantiality of the objections against the Ever-Virginity of Mary and puts to shame those who teach differently.

https://ortodoks.dk/ortodoks-tro-og-praksis/de-hellige/the-orthodox-veneration-of-mary-the-birthgiver-of-god

The Nestorian Heresy and The Third Ecumenical Council

Saint John Maximovitch of San Francisco, CA, USA (+1966)

WHEN ALL THOSE who had dared to speak against the sanctity and purity of the Most Holy Virgin Mary had been reduced to silence, an attempt was made to destroy Her veneration as Mother of God. In the 5th century the Archbishop of Constantinople, Nestorius, began to preach that of Mary had been born only the man Jesus, in Whom the Divinity had taken abode and dwelt in Him as in a temple. At first he allowed his presbyter Anastasius and then he himself began to teach openly in church that one should not call Mary “Theotokos, since She had not given birth to the God-Man. He considered it demeaning for himself to worship a child wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.

Such sermons evoked a universal disturbance and unease over the purity of faith, at first in Constantinople and then everywhere else where rumors of the new teaching spread. St. Proclus, the disciple of St. John Chrysostom’ who was then Bishop of Cyzicus and later Archbishop of Constantinople, in the presence of Nestorius gave in church a sermon in which he confessed the Son of God born in the flesh of the Virgin, Who in truth is the Theotokos (Birthgiver of God), for already in the womb of the Most Pure One, at the time of Her conception, the Divinity was united with the Child conceived of the Holy Spirit; and this Child, even though He was born of the Virgin Mary only in His human nature, still was born already true God and true man.

Nestorius stubbornly refused to change his teaching, saying that one must distinguish between Jesus and the Son of God, that Mary should not be called Theotokos, but Christotokos (Birthgiver of Christ), since the Jesus Who was born of Mary was only the man Christ (which signifies Messiah, anointed one), like to God’s anointed ones of old, the prophets, only surpassing them in fullness of communion with God. The teaching of Nestorius thus constituted a denial of the whole economy of God, for if from Mary only a man was born, then it was not God Who suffered for us, but a man.

St. Cyril, Archbishop of Alexandria, finding out about the teaching of Nestorius and about the church disorders evoked by this teaching in Constantinople, wrote a letter to Nestorius, in which he tried to persuade him to hold the teaching which the Church had confessed from its foundation, and not to introduce anything novel into this teaching. In addition, St. Cyril wrote to the clergy and people of Constantinople that they should be firm in the Orthodox faith and not fear the persecutions by Nestorius against those who were not in agreement with him. St. Cyril also wrote informing of everything to Rome, to the holy Pope Celestine, who with all his flock was then firm in Orthodoxy.

St. Celestine for his part wrote to Nestorius and called upon him to preach the Orthodox faith, and not his own. But Nestorius remained deaf to all persuasion and replied that what he was preaching was the Orthodox faith, while his opponents were heretics. St. Cyril wrote Nestorius again and composed twelve anathemas, that is, set forth in twelve paragraphs the chief differences of the Orthodox teaching from the teaching preached by Nestorius, acknowledging as excommunicated from the Church everyone who should reject even a single one of the paragraphs he had composed.

Nestorius rejected the whole of the text composed by St. Cyril and wrote his own exposition of the teaching which he preached, likewise in twelve paragraphs, giving over to anathema (that is, excommunication from the Church) everyone who did not accept it. The danger to purity of faith was increasing all the time. St. Cyril wrote a letter to Theodosius the Younger, who was then reigning, to his wife Eudocia and to the Emperor’s sister Pulcheria, entreating them likewise to concern themselves with ecclesiastical matters and restrain the heresy.

It was decided to convene an Ecumenical Council, at which hierarchs, gathered from the ends of the world, should decide whether the faith preached by Nestorius was Orthodox. As the place for the council, which was to be the Third Ecumenical Council, they chose the city of Ephesus, in which the Most Holy Virgin Mary had once dwelt together with the Apostle John the Theologian. St. Cyril gathered his fellow bishops in Egypt and together with them travelled by sea to Ephesus. From Antioch overland came John, Archbishop of Antioch, with the Eastern bishops. The Bishop of Rome, St. Celestine, could not go himself and asked St. Cyril to defend the Orthodox faith, and in addition he sent from himself two bishops and the presbyter of the Roman Church Philip, to whom he also gave instructions as to what to say. To Ephesus there came likewise Nestorius and the bishops of the Constantinople region, and the bishops of Palestine, Asia Minor, and Cyprus.

On the 10th of the calends of July according to the Roman reckoning, that is, June 22, 43 1, in the Ephesian Church of the Virgin Mary, the bishops assembled, headed by the Bishop of Alexandria, Cyril, and the Bishop of Ephesus, Memnon, and took their places. In their midst was placed a Gospel as a sign of the invisible headship of the Ecumenical Council by Christ Himself. At first the Symbol of Faith which had been composed by the First and Second Ecumenical Councils was read; then there was read to the Council the Imperial Proclamation which was brought by the representatives of the Emperors Theodosius and Valentinian, Emperors of the Eastern and Western parts of the Empire.

The Imperial Proclamation having been heard, the reading of documents began, and there were read the Epistles of Cyril and Celestine to Nestorius, as well as the replies of Nestorius. The Council, by the lips of its members, acknowledged the teaching of Nestorius to be impious and condemned it, acknowledging Nestorius as deprived of his See and of the priesthood. A decree was composed concerning this which was signed by about 160 participants of the Council; and since some of them represented also other bishops who did not have the opportunity to be personally at the Council, the decree of the Council was actually the decision of more than 200 bishops, who had their Sees in the various regions of the Church at that time, and they testified that they confessed the Faith which from all antiquity had been kept in their localities.

Thus the decree of the Council was the voice of the Ecumenical Church, which clearly expressed its faith that Christ, born of the Virgin, is the true God Who became man; and inasmuch as Mary gave birth to the perfect Man Who was at the same time perfect God, She rightly should be revered as THEOTOKOS.

At the end of the session its decree was immediately communicated to the waiting people. The whole of Ephesus rejoiced when it found out that the veneration of the Holy Virgin had been defended, for She was especially revered in this city, of which She had been a resident during Her earthly life and a Patroness after Her departure into eternal life. The people greeted the Fathers ecstatically when in the evening they returned home after the session. They accompanied them to their homes with lighted torches and burned incense in the streets. Everywhere were to be heard joyful greetings, the glorification of the Ever-Virgin, and the praises of the Fathers who had defended Her name against the heretics. The decree of the Council was displayed in the streets of Ephesus.

The Council had five more sessions, on June 10 and 11, July 16, 17, and and August 3 1. At these sessions there were set forth, in six canons, measures for action against those who would dare to spread the teaching of Nestorius and change the decree of the Council of Ephesus.

At the complaint of the bishops of Cyprus against the pretensions of the Bishop of Antioch, the Council decreed that the Church of Cyprus should preserve its independence in Church government, which it had possessed from the Apostles, and that in general none of the bishops should subject to themselves regions which had been previously independent from them, “lest under the pretext of priesthood the pride of earthly power should steal in, and lest we lose, ruining it little by little, the freedom which our Lord Jesus Christ, the Deliverer of all men, has given us by His Blood.”

The Council likewise confirmed the condemnation of the Pelagian heresy, which taught that man can be saved by his own powers without the necessity of having the grace of God. It also decided certain matters of church government, and addressed epistles to the bishops who had not attended the Council, announcing its decrees and calling upon all to stand on guard for the Orthodox Faith and the peace of the Church. At the same time the Council acknowledged that the teaching of the Orthodox Ecumenical Church had been fully and clearly enough set forth in the Nicaeo-Constantinopolitan Symbol of Faith, which is why it itself did not compose a new Symbol of Faith and forbade in future “to compose another Faith,” that is, to compose other Symbols of Faith or make changes in the Symbol which had been confirmed at the Second Ecumenical Council.

This latter decree was violated several centuries later by Western Christians when, at first in separate places, and then throughout the whole Roman Church, there was made to the Symbol the addition that the Holy Spirit proceeds “and from the Son,” which addition has been approved by the Roman Popes from the I I th century, even though up until that time their predecessors, beginning with St. Celestine, firmly kept to the decision of the Council of Ephesus, which was the Third Ecumenical Council, and fulfilled it.

Thus the peace which had been destroyed by Nestorius settled once more in the Church. The true Faith had been defended and false teaching accused.

The Council of Ephesus is rightly venerated as Ecumenical, on the same level as the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople which preceded it. At it there were present representatives of the whole Church. Its decisions were accepted by the whole Church “from one end of the universe to the other.” At it there was confessed the teaching which had been held from Apostolic times. The Council did not create a new teaching, but it loudly testified of the truth which some had tried to replace by an invention. It precisely set forth the confession of the Divinity of Christ Who was born of the Virgin. The belief of the Church and its judgment on this question were now so clearly expressed that no one could any longer ascribe to the Church his own false reasonings. In the future there could arise other questions demanding the decision of the whole Church, but not the question

Subsequent Councils based themselves in their decisions on the decrees of the Councils which had preceded them. They did not compose a new Symbol of Faith, but only gave an explanation of it. At the Third Ecumenical Council there was firmly and clearly confessed Previously the Holy Fathers had accused those who had slandered the immaculate life of the Virgin Mary; and now concerning those who had tried to lessen Her honor it was proclaimed to all: “He who does not confess Immanuel to be true God and therefore the Holy Virgin to be Theotokos, because She gave birth in the flesh to the Word Who is from God the Father and Who became flesh, let him be anathema (separated from the Church)” (First Anathema of St. Cyril of Alexandria).

https://ortodoks.dk/ortodoks-tro-og-praksis/de-hellige/the-orthodox-veneration-of-mary-the-birthgiver-of-god

Attempts of Iconoclasts to Lessen The Glory of the Queen of Heaven;

They are put to shame.

Saint John Maximovitch of San Francisco, CA, USA (+1966)

AFTER THE THIRD Ecumenical Council, Christians began yet more fervently, both in Constantinople and in other places, to hasten to the intercession of the Mother of God and their hopes in Her intercession were not vain. She manifested Her help to innumerable sick people, helpless people, and those in misfortune. Many times She appeared as defender of Constantinople against outward enemies, once even showing in visible fashion to St. Andrew the Fool for Christ Her wondrous Protection over the people who were praying at night in the Temple of Blachernae.

The Queen of Heaven gave victory in battles to the Byzantine Emperors, which is why they had the custom to take with them in their campaigns Her Icon of Hodigitria (Guide). She strengthened ascetics and zealots of Christian life in their battle against human passions and weaknesses. She enlightened and instructed the Fathers and Teachers of the Church ’ including St. Cyril of Alexandria himself when he was hesitating to acknowledge the innocence and sanctity of St. John Chrysostom. The Most Pure Virgin placed hymns in the mouths of the composers of church hymns, sometimes making renowned singers out of the untalented who had no gift of song, but who were pious laborers, such as St. Romanus the Sweet-Singer (the Melodist). Is it therefore surprising that Christians strove to magnify the name of their constant Intercessor? In Her honor feasts were established, to Her were dedicated wondrous songs, and Her Images were revered.

The malice of the prince of this world armed the sons of apostasy once more to raise battle against Immanuel and His Mother in this same Constantinople, which revered now, as Ephesus had previously, the Mother of God as its Intercessor. Not daring at first to speak openly against the Champion General, they wished to lessen Her glorification by forbidding the veneration of the Icons of Christ and His saints, calling this idol-worship. The Mother of God now also strengthened zealots of piety in the battle for the veneration of Images, manifesting many signs from Her Icons and healing the severed hand of St. John of Damascus who had written in defence of the Icons.

The persecution against the venerators of Icons and Saints ended again in the victory and triumph of Orthodoxy, for the veneration given to the Icons ascends to those who are depicted in them; and the holy ones of God are venerated as friends of God for the sake of the Divine grace which dwelt in them, in accordance with the words of the Psalm: “Most precious to me are Thy friends.” The Most Pure Mother of God was glorified with special honor in heaven and on earth, and She, even in the days of the mocking of the holy Icons, manifested through them so many wondrous miracles that even today we remember them with contrition. The hymn “In Thee All Creation Rejoices, 0 Thou Who Art Full of Grace,” and the Icon of the Three Hands remind us of the healing of St. John Damascene before this Icon; the depiction of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God reminds us of the miraculous deliverance from enemies by this Icon, which had been thrown in the sea by a widow who was unable to save it.

No persecutions against those who venerated the Mother of God and all that is bound up with the memory of Her could lessen the love of Christians for their Intercessor. The rule was established that every series of hymns in the Divine services should end with a hymn or verse in honor of the Mother of God (the so-called “Theotokia”). Many times in the year Christians in all corners of the world gather together in church, as before they gathered together, to praise Her, to thank Her for the benefactions She has shown, and to beg mercy.

But could the adversary of Christians, the devil, who goeth about roaring like a lion, seeking whom he may devour (I Peter 5:8), remain an indifferent spectator to the glory of the Immaculate One? Could he acknowledge himself as defeated, and cease to wage warfare against the truth through men who do his will? And so, when all the universe resounded with the good news of the Faith of Christ, when everywhere the name of the Most Holy One was invoked, when the earth was filled with churches, when the houses of Christians were adorned with Icons depicting Her-then there appeared and began to spread a new false teaching about the Mother of God. This false teaching is dangerous in that many cannot immediately understand to what degree it undermines the true veneration of the Mother of God.

https://ortodoks.dk/ortodoks-tro-og-praksis/de-hellige/the-orthodox-veneration-of-mary-the-birthgiver-of-god

Zeal Not According to Knowledge (Romans 10:2)

The corruption by the Latins, in the newly invented dogma of the “Immaculate Conception, ” of the true veneration of the Most Holy Mother of God and Ever- Virgin Mary.

Saint John Maximovitch of San Francisco, CA, USA (+1966)

WHEN THOSE WHO censured the immaculate life of the Most Holy Virgin had been rebuked, as well as those who denied Her Evervirginity, those who denied Her dignity as the Mother of God, and those who disdained Her icons-then, when the glory of the Mother of God had illuminated the whole universe, there appeared a teaching which seemingly exalted highly the Virgin Mary, but in reality denied all Her virtues.

This teaching is called that of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, and it was accepted by the followers of the Papal throne of Rome. The teaching is this- that “the All-blessed Virgin Mary in the first instant of Her Conception, by the special grace of Almighty God and by a special privilege, for the sake of the future merits of Jesus Christ, Saviour of the human race, was preserved exempt from all stain of original sin” (Bull of Pope Pius IX concerning the new dogma). In other words, the Mother of God at Her very conception was preserved from original sin and, by the grace of God, was placed in a state where it was impossible for Her to have personal sins.

Christians had not heard of this before the ninth century, when for the first time the Abbot of Corvey, Paschasius Radbertus, expressed the opinion that the Holy Virgin was conceived without original sin. Beginning, from the 12th century, this idea begins to spread among the clergy and flock of the Western church, which had already fallen away from the Universal Church and thereby lost the grace of the Holy Spirit.

However, by no means all of the members of the Roman church agreed with the new teaching. There was a difference of among the most renowned theologians of the West, the pillars, so to speak, of the Latin church. Thomas Aquinas and Bernard of Clairvaux decisively censured it, while Duns Scotus defended it. From the teachers this division carried over to their disciples: the Latin Dominican monks, after their teacher Thomas Aquinas, preached against the teaching of the Immaculate Conception, while the followers of Duns Scotus, the Franciscans, strove to implant it everywhere. The battle between these two currents continued for the course of several centuries. Both on the one and on the other side there were those who were considered among the Catholics as the greatest authorities.

There was no help in deciding the question in the fact that several people declared that they had had a revelation from above concerning it. The nun Bridget [of Sweden], renowned in the 14th century among the Catholics, spoke in her writings about the appearances to her of the Mother of God, Who Herself told her that She had been conceived immaculately, without original sin. But her contemporary, the yet more renowned ascetic Catherine of Sienna, affirmed that in Her Conception the Holy Virgin participated in original sin, concerning which she had received a revelation from Christ Himself (See the book of Archpriest A. Lebedev, Differences in the Teaching on the Most Holy Mother of God in the Churches of East and West)

Thus, neither on the foundation of theological writings, nor on the foundation of miraculous manifestations which contradicted each other, could the Latin flock distinguish for a long time where the truth was. Roman Popes until Sixtus IV (end of the 15th century) remained apart from these disputes, and only this Pope in 1475 approved a service in which the teaching of the Immaculate Conception was clearly expressed; and several years later he forbade a condemnation of those who believed in the Immaculate Conception. However, even Sixtus IV did not yet decide to affirm that such was the unwavering teaching of the church; and therefore, having forbidden the condemnation of those who believed in the Immaculate Conception, he also did not condemn those who believed otherwise.

Meanwhile, the teaching of the Immaculate Conception obtained more and more partisans among the members of the Roman church. The reason for this was the fact that it seemed more pious and pleasing to the Mother of God to give Her as much glory as possible. The striving of the people to glorify the Heavenly Intercessor, on the one hand, and on the other hand, the deviation of Western theologians into abstract speculations which led only to a seeming truth (Scholasticism), and finally, the patronage of the Roman Popes after Sixtus IV-all this led to the fact that the opinion concerning the Immaculate Conception which had been expressed by Paschasius Radbertus in the 9th century was already the general belief of the Latin church in the 19th century. There remained only to proclaim this definitely as the church’s teaching, which was done by the Roman Pope Pius IX during a solemn service on December 8, 1854, when he declared that the Immaculate Conception of the Most Holy Virgin was a dogma of the Roman church. Thus the Roman church added yet another deviation from the teaching which it had confessed while it was a member of the Catholic, Apostolic Church, which faith has been held up to now unaltered and unchanged by the Orthodox Church. The proclamation of the new dogma satisfied the broad masses of people who belonged to the Roman church, who in simplicity of heart thought that the proclamation of the new teaching in the church would serve for the greater glory of the Mother of God, to Whom by this they were making a gift, as it were. There was also satisfied the vainglory of the Western theologians who defended and worked it out. But most of all the proclamation of the new dogma was profitable for the Roman throne itself, since, having proclaimed the new dogma by his own authority, even though he did listen to the opinions of the bishops of the Catholic church, the Roman Pope by this very fact openly appropriated to himself the right to change the teaching of the Roman church and placed his own voice above the testimony of Sacred Scripture and Tradition. A direct deduction from this was the fact that the Roman Popes were infallible in matters of faith, which indeed this very same Pope Pius IX likewise proclaimed as a dogma of the Catholic church in 1870.

Thus was the teaching of the Western church changed after it had fallen away from communion with the True Church. It has introduced into itself newer and newer teachings, thinking by this to glorify the Truth yet more, but in reality distorting it. While the Orthodox Church humbly confesses what it has received from Christ and the Apostles, the Roman church dares to add to it, sometimes from zeal not according to knowledge (cf. Rom. 10:2), and sometimes by deviating into superstitions and into the contradictions of knowledge falsely so called (I Tim. 6:20). It could not be otherwise. That the gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church (Matt. 16:18) is promised only to the True, Universal Church; but upon those who have fallen away from it are fulfilled the words: As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in Me (John 15:4).

It is true that in the very definition of the new dogma it is said that a new teaching is not being established, but that there is only being proclaimed as the church’s that which always existed in the church and which has been held by many Holy Fathers, excerpts from whose writings are cited. However, all the cited references speak only of the exalted sanctity of the Virgin Mary and of Her immaculateness, and give Her various names which define Her purity and spiritual might; but nowhere is there any word of the immaculateness of Her conception. Meanwhile, these same Holy Fathers in other places say that only Jesus Christ is completely pure of every sin, while all men, being born of Adam, have borne a flesh subject to the law of sin.

None of the ancient Holy Fathers say that God in miraculous fashion purified the Virgin Mary while yet in the womb; and many directly indicate that the Virgin Mary, just as all men, endured a battle with sinfulness, but was victorious over temptations and was saved by Her Divine Son.

Commentators of the Latin confession likewise say that the Virgin Mary was saved by Christ. But they understand this in the sense that Mary was preserved from the taint of original sin in view of the future merits of Christ (Bull on the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception). The Virgin Mary, according to their teaching, received in advance, as it were, the gift which Christ brought to men by His sufferings and death on the Cross. Moreover, speaking of the torments of the Mother of God which She endured standing at the Cross of Her Beloved Son, and in general of the sorrows with which the life of the Mother of God was filled, they consider them an addition to the sufferings of Christ and consider Mary to be our CoRedemptress.

According to the commentary of the Latin theologians, “Mary is an associate with our Redeemer as Co-Redemptress” (see Lebedev, op. cit. p. 273). “In the act of Redemption, She, in a certain way, helped Christ” (Catechism of Dr. Weimar). “The Mother of God,” writes Dr. Lentz, “bore the burden of Her martyrdom not merely courageously, but also joyfully, even though with a broken heart” (Mariology of Dr. Lentz). For this reason, She is “a complement of the Holy Trinity,” and “just as Her Son is the only Intermediary chosen by God between His offended majesty and sinful men, so also, precisely, ‑the chief Mediatress placed by Him between His Son and us is the Blessed Virgin.” “In three respects-as Daughter, as Mother, and as Spouse of God-the Holy Virgin is exalted to a certain equality with the Father, to a certain superiority over the Son, to a certain nearness to the Holy Spirit” (“The Immaculate Conception,” Malou, Bishop of Brouges).

Thus, according to the teaching of the representatives of Latin theology, the Virgin Mary in the work of Redemption is placed side by side with Christ Himself and is exalted to an equality with God. One cannot go farther than this. If all this has not been definitively formulated as a dogma of the Roman church as yet, still the Roman Pope Pius IX, having made the first step in this direction, has shown the direction for the further development of the generally recognized teaching of his church, and has indirectly confirmed the above-cited teaching about the Virgin Mary.

Thus the Roman church, in its strivings to exalt the Most Holy Virgin, is going on the path of complete deification of Her. And if even now its authorities call Mary a complement of the Holy Trinity, one may soon expect that the Virgin will be revered like God. who are building a new theological system having as its foundation the philosophical teaching of Sophia, Wisdom, as a special power binding the Divinity and the creation. Likewise developing the teaching of the dignity of the Mother of God, they wish to see in Her an Essence which is some kind of mid-point between God and man. In some questions they are more moderate than the Latin theologians, but in others, if you please, they have already left them behind. While denying the teaching of the Immaculate Conception and the freedom from original sin, they still teach Her full freedom from any personal sins, seeing in Her an Intermediary between men and God, like Christ: in the person of Christ there has appeared on earth the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, the Pre-eternal Word, the Son of God; while the Holy Spirit is manifest through the Virgin Mary.

In the words of one of the representatives of this tendency, when the Holy Spirit came to dwell in the Virgin Mary, she acquired “a dyadic life, human and divine; that is, She was completely deified, because in Her hypostatic being was manifest the living, creative revelation of the Holy Spirit” (Archpriest Sergei Bulgakov, The Unburnt Bush, 1927, p. 154). “She is a perfect manifestation of the Third Hypostasis” (Ibid., p. 175), CC a creature, but also no longer a creature” (P. 19 1). This striving towards the deification of the Mother of God is to be observed primarily in the West, where at the same time, on the other hand, various sects of a Protestant character are having great success, together with the chief branches of Protestantism, Lutheranism and Calvinism, which in general deny the veneration of the Mother of God and the calling upon Her in prayer.

But we can say with the words of St. Epiphanius of Cyprus: “There is an equal harm in both these heresies, both when men demean the Virgin and when, on the contrary, they glorify Her beyond what is proper” (Panarion, “Against the Collyridians”). This Holy Father accuses those who give Her an almost divine worship: “Let Mary be in honor, but let worship be given to the Lord” (same source). “Although Mary is a chosen vessel, still she was a woman by nature, not to be distinguished at all from others. Although the history of Mary and Tradition relate that it was said to Her father Joachim in the desert, ‘Thy wife hath conceived,’ still this was done not without marital union and not without the seed of man” (same source). “One should not revere the saints above what is proper, but should revere their Master. Mary is not God, and did not receive a body from heaven, but from the joining of man and woman; and according to the promise, like Isaac, She was prepared to take part in the Divine Economy. But, on the other hand, let none dare foolishly to offend the Holy Virgin” (St. Epiphanius, “Against the Antidikomarionites”).

The Orthodox Church, highly exalting the Mother of God in its hymns of praise, does not dare to ascribe to Her that which has not been communicated about Her by Sacred Scripture or Tradition. “Truth is foreign to all overstatements as well as to all understatements. It gives to everything a fitting measure and fitting place” (Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov). Glorifying the immaculateness of the Virgin Mary and the manful bearing of sorrows in Her earthly life, the Fathers of the Church, on the other hand, reject the idea that She was an intermediary between God and men in the sense of the joint Redemption by Them of the human race. Speaking of Her preparedness to die together with Her Son and to suffer together with Him for the sake of the salvation of all, the renowned Father of the Western Church, Saint Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, adds: “But the sufferings of Christ did not need any help, as the Lord Himself prophesied concerning this long before: I looked about, and there was none to help; I sought and there was none to give aid. therefore My arm delivered them (Is. 63:5).” (St. Ambrose, “Concerning the Upbringing of the Virgin and the Ever-Virginity of Holy Mary,” ch. 7).

This same Holy Father teaches concerning the universality of original sin, from which Christ alone is an exception. “Of all those born of women, there is not a single one who is perfectly holy, apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, Who in a special new way of immaculate birthgiving, did not experience earthly taint” (St. Ambrose, Commentary on Luke, ch. 2). “God alone is without sin. All born in the usual manner of woman and man, that is, of fleshly union, become guilty of sin. Consequently, He Who does not have sin was not conceived in this manner” (St. Ambrose, Ap. Aug. “Concerning Marriage and Concupiscence”). “One Man alone, the Intermediary between God and man, is free from the bonds of sinful birth, because He was born of a Virgin, and because in being born He did not experience the touch of sin” (St. Ambrose, ibid., Book 2: “Against Julianus”).

Another renowned teacher of the Church, especially revered in the West, Blessed Augustine, writes: “As for other men, excluding Him Who is the cornerstone, I do not see for them any other means to become temples of God and to be dwellings for God apart from spiritual rebirth, which must absolutely be preceded by fleshly birth. Thus, no matter how much we might think about children who are in the womb of the mother, and even though the word of the holy Evangelist who says of John the Baptist that he leaped for joy in the womb of his mother (which occurred not otherwise than by the action of the Holy Spirit), or the word of the Lord Himself spoken to Jeremiah: I have sanctified thee before thou didst leave the womb of thy mother (Jer. 1:5)- no matter how much these might or might not give us basis for thinking that children in this condition are capable of a certain sanctification, still in any case it cannot be doubted that the sanctification by which all of us together and each of us separately become the temple of God is possible only for those who are reborn, and rebirth always presupposes birth. Only those who have already been born can be united with Christ and be in union with this Divine Body which makes His Church the living temple of the majesty of God” (Blessed Augustine, Letter 187).

The above-cited words of the ancient teachers of the Church testify that in the West itself the teaching which is now spread there was earlier rejected there. Even after the falling away of the Western church, Bernard, who is acknowledged there as a great authority, wrote, ” I am frightened now, seeing that certain of you have desired to change the condition of important matters, introducing a new festival unknown to the Church, unapproved by reason, unjustified by ancient tradition. Are we really more learned and more pious than our fathers? You will say, ‘One must glorify the Mother of God as much as Possible.’ This is true; but the glorification given to the Queen of Heaven demands discernment. This Royal Virgin does not have need of false glorifications, possessing as She does true crowns of glory and signs of dignity. Glorify the purity of Her flesh and the sanctity of Her life. Marvel at the abundance of the gifts of this Virgin; venerate Her Divine Son; exalt Her Who conceived without knowing concupiscence and gave birth without knowing pain. But what does one yet need to add to these dignities? People say that one must revere the conception which preceded the glorious birth-giving; for if the conception had not preceded, the birth-giving also would not have been glorious. But what would one say if anyone for the same reason should demand the same kind of veneration of the father and mother of Holy Mary? One might equally demand the same for Her grandparents and great-grandparents, to infinity. Moreover, how can there not be sin in the place where there was concupiscence? All the more, let one not say that the Holy Virgin was conceived of the Holy Spirit and not of man. I say decisively that the Holy Spirit descended upon Her, but not that He came with Her.”

“I say that the Virgin Mary could not be sanctified before Her conception, inasmuch as She did not exist. if, all the more, She could not be sanctified in the moment of Her conception by reason of the sin which is inseparable from conception, then it remains to believe that She was sanctified after She was conceived in the womb of Her mother. This sanctification, if it annihilates sin, makes holy Her birth, but not Her conception. No one is given the right to be conceived in sanctity; only the Lord Christ was conceived of the Holy Spirit, and He alone is holy from His very conception. Excluding Him, it is to all the descendants of Adam that must be referred that which one of them says of himself, both out of a feeling of humility and in acknowledgement of the truth: Behold I was conceived in iniquities (Ps. 50:7). How can one demand that this conception be holy, when it was not the work of the Holy Spirit, not to mention that it came from concupiscence? The Holy Virgin, of course, rejects that glory which, evidently, glorifies sin. She cannot in any way justify a novelty invented in spite of the teaching of the Church, a novelty which is the mother of imprudence, the sister of unbelief, and the daughter of lightmindedness” (Bernard, Epistle 174; cited, as were the references from Blessed Augustine, from Lebedev). The above-cited words clearly reveal both the novelty and the absurdity of the new dogma of the Roman church.

The teaching of the complete sinlessness of the Mother of God (1) does not correspond to Sacred Scripture, where there is repeatedly mentioned the sinlessness of the One Mediator between God and man, the man Jesus Christ (I Tim. 2:5); and in Him is no sin U John 3:5); Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth (I Peter 2:22); One that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin (Heb. 4:15); Him Who knew no sin, He made to be sin on our behalf (II Cor. 5:2 1). But concerning the rest of men it is said, Who is pure of defilement? No one who has lived a single day of his life on earth (Job 14:4). God commendeth His own love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us If, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by His life (Rom. 5:8–10).

(2) This teaching contradicts also Sacred Tradition, which is contained in numerous Patristic writings, where there is mentioned the exalted sanctity of the Virgin Mary from Her very birth, as well as Her cleansing by the Holy Spirit at Her conception of Christ, but not at Her own conception by Anna. “There is none without stain before Thee, even though his life be but a day, save Thee alone, Jesus Christ our God, Who didst appear on earth without sin, and through Whom we all trust to obtain mercy and the remission of sins” (St. Basil the Great, Third Prayer of Vespers of Pentecost). “But when Christ came through a pure, virginal, unwedded, God-fearing, undefiled Mother without wedlock and without father, and inasmuch as it befitted Him to be born, He purified the female nature, rejected the bitter Eve and overthrew the laws of the flesh” (St. Gregory the Theologian, “In Praise of Virginity”). However, even then, as Sts. Basil the Great and John Chrysostom speak of this, She was not placed in the state of being unable to sin, but continued to take care for Her salvation and overcame all temptations (St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on John, Homily 85; St. Basil the Great, Epistle 160).

(3) The teaching that the Mother of God was purified before Her birth, so that from Her might be born the Pure Christ, is meaningless; because if the Pure Christ could be born only if the Virgin might be born pure, it would be necessary that Her parents also should be pure of original sin, and they again would have to be born of purified parents, and going further in this way, one would have to come to the conclusion that Christ could not have become incarnate unless all His ancestors in the flesh, right up to Adam inclusive, had been purified beforehand of original sin. But then there would not have been any need for the very Incarnation of Christ, since Christ came down to earth in order to annihilate sin.

(4) The teaching that the Mother of God was preserved from original sin, as likewise the teaching that She was preserved by God’s grace from personal sins, makes God unmerciful and unjust; because if God could preserve Mary from sin and purify Her before Her birth, then why does He not purify other men before their birth, but rather leaves them in sin? It follows likewise that God saves men apart from their will, predetermining certain ones before their birth to salvation.

(5) This teaching, which seemingly has the aim of exalting the Mother of God, in reality completely denies all Her virtues. After all, if Mary, even in the womb of Her mother, when She could not even desire anything either good or evil, was preserved by God’s grace from every impurity, and then by that grace was preserved from sin even after Her birth, then in what does Her merit consist? If She could have been placed in the state of being unable to sin, and did not sin, then for what did God glorify Her? if She, without any effort, and without having any kind of impulses to sin, remained pure, then why is She crowned more than everyone else? There is no victory without an adversary.

The righteousness and sanctity of the Virgin Mary were manifested in the fact that She, being “human with passions like us,” so loved God and gave Herself over to Him, that by Her purity She was exalted high above the rest of the human race. For this, having been foreknown and forechosen, She was vouchsafed to be purified by the Holy Spirit Who came upon Her, and to conceive of Him the very Saviour of the world. The teaching of the grace-given sinlessness of the Virgin Mary denies Her victory over temptations; from a victor who is worthy to be crowned with crowns of glory, this makes Her a blind instrument of God’s Providence.

It is not an exaltation and greater glory, but a belittlement of Her, this “gift” which was given Her by Pope Pius IX and all the rest who think they can glorify the Mother of God by seeking out new truths. The Most Holy Mary has been so much glorified by God Himself, so exalted is Her life on earth and Her glory in heaven, that human inventions cannot add anything to Her honor and glory. That which people themselves invent only obscures Her Face from their eyes. Brethren, take heed lest there shall be any one that maketh spoil of you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ, wrote the Apostle Paul by the Holy Spirit (Col. 2:8).

Such a “vain deceit” is the teaching of the Immaculate Conception by Anna of the Virgin Mary, which at first sight exalts, but in actual fact belittles Her. Like every lie, it is a seed of the “father of lies” (John 8:44), the devil, who has succeeded by it in

blaspheme the Virgin Mary. Together with it there should also be rejected all the other teachings which have come from it or are akin to it. The striving to exalt the Most Holy Virgin to an equality with Christ ascribing to Her maternal tortures at the Cross an equal significance with the sufferings of Christ, so that the Redeemer and “Co-Redemptress” suffered equally, according to the teaching of the Papists, or that “the human nature of the Mother of God in heaven together with the God-Man Jesus jointly reveal the full image of man” (Archpriest S. Bulgakov, The Unburnt Bush, p. 141)-is likewise a vain deceit and a seduction of philosophy. In Christ Jesus there is neither male nor female (Gal. 3:28), and Christ has redeemed the whole human race; therefore at His Resurrection equally did “Adam dance for joy and Eve rejoice” (Sunday Kontakia of the First and Third Tones), and by His Ascension did the Lord raise up the whole of human nature.

Likewise, that the Mother of God is a “complement of the Holy Trinity” or a “fourth Hypostasis”; that “the Son and the Mother are a revelation of the Father through the Second and Third Hypostases”; that the Virgin Mary is “a creature, but also no longer a creature”-all this is the fruit of vain, false wisdom which is not satisfied with what the Church has held from the time of the Apostles, but strives to glorify the Holy Virgin more than God has glorified Her.

Thus are the words of St. Epiphanius of Cyprus fulfilled: “Certain senseless ones in their opinion about the Holy EverVirgin have striven and are striving to put Her in place of God” (St. Epiphanius, “Against the Antidikomarionites”). But that which is offered to the Virgin in senselessness, instead of praise of Her, turns out to be blasphemy; and the All-Immaculate One rejects the lie, being the Mother of Truth (John 14:6).

https://ortodoks.dk/ortodoks-tro-og-praksis/de-hellige/the-orthodox-veneration-of-mary-the-birthgiver-of-god

The Orthodox Veneration of The Mother of God

Saint John Maximovitch of San Francisco, CA, USA (+1966)

THE ORTHODOX CHURCH teaches about the Mother of God that which Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture have informed concerning Her, and daily it glorifies Her in its temples, asking Her help and defense. Knowing that She is pleased only by those praises which correspond to Her actual glory, the Holy Fathers and hymn-writers have entreated Her and Her Son to teach them how to hymn Her. “Set a rampart about my mind, 0 my Christ, for I make bold to sing the praise of Thy pure Mother” (Ikos of the Dormition). “The Church teaches that Christ was truly born of Mary the Ever-Virgin” (St. Epiphanius, “True Word Concerning the Faith”). “It is essential for us to confess that the Holy Ever-Virgin Mary is actually Theotokos (Birth-giver of God), so as not to fall into blasphemy. For those who deny that the Holy Virgin is actually Theotokos are no longer believers, but disciples of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (St. Ephraim the Syrian,“To John the Monk”).

From Tradition it is known that Mary was the daughter of the aged Joachim and Anna, and that Joachim descended from the royal line of David, and Anna from the priestly line. Notwithstanding such a noble origin, they were poor. However, it was not this that saddened these righteous ones, but rather the fact that they did not have children and could not hope that their descendants would see the Messiah. And behold, when once, being disdained by the Hebrews for their barrenness, they both in grief of soul were offering up prayers to GodJoachim on a mountain to which he had retired after the priest did not want to offer his sacrifice in the Temple, and Anna in her own garden weeping over her barrenness-there appeared to them an angel who informed them that they would bring forth a daughter. Overjoyed, they promised to consecrate their child to God.

In nine months a daughter was born to them, called Mary, Who from Her early childhood manifested the best qualities of soul. When She was three years old, her parents, fulfilling their promise, solemnly led the little Mary to the Temple of Jerusalem; She Herself ascended the high steps and, by revelation from God, She was led into the very Holy of Holies, by the High Priest who met Her, taking with Her the grace of God which rested upon Her into the Temple which until then had been without grace. (See the Kontakion of the Entry into the Temple. This was the newly-built Temple into which the glory of God had not descended as it had upon the Ark or upon the Temple of Solomon.) She was settled in the quarters for virgins which existed in the Temple, but She spent so much time in prayer in the Holy of Holies that one might say that She lived in it. (Service to the Entry, second sticheron on Lord, I have cried, and the “Glory, Both Now…”) Being adorned with all virtues, She manifested an example of extraordinarily pure life. Being submissive and obedient to all, She offended no one, said no crude word to anyone, was friendly to all, and did not allow any unclean thought. (Abridged from St. Ambrose of Milan, “Concerning the Ever-Virginity of the Virgin Mary.”)

“Despite the righteousness and the immaculateness of the life which the Mother of God led, manifested their presence in Her. They could not but be manifested: Such is the precise and faithful teaching of the Orthodox Church concerning the Mother of God with relation to original sin and death.” (Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov, “Exposition of the Teaching of the Orthodox Church on the Mother of God.”) “A stranger to any fall into sin” (St. Ambrose of Milan, Commentary on the I I 8th Psalm), “She was not a stranger to sinful temptations.” “God alone is without sin” (St. Ambrose, same source), “while man will always have in himself something yet needing correction and perfection in order to fulfill the commandment of God; Be ye holy as I the Lord your God am Holy (Leviticus 19:2). The more pure and perfect one is, the more he notices his imperfections and considers himself all the more unworthy.

The Virgin Mary, having given Herself entirely up to God, even though She repulsed from Herself every impulse to sin, still felt the weakness of human nature more powerfully than others and ardently desired the coming of the Saviour. In Her humility She considered Herself unworthy to be even the servant-girl of the Virgin Who was to give Him birth. So that nothing might distract Her from prayer and heedfulness to Herself, Mary gave to God a vow not to become married, in order to please only Him Her whole life long. Being betrothed to the elderly Joseph when Her age no longer, allowed Her to remain in the Temple, She settled in his house in Nazareth. Here the Virgin was vouchsafed the coming of the Archangel Gabriel, who brought Her the good tidings of the birth, from Her of the Son of the Most High. Hail, Thou that art full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed art thou among women … The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. wherefore also that which is to be born shall be holy, and shall be called the Son of God (Luke 1:28–35).Mary received the angelic good tidings humbly and submissively. “Then the Word, in a way known to Himself, descended and, as He Himself willed, came and entered into Mary and abode in Her” (St. Ephraim the Syrian, “Praise of the Mother of God”). “As lightning illuminates what is hidden, so also Christ purifies what is hidden in the nature of things. He purified the Virgin also and then was born, so as to show that where Christ is, there is manifest purity in all its power. He purified the Virgin, having prepared Her by the Holy Spirit, and then the womb, having become pure, conceived Him. He purified the Virgin while She was inviolate; wherefore, having been born, He left Her virgin. I do not say that Mary became immortal, but that being illuminated by grace, She was not disturbed by sinful desires” (St. Ephraim the Syrian, Homily Against Heretics, 41). “The Light abode in Her, cleansed Her mind, made Her thoughts pure, made chaste Her concerns, sanctified Her virginity” (St. Ephraim the Syrian, “Mary and Eve”). “One who was pure according to human understanding, He made pure by grace” (Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov, “Exposition of the Teaching of the Orthodox Church on the Mother of God”).

Mary told no one of the appearance of the angel, but the angel himself revealed to Joseph concerning Mary’s miraculous conception from the Holy Spirit (Matt. 1: 18–25); and after the Nativity of Christ, with a multitude of the heavenly host, he announced it to the shepherds. The shepherds, coming to worship the new-born one, said that they had heard of Him. Having previously endured suspicion in silence, Mary now also listened in silence and kept in Her heart the sayings concerning the greatness of Her Son (Luke 2:8–19). She heard forty days later Symeon’s prayer of praise and the prophecy concerning the weapon which would pierce Her soul. Later She saw how Jesus advanced in wisdom; She heard Him at the age of twelve teaching in the Temple, and everything She kept in Her heart (Luke 2:21–5 1). Even though full of grace, She did not yet fully understand in what the service and the greatness of Her Son would consist The Hebrew conceptions of the Messiah were still close to Her, and natural feelings forced Her to be concerned for Him, preserving Him from labors and dangers which it might seem, were excessive. Therefore She favored Her Son involuntarily at first, which evoked His indication of the superiority of spiritual to bodily kinship (Matt. 12:46–49). “He had concern also over the honor of His Mother, but much more over the salvation of Her soul and the good of men, for which He had become clothed in the flesh” (St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on John, Homily 2 1). Mary understood this and heard the word of God and kept it (Luke 11:27, 28). As no other person) She had the same feelings as Christ (Phil. 2:5), unmurmuringly bearing the grief of a mother when She saw Her Son persecuted and suffering. Rejoicing in the day of the Resurrection, on the day of Pentecost She was clothed with power from on high (Luke 24:49). The Holy Spirit Who descended upon Her taught (Her) all things (John 14:26), and instructed (Her) in all truth (John 16:13). Being enlightened, She began to labor all the more zealously to perform what She had heard from Her Son and Redeemer, so as to ascend to Him and to be with Him.

The end of the earthly life of the Most Holy Mother of God was the beginning of Her greatness. “Being adorned with Divine glory” (Irmos of the Canon of the Dormition), She stands and will stand, both in the day of the Last Judgment and in the future age, at the right hand of the throne of Her Son. She reigns with Him and has boldness towards Him as His Mother according to the flesh, and as one in spirit with Him, as one who performed the will of God and instructed others (Matt. 5:19). Merciful and full of love, She manifests Her love towards Her Son and God in love for the human race. She intercedes for it before the Merciful One, and going about the earth, She helps men. Having experienced all the difficulties of earthly life, the Intercessor of the Christian race sees every tear, hears every groan and entreaty directed to Her. Especially near to Her are those who labor in the battle with the passions and are zealous for a God-pleasing life. But even in worldly cares She is an irreplaceable helper. “Joy of all who sorrow and intercessor for the offended, feeder of the hungry, consolation of travellers, harbor of the storm-tossed, visitation of the sick, protection and intercessor for the infirm, staff of old age, Thou art the Mother of God on high, O Most Pure One” (Sticheron of the Service to the Hodigitria). “The hope and intercession and refuge of Christians,” “The Mother of God unceasing in prayers” (Kontakion of Dormition), “saving the world by Thine unceasing prayer” (Theotokion of the Third Tone). “She day and night doth pray for us, and the scepters of kingdoms are confirmed by Her prayers” (daily Nocturne).

There is no intellect or words to express the greatness of Her Who was born in the sinful human race but became “more honorable than the Cherubim and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim.” “Seeing the grace of the secret mysteries of God made manifest and clearly fulfilled in the Virgin, I rejoice; and I know not how to understand the strange and secret manner whereby the Undefiled has been revealed as alone chosen above all creation, visible and spiritual. Therefore, wishing to praise Her, I am struck dumb with amazement in both mind and speech. Yet still I dare to proclaim and magnify Her: She is indeed the heavenly Tabernacle” (Ikos of the Entry into the Temple). “Every tongue is at a loss to praise Thee as is due; even a spirit from the world above is filled with dizziness, when it seeks to sing Thy praises, 0 Theotokos. But since Thou art good, accept our faith. Thou knowest well our love inspired by God, for Thou art the Protector of Christians, and we magnify Thee” (Irmos of the 9th Canticle, Service of the Theophany).

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English Flowers of Orthodoxy 12

ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY – MULTILINGUAL ORTHODOXY – EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH – ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΙΑ – SIMBAHANG ORTODOKSO NG SILANGAN – 东正教在中国 – ORTODOXIA – 日本正教会 – ORTODOSSIA – อีสเทิร์นออร์ทอดอกซ์ – ORTHODOXIE – 동방 정교회 – PRAWOSŁAWIE – ORTHODOXE KERK - නැගෙනහිර ඕර්තඩොක්ස් සභාව – СРЦЕ ПРАВОСЛАВНО – BISERICA ORTODOXĂ – GEREJA ORTODOKS – ORTODOKSI – ПРАВОСЛАВИЕ – ORTODOKSE KIRKE – CHÍNH THỐNG GIÁO ĐÔNG PHƯƠNG – EAGLAIS CHEARTCHREIDMHEACH – ՈՒՂՂԱՓԱՌ ԵԿԵՂԵՑԻՆ / Abel-Tasos Gkiouzelis - https://gkiouzelisabeltasos.blogspot.com - Email: gkiouz.abel@gmail.com - Feel free to email me...!

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Do you believe?

“And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God…”

The first article of the Symbol of Creed, speaks about God. Continuing now, we will discuss the second article. It reads, “And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages. Light of Light, True God of True God, begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father, through Whom all things were made.”

The first word of this article is “and.” This “and” was not introduced unintentionally into the Symbol – none of the words of the Symbol are there by accident. Every word has significance. After much contemplation and by the illumination of the Holy Spirit, the fathers of the First and Second Ecumenical Synods composed the Symbol and placed each word properly. The word “and” then has its own significance. It connects the second article with the first. It places the Father and the Son on the same level, the same plane. God is the Father, and God is the Son, the Christ, as well. The “and” means that we believe in God the Father and we believe in His Son our Lord Jesus Christ

Those fathers with all the martyrs and confessors believed in Christ. They believed what the Symbol of the Faith proclaims about Him. Twentieth-century people, however, even those who call themselves Christians, do they really believe in Christ?

If you ask poor people today, you will see that very few actually believe in Christ and strive to live in accordance with His holy will. The rest? If they went to universities and consider themselves scholars or scientists, some then say Christ was a wise man, the wisest of all; others say He was a friend of the poor; others, that He was a great orator and sociologist; others, that He was a great revolutionary figure, who came to overthrow the establishment. None of them, however, in spite of the laudations they give Him, accepts what the Church believes. They do not accept Him as God. Others in our times go even further, into unbelief and atheism, and as they maintain that there is no God, they say and write that Christ never existed, except in people’s imagination.

What a horrible thing unbelief is! If one begins to question his faith, without noticing it, he will begin to fall into greater and greater doubt, until he ends up an unbeliever. Such a person is like a rock – once it begins rolling down a hill, it will never stop rolling, but will continue until it reaches the lowest place it can find.

The faithless cry: “There is no God.” But no matter how much they cry out, they will never succeed in blowing out the Faith of Christ. This faith has very deep roots in the human heart, and no satanic power is able to uproot it. The “I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God” will continue being declared boldly by every pure and humble soul. An old man once came from a neighboring village to the city of Florina and entered the diocesan office. He brought a little girl with him, who was attending the second grade of the elementary school. She was his granddaughter, and he had brought her to the office because she wanted to say the Creed before the Bishop. And so, she recited it in a loud voice, and without error. I asked her if she believed in Christ, and she answered, correctly making the sing of the Cross, saying “I believe in Christ and I love Him”. I rejoiced and glorified God, because there are still pure, child-like souls.

Unbelievers continue to cry out and say that Christ never existed. But, that Christ existed, that He was born in Bethlehem in the reign of Ceasar Augustus, that he lived and worked in Palestine, that he was crucified by Pontius Pilate, these events are actual and not imagined. Christ was a historical person. Historians of the First century attest to this: Josephus, Tacitus, Suetonius, and Pliny. Although the means of communication were primitive, although He came from a despised country, His fame as an extraordinary teacher, prophet and wonderworker spread far beyond the borders of Hi native Israel and reached Rome.

Foreign authorities speak of Christ’s existence. His life and deeds. These had no relations with Him, but they observed the events with an indifferent heart. It is certain that Christ was born and lived in Palestine. It is as certain as the fact that Alexander the Great was born in Macedonia, lived and was active there. We believe the few historians who bore witness to the historical existence of Alexander, and no one questions his existence. People, therefore, should not question the historical existence of Jesus Christ. They should have more faith in the testimonies that credible people wrote about Christ with truthfulness and self-denial – the four Evangelists.

The four Evangelists testify to Christ. Although there are some small discrepancies among the four in some points, these discrepancies show that the four Evangelists worked separately, without consulting one another. These four witnesses are alike in describing the same event; although one might pay attention to some detail which the others overlook.

Christ’s existence is witnessed to by foreign writers, and mainly by the four Evangelists, the Apostle Paul, and the other Apostles. It is witnessed to by countless martyrs and confessors, who shed their blood for the Faith of Christ. It is witnessed to by God, the Heavenly Father, through a myriad of miracles that have taken place in the past and will continue to occur forever in His holy Name.

Dear friends, let us erase from our heart every question which satan puts there regarding Christ’s existence and life. By studying the holy Gospels, our hearts will be filled with admiration for the unique Icon of Christ. The questions and doubts will then be changed into exclamations of faith, and together, with child-like voices, we will say: “I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of God before all ages…”

This chapter was taken from the book “ON THE DEVINE LITURGY

– VOL.2” by Bishop Augoustinos N. Kantiotes.

https://www.orthodoxpath.org/spiritual-life/believe/

Why Christianity should not change with the times

Saint Theophan the Recluse, Bishop of Tambov, Russia (+1894)

It has reached my ears that you, it seems, consider my sermons very strict and suppose that nowadays no one should think like that, no one should live like that and, therefore, no one should teach like that. Times have changed!

How I rejoiced, having heard this. It means that you listen attentively to what I say — and not only listen, but are prepared to fulfill it. What more could be desired for us who preach as we were commanded, and what we were commanded?

Despite all this, I can in no way agree with your judgment, and I consider it my duty to comment on it and correct it. For it proceeds — though perhaps in spite of your desire and conviction — from an evil source, as though Christianity could be changeable in its dogmas, rules and sanctifying rites in response to the spirit of the times, and that, conforming to the changing tastes of the sons of this age, it could add something or take something away. This is not so. Christianity should remain eternally unchanging, not in the least dependent on or governed by the spirit of the times. On the contrary, Christianity itself is appointed to govern or to rule over the spirit of the age in everyone who submits himself to its guidance. To convince you of this, I will offer you a few thoughts for your consideration.

It is said that my teaching is strict. My teaching is not mine own, nor should it be. From this hallowed place no one should or may preach his own doctrine. And if I or someone else should ever dare to do so, cast us out. We preach the doctrine of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, of His holy Apostles, and of the holy Church guided by the Holy Spirit. And we take care in every possible way that this doctrine be preserved whole and inviolate in your minds and hearts. We present every thought and use every word with caution, so as in no way to cast a shadow over this bright divine teaching. One cannot act in any other way.

Such a law, that one’s preaching in the Church must be from God, was established at the beginning of the world and must be in force until the end thereof. The holy Prophet Moses, having set forth commandments from God Himself for the Israelite people, concluded,

“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye take from it; keep the commandments of the Lord our God, all that I command you this day” (Deut. 4:2).

This law of immutability is so unalterable that our Lord and Savior Himself, while teaching the people on the mount, said,

“Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the Prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For, Amen, I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (Matt. 5:17-18).

Then He gave the same authority to His own teaching, when, before interpreting the commandments in the spirit of the Gospel, He added,

“Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matt. 5:19).

That is, whoever falsely interprets them and diminishes their authority will be an outcast in the life to come. So, said He at the beginning of His preaching. The same He testified to Saint John the Theologian, beholder of mysteries, in Revelation, where, having depicted the final fate of the world and of the Church, He says,

“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book, and if anyone shall take away from the words of this book of this prophecy, God shall take away his portion out of the book of life and out of the holy city” (Rev. 22:18-19).

For the whole of time from His first appearance to the world until His second coming, He gave the holy Apostles and their successors this law:

“Go ye therefore and teach all nations … teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…”

— teach, that is, not what someone else might think, but what I have commanded, and that til the end of the world —

“… and lo, I am with you always, even until the end of the world” (Matt. 28:19-20).

The Apostles received this law and laid down their lives to fulfill it, responding to those who would have wished to compel them by fear of punishment and death not to preach the way they did:

“Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20).

This very law was handed down by the Apostles to their successors and received by them and is forever in effect in the Church of God. And it is because of this that the Church is the pillar and ground of the truth. Behold what inviolate steadfastness! Who will be so bold after this to willfully touch or to shake anything in Christian doctrine and law?

Now listen to what was said to the Prophet Ezekiel: “Seven days” he was in prayerful rapture “and at the end of seven days” he heard the word of the Lord: “Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel, and thou shalt hear the word of My mouth,” (Ezekiel 3:17) and proclaim it to the people. And here is the law for you! If you see a wicked man who does wickedness and you do not tell him: leave your wickedness and turn from your way, “that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thine hand” (Ezekiel 3:18).

However, if you proclaim to the wicked man that he should turn from his wicked way and does not turn, then that wicked man will die in his iniquity, but you will deliver your soul.

In like manner, if you see a righteous man who is beginning to waver in his righteousness and you do not support him and do not take care to bring him to his senses with your words, then that righteous man, having sinned, will die in his sins, but his soul I will require at your hand. But if you warn the righteous man that he should not sin and he does not sin, then the righteous man will live and you will deliver your soul (cf. Ezekiel 3:19-21).

What a strict law! But it is heard in the consciences of all shepherds at their election and ordination, when a heavy yoke is laid upon them — to shepherd the flock of Christ entrusted to them, big or small, and not only to shepherd it, but also to preserve it. How could one be so bold as to distort anything in the law of Christ, when it would mean destruction for both us and you!

If the saving power of this doctrine depended on our opinion of it and your consent thereto, then it would make sense for someone to take it into his head to reconstruct Christianity, making allowance for human weaknesses or the pretensions of the age, and to conform it to the lusts of his evil heart. But the saving power of the Christian dispensation depends not at all on us, but on the will of God, on the fact that God Himself established precisely this very way of salvation. Besides, there is no other way, nor could there be. It follows that to teach in any other way is to deviate from the true way and to destroy oneself and you. What sense is there in that?

Behold at how severe a judgment was uttered, when something similar happened in the nation of Israel, in the troubled times of its captivity. Some Prophets, out of pity for the troubled and the suffering, spoke to the people not as the Lord ordered, but as their hearts inspired them. This is what the Lord commanded Ezekiel concerning them:

“Son of man, set thy face against those which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them. And say, Thus saith the Lord God, Woe to those that sew magic charms on your sleaves and make kerchiefs for the heads of people of all ages, so as to ensnare their souls! As a result the hearts of my people have been perverted, and will ye save your own souls?” (Ezekiel 13:17-18).

Woe, that is to those who prescribe every kind of preferential treatment and propose such a soft regimen that no one should feel the slightest unpleasantness, neither from above nor from below, disregarding whether this is unto salvation or destruction, pleasing to God or repugnant to Him. Woe to such as these, for “thus saith the Lord . . . , your pillows and kerchiefs,” that is, your smooth-tongued, comfort-laden teaching, “wherewith ye confound souls” I will tear from your arms, and I will set at liberty the souls perverted by this teaching and I will destroy you, seducers (cf. Ezekiel 13: 20-21). Such is the benefit of preferential treatment and indulgences, the kind you wish to hear from us preachers! Taking this to heart, you ought not to wish that we, out of a false desire to please you, make any concessions in Christian doctrine. On the contrary, you should insistently demand that we adhere to it as strictly and unwaveringly as possible.

Have you ever heard of the Pope of Rome’s indulgences? That’s what they are — preferential treatment and indulgences, which he gives in defiance of the law of Christ. And what is the result? From these all the West is corrupted in faith and in way of life. And now it is perishing in unbelief and unrestrained living with its indulgences.

The Pope changed many dogmas, despoiled all the Mysteries, weakened the canons regarding the ordering of the Church and amendment of morals. And everything began to go contrary to the Lord’s purpose — and became worse and worse. Then Luther appeared — an intelligent man, but self-willed. The Pope, he said, changed everything the way he wanted — why shouldn’t I? And he began to construct and reconstruct everything in his own way, and founded in this manner the new Lutheran faith, little resembling the one which the Lord commanded and the holy Apostles handed down to us. After Luther, philosophers appeared. So, said they, Luther established for himself a new faith — supposedly based on the Gospel, but actually to his own way of thinking. So why shouldn’t we compose doctrines based only on our own way of thinking, disregarding the Gospel altogether? And they began to reason and conjecture, about God, about the world, and about men, each in his own way, and churned out so many doctrines that one’s head spins just from enumerating them. And now it’s like this with them: Believe as you think best, live as you like, take pleasure in whatever delights your soul. They will not recognize any laws or constraints and they will not submit themselves to the Logos of God. Their way is broad — all barriers have been swept away. But this broad way leads to destruction, as the Lord has said! That is where slackness in doctrine has led!

Deliver us, O Lord, from this broadening! Rather, let us love every narrowness which the Lord has prescribed for us unto our salvation. Let us love Christian dogmas and constrain our mind by them, having commanded it to reason in no other way. Let us love Christian mores and constrain our will by them, having compelled it to carry this good yoke humbly and patiently. Let us love all guiding, amending and sanctifying Christian rites and services and constrain our heart by them, having impelled it to transfer its tastes from the earthly and the perishable to the Heavenly and imperishable. Let us imprison ourselves, as if in some cage. Or let us drag ourselves, as though through some narrow passage. Let it be narrow, so that one cannot deviate, neither to the right or to the left. But in return, we will, by this narrow way, undoubtedly enter the Heavenly Kingdom. For this Kingdom, you see, is the Lord’s Kingdom. And the Lord prescribed this narrow way and said, go precisely by this way and you will achieve the Kingdom. How then could one doubt that the traveler will reach his goal? And what sort of mind would one have to have in order to begin to wish for any kind of countermand, when thereby he would immediately lose his way and perish?

Being confirmed in this understanding, do not grieve if something in our doctrine seems strict; wish only to make certain whether it is of the Lord. And once you have made certain that it is of the Lord, receive it with all your soul, however strict or constraining it may be. Not only do not desire preferential treatment and indulgences in doctrine and mores, but flee from them, as from the fire of Gehenna, from which there is no escape for all who concoct such things, and by them entice the weak of soul to follow after them. Amen.

29 December 1863

Sunday After the Nativity of our Savior

Translated by lakov Tseitlin and Maria Goetz

St. Petersburg, Russia

Originally from: St. George (periodical) 1995, vol. 20.

https://www.orthodoxpath.org/spiritual-life/why-christianity-should-not-change-with-the-times/

How good it is to be a Christian!

How good, how pleasant, how joyful it is to be a Christian! If you are a Christian, you are always with God, and God is always with you. Wherever you are, wherever you go, everywhere you will have God Himself as your Companion.

The grace of God attracts blessings to all of a Christian’s activities. A Christian, in accordance with the Savior’s commandment, seeks, first of all the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and everything else is “added unto him” (Mt. 6:33). If any troubles and sorrows befall him, then a Christian still remains calm and placid.

If he is deceived or treated unfairly, then he says, albeit with a sigh, “And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” And now, instead of earthly blessings, he receives forgiveness of his sins and treasures in Heaven (despite the fact that even our earthly losses are often fully restored).

If he has been humiliated or even become a victim of violence, a Christian nevertheless feels joy instead of despondency, following the example of the apostles, who departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name (Acts 5:41). Imitating the Savior Himself, a Christian prays for his offenders. And his temporary troubles and sorrows, instead of morphing into depression, turn into a confessor’s crown for him, and his soul becomes filled with the peace promised by Christ to His disciples: Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you (Jn. 14:27).

If he totally depends on someone, or has been captured or imprisoned, he knows that, having lost external freedom, he has not lost God, Who does not abandon him and helps him overcome any difficulties. Thus, betrayed and sold by his brothers, slandered and thrown into prison, the righteous Patriarch Joseph did not renounce his faith in the all-good God. Both in slavery and in prison, he was not deprived not only of God's care, but also of human goodwill. And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison (Gen. 39:2; 21). And the same faith and hope in God eventually elevated Joseph to the second-in-command to the pharaoh.

A Christian cannot be frightened by earthly hardships and even death. St. Basil the Great responded boldly to the royal threats of the confiscation of his property, exile, beatings, and even death:

“All this means nothing for me, since I possess nothing but old worn-out clothing and my few books, of which the entirety of my wealth is comprised. Exile means nothing to me, since I am bound to no particular place. This place in which I now dwell is not mine, and any place you send me shall be mine. Better to say: every place is God’s. Where would I be neither a stranger and sojourner (Ps. 38/39:13)? Who can torture me? I am so weak, that the very first blow would render me insensible. Death would be a kindness to me, for it will bring me all the sooner to God, for Whom I live and labor, and to Whom I hasten[1].” The prefect brought the sad news to the emperor, saying: “We stand defeated by a leader of the Church”.[2]

A Christian is afraid, by and large, of only one thing: to be separated from the Lord. But he knows that unless he himself walks away from God, no external forces are able to do this. Therefore, a Christian can say with the Apostle Paul:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?... For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 8:35; 38-39).

To put it briefly, whatever may happen in a Christian’s life, he accepts everything as the will of God, following the advice of Abba Dorotheus of Gaza: “Do not wish for everything to be done according to your determination, but wish that it is how it should be, and in this way, you will attain peace with everyone.”[3] Strange as it may seem, those who are used to being guided by this rule always live according to their own will, avoiding the source of sorrows common to most of us: “Then, no matter how disinclined he is to fulfill his own will, it turns out that it is always fulfilled. For to one who does not have his own will, everything that happens to him is according to his will.”[4]

The joy of a Christian is of Heavenly origin. Its source is in God, and not in earthly pleasures. Therefore, no earthly sorrows can destroy it. The saints are models of this heavenly joy for us. Those who saw the disciples of the Venerable Apollo (Apollonius) testified of them:

“And we observed their joy in the desert, with which nothing on the earth, and no bodily delight, can be compared, for there was among them no man who was sorry or afflicted with grief, and if any man was found to be in affliction, our father Apollo knew the cause thereof, and was able to make known to him the secret thoughts of his mind. And he would say unto such a one, ‘For they [the men of iniquity] have their happiness in earthly things, and they cultivate the things of earth, and why should not we, who are worthy of the blessed hope, rejoice always, even according to the encouraging words of the blessed Apostle Paul, who said unto us, Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, in every thing give thanks (1 Thess. 5:16–18)’.”[5]

Therefore, even if a Christian were to lose the entire world, he will have the most important thing—God Himself. And no one will take away this joy from him: Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation (Hab. 3:17-18).

Now all we need is to become such Christians.

Andrei Gorbachev

Translation by Dmitry Lapa

Notes:

[1]See: https://orthochristian.com/75696.html

[2]Holy Hierarch Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia. A Universal Teacher. See: http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Life/life135.htm [Russian].

[3]St. Abba Dorotheus. Spiritual Instructions. Instruction 17. See: https://citydesert.wordpress.com/2014/01/17/saint-dorotheus-egyptian-hermit/.

[4]St. Abba Dorotheus. Spiritual Instructions. Instruction 1. See: https://pravoslavie.ru/60493.html [Russian].

[5]“The History of the Egyptian Monks. VIII. On Abba Apollo”. See:

https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2017/01/holy-abba-apollo-of-thebaid.html

Source:

https://orthochristian.com/147878.html

The sin of Lucifer

Angels! Who believes in angels today? People have become materialists unfortunately. And the following anecdote is characteristic. When the Russian astronaut flew high with the spaceship and after returned back to Moscow, he ridiculed the Christian faith. He said he didn’t see angels or their feathers anywhere…This was also repeated by an atheist teacher in a school of a certain soviet village. Angels do not exist, she would say to the children. Our astronaut did not see angels. Then a small Russian, most intelligent, said: “Ms., he was flying too low, that is why he did not see them. What wisdom! As the gospel also says today, the mouths of small innocent children speak great truths (cp. Luke 10:21). This child said an astronomical truth. For truly, what was that distance that the astronaut traveled before the distances of light years that separate the stars? The universe that God built is grandiose. We believe that God is creator, the maker “both of things visible and invisible” (Creed of Faith). What are the visible things? It is those things that the five senses apprehend: the mountains, the seas, the rivers, the trees, the birds, the animals…Last, at the pinnacle of visible creatures, is man. With one difference: that man is not only visible, he is also invisible, matter and spirit. And as a certain wise man would say, man is primarily not what is seen but what is unseen. He is a mixture of matter and spirit: matter is the corruptible body, and the soul an immortal and eternal. The question arises. Beyond humans did God not create other beings? Of course he did. He set man in the middle; and on the one side he made material beings, and on the other side the immaterial beings, the angels. Concerning these holy Scripture speaks in many places. The word of God verifies, that the world of immaterial spirits exists. They are distinguished in orders. Their generals are Michael and Gabriel. What work do angels perform? They are announcement-bearers. They transport heavenly messages. Such was for example the saying “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and good will among men” (Luke 2:14) which the chorus of angels sang on that unforgettable night of Christmas. Also, angels are protectors of people. Each one of us has his angel, whom he must not embitter. A certain painter made a beautiful image, which represents a small child passing a dangerous narrow bridge and a winged angel protects him. That is why we humans must be grateful towards our angels. Angels are not only heralds and guardians, they are also hymnologists. Here the birds hymn God in nature and the cantors in church; but at some point they grow tired. In heaven the angels are tireless chanters. Day and night they hymn the holy Trinity “with their mouths unceasingly, in unsilenced doxologies” (Divine Liturgy of Great Basil), and the hymn is heard: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord sabaoth, the heaven and the earth are full of Your glory…” (divine Liturgy; Isaiah 6:3). Shall I say something more? It will appear unbelievable. At one time Chirstians would enter church not with sinful eyes, eyes of fornicators and adulterers and flesh-worshippers, but with transformed eyes, and – it is not a myth, it is reality – , during the time that priests would liturgize, they would see angels!

The apolytikion of saint Spyridon says this, that, When, O saint, you liturgized, “you had angels liturgizing with you.” So angels exist. As certain it is that man exists, so certain and more so is it certain that angels and archangels exist. *** If you ask me, of the millions of angels who is the most brilliant, I will tell you: it was Lucifer, at the head of the heavenly powers. Why is he called thus? In the physical heaven thus is called the first and most brilliant star. In the morning, before the east, that illumines creation, a pre-announcer of the sun, and then we call him Dawn. At night, this same star, we call Aposperiti, and it appears again first after the setting of the sun. Its scientific name is Lucifer. So whatever that is in the physical heaven, this was the angel Lucifer in the spiritual horizon. But, but, he sinned! What did he do, fornication-adultery? No. These sins are serious too; but the most serious sin, the source of disaster for humanity, is one: the so-called luciferian sin, pride. He did not remain satisfied in the position which God had set him. In his intellect there became wedged the destructive idea: “I shall rise up to heaven, I shall set my throne above the stars…, I shall be elevated above the clouds, I shall become like the Most High” (Isaiah 14, 13-14). This thought was the seed of evil. And as soon as he reflected thus, immediately from being a brilliant spirit he became dark; from an angel he became satan. He even today in our society has his instruments. So the moment that Lucifer was falling from heaven “as lightning” (Luke 10:18), another big event occurred. A trumpet was heard. It is that which we hear each time at divine liturgy, but do not pay attention to it: “let us stand aright, let us stand with fear” (divine liturgy). This, according to our tradition, the archangel Michael said. Immediately the angelic orders were called to arms, and they stood unshakable round about the throne of God. And they continue now to serve him with devotion. *** From today’s feast-day we learn, my beloved, that there exists not only the material cosmos. Beyond matter there exists the spirit. The materialists say “From matter comes spirit”, which is an error/deception. What do we say “From spirit comes matter, and that one day we too shall take off the corruption of the body. Man shall reach the angelic height and even higher. Just as the angels day and night live near to God and hymn him, so in like manner we too shall be found in a new state. What else are we taught. As I said, the gravest sin is pride. In truth it is a satanic sin. That is the root of the pre-paternal, or original, sin. Perform an experiment – I performed it many times. Gather together a dozen or so children and ask them: Who among you is the best child? They look among one another and no one recognizes the other; each one of these little twerps considers himself superior to the others. Pride in the hearts of the little ones, pride in the big ones, pride in women, pride in the nations. I was reading when I was small a noteworthy prophesy, which foretold that there shall be a first World War; it enumerated the tribulations that the peoples would suffer, and among other things – 100 years before the war occurred – it would say of germany: “And you, prideful Germany, shall fall…”. And truly she fell. She became prideful over her discoveries, she thought that through science she would be able to dominate the whole world. You would hear in the days of the invading occupation the Germans with their foreheads high, with the gait of a goose, singing “Germany above all”. They considered us [Greeks] an undeveloped people, which is not capable of anything but shepherding swine. Behold the pride. But you heard what the prophesy would say: “And you, O Germany, shall fall…” And in general, whoever goes against God, shall fall, shall become ashes. God, the Almighty and All-Powerful, hates nothing else as much as He hates pride. I remind you of the end of Kosmas the Aeotolean, who journeying various places and preaching concerning humility, used to say: “When we see some humble person, we see him as if he were an angel, his appearance makes us want to open our heart and put him inside; and when we see some prideful person, we see him as if he were the devil, we turn our face to the other side not to see him” (p. 116-117).

Pride is a winged devil. Let us humble ourselves then, let us apply the adage “know thyself” of our ancient forebears; let us live with humility and the deep sense of our sins, and then angels and archangels shall accompany us during our life until our last breath; amen.

+ Βishop Augustine (Kantiotes)

https://www.orthodoxpath.org/catechisms-and-articles/the-sin-of-lucifer/

Work with a Blessing!

“At that time…” Thus begins the Gospel, my beloved brethren. By means of these words we are called to think on that time when he to whom no one can compare – our Lord Jesus Christ – walked upon the face of the earth.

“At that time…” Some hear this and say, ‘If only I had lived in Christ’s era! If only I had seen him; if only I had heard him; if only I had partaken of the blessings he distributed!’ In the Church, however, we not only hear him, we not only see him with our spiritual eyes, but if we so desire we can even take hold of him and put him in our hearts by means of Holy Communion. On the diskos and in the chalice he is wholly present!

This same Christ loves work; he honours those who labour both on the land and at sea, and he has proven this with his whole life. When it came time to choose his disciples and apostles, he did not go to Plato’s Academy, or to the great centers of Rome, Alexandra, or Babylon where the powerful lived. Instead, he chose his ‘staff’ from the working class, from the fishermen of Galilee. The Lord is the archetypal worker. There is no one who loved workers more than our Lord Jesus Christ. He was the archetypal worker. He himself was a worker and all his disciples – Peter and Paul – were workers.

The first commandment given in Paradise was to work: ‘ἐργάζεσθαι’, ‘work’![2] And this is not just a commandment of God, a universal law, for humanity. Look around you! The ant works. Addressing the lazy person the Holy Scriptures say, “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.”[3] Go to the ant and learn from its example. It lifts a load two-three times its own weight and carries this to its nest so that it will have food for the winter. The bee flies from flower to flower; birds travel miles upon miles, as do fish; rivers and streams run; the heavenly bodies are ceaselessly in motion. Everything, from the very small up to the very large, cries out, ‘Work!’ Those who will not work represent dissonance, a bad note, in the harmony of divine creation.

Today’s gospel passage tells us, however, that it is not enough for one to work. Something else is required. The first time the fishermen of Gennesaret lowered their nets they didn’t bring up even a single scale, but the second time their nets came up full. Why? Because the second time Christ himself was together with them and blessed their labours! Wherever Christ’s blessing is, there we will find a treasury of good things! So work, but do so with God’s blessing. People often strongly emphasize work, and they do well in so doing, but above work is God’s blessing.

Take the farmer as an example. Let him have the best field; let him cultivate it with great care and wisdom; let him fertilize the soil with the best fertilizer. If rain does not fall; if the sun does not shine; if the right breeze does not blow; if he does not have the blessing of heaven, then he will sow but not reap. All of his labours will be wasted.

You must have God’s blessing. If you do not have it, you will sow but not reap; you will build, but never live in what you have built; you will save up money, but never enjoy it. God’s blessing is a necessary condition of every success. Work, but do so in obedience to God. Just as Peter obeyed the Lord’s command, so ought we to do.

But what is God’s commandment with respect to work? “Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God”[4] Work like ants for six days – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday – but on Sunday, rest! Do you hear the bells ring in the parish? Run to church! Work stops! Only necessary work which absolutely cannot cease may continue; this is permitted according to the spirit of the Gospel. But all others – except for the elderly and the infirm – to church!

My brothers and sisters, we have work, but we must have God’s blessing. A week has 168 hours. During this time we ought to do all that is needed for our life. God asks that we set aside but one hour to be in church, to pray and supplicate him. So, from now on, let us not be absent from church, all worshiping the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, unto the ages of ages. Amen.

[2] See Genesis 2:15, “And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to [ἐργάζεσθαι] dress it and to keep it.

[3] Proverbs 6:6.

[4] Deuteronomy 5:13-14.

Metropolitan Augoustinos (Kantiotes) of Florina

Translated by Fr John Palmer.

https://www.orthodoxpath.org/catechisms-and-articles/work-with-a-blessing/

Orthodoxy

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Preaching will not stop

"Go stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life"

—Acts 5:20

Who should expect it, beloved! People who were uneducated and who didn’t attend schools and universities – people to whom the world paid no attention – how does it happen that these people, poor and powerless, the Apostles, who hid in fear on Holy Friday and didn’t dare come out to visit the tomb of Christ, now appeared in public and preached Christ with power? How did the timid become brave and fearless? How these illiterate people become orators and wise men? How did this change take place? It cannot be explained unless we accept the fact that two great happenings affected their lives. One was the resurrection of Christ, the other was the descent of the Holy Spirit. The Apostles saw Christ, Who arose from the grave, with their own eyes. They believed in Christ absolutely. There was no doubt whatsoever in their souls. Then, in fulfillment of Christ’s promise, they received “power from on high”, or the Holy Spirit, and the rabbits became lions. “Such is the change at the right hand of God”.

We see today in the excerpt that was read how successfully the Apostles preached the Gospel of Christ. The Gospel has never had as much success as it had during the days of the Apostles. Don’t you see? Those base and unbelieving people – the people who hated Christ and who got together on Holy Friday and shouted: “Crucify, crucify him” – they heard the Apostles who were preaching, they repented and were baptized by the hundreds and thousands.

The growth of the first Church is another miraculous event. To what, we wonder, is the astonishing growth of the first Church attributed? It is attributed to the preaching of the Apostles, the preaching that came out of their mouths like fire, illuminating and warming frozen hearts. Those who heard them understood that the Apostles believed what they preached and were ready to shed their last drop of blood for Christ. Without the Apostle’s preaching, would the Church have grown? Preaching is the life of the Church – not just any kind of preaching but the kind of preaching that the true preachers of Gospel, people who believe and are ready to make every sacrifice, do.

So now we know that the major reason that the first Church was able to progress and grow was the preaching of the Apostles. But something else contributed to the growth and progress of the Church, and that was the miracles of the Apostles. As today’s Epistle lesson says “By the hands of the Apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people”. (Acts 5:12). What miracles? Wherever the Apostles happened to pass in Jerusalem, the people brought the sick in their beds and waited in the streets and squares of the city. They waited for the Apostles to pass. The Apostles had so much power to cure the sick that it was only enough for Peter’s shadow to fall on them and they became well. Even the sick who came from the neighboring cities and villages, and even those possessed by demons, were cured by the miraculous power of the Apostles. Thus the preaching of the Apostles, in combination with the miracles they performed, took on an unprecedented brilliance and made the people believe and repent. Oh, if only today’s preachers had the power to perform miracles!

The progress of the Gospel and the rapid expansion of the Church did cause considerable anxiety. The Jewish authorities certainly were not pleased. They had killed Christ, thinking that by doing so the troublesome preaching would stop. But after Christ’s death, the preaching did not stop, but rather continued with great success. The Jewish authorities did not expect this, and they became enraged. They arrested the Apostles and threw them in jail. They thought this action would silence the name of Christ. But again they were mistaken. A new miracle took place: God intervened. An angel unlocked the door of the jail at night and told the Apostles: “Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life”. That is to say, the angel told them: “Go and stand there where you preached. Stand fearlessly and courageously and preach the words that bring life to dead souls. Preach to the people.” Yes, to the people, the angel emphasizes, which means that, if the leaders who have the power and are full of egotism and pride don’t want to hear the preaching, don’t be influenced by their denial or be afraid of their persecutions. Talk to the people, women and men, young and old people. There are people out there who are not egotistical and who want to hear the preaching. The preaching of Christ, which the greatest of all the preaching of the world, can’t help but motivate people who are tired of hearing the dull preaching of the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees.

“Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life”. This voice of the angel crosses the centuries and reaches us. It is also directed to today’s preachers and apostles of Christ because preaching can never stop. No one can stop it, just as no one can stop the rushing waters of a river with fences. The river will knock down the fences and continue on its way. The purpose of the river is to run. The word of God also has its purpose to run. Yes, the word of God will run; it will be preached in all times and in all centuries. It will bring divine blessings everywhere, and it will perform the greatest of miracles. Spiritually uncultivated and waterless places will change into exceptional gardens of God’s grace.

Oh bishops, priests, theologians, and preachers of Orthodoxy: listen to the voice of the angel and with heroic conviction preach the Gospel to our people.

This chapter was taken from the book “SPARKS FROM THE APOSTLES” by Bishop Augoustinos N. Kantiotes.

https://www.orthodoxpath.org/catechisms-and-articles/preaching-will-not-stop/

I will not come to the church again

A young man once said to a priest, “Father, I will not come to church again!”

The priest asked him the reason behind this statement.

The young man answered, “Here I see a woman gossiping about another, my neighbor fell asleep, the Reader doesn’t read well, and the Chanters argue and fight. Furthermore, during Holly Liturgy, someone is playing on their phone, and not to mention many of them have such selfish behavior when they gather after Liturgy for Sunday coffee hour.

The priest told him: “You’re right, but before you leave the church for good, please do me one favor. Take this overflowing olive oil candle and go around our temple three times, without spilling a drop of oil. Finish this task successfully and then you may leave.”

“That’s it? Okay.” replied the young man.

The man did the three circles around the temple as the priest asked, and upon finishing, he said: “Father, I did it.”

The priest asked him, “When you were circling the temple, did you see anyone gossiping about somebody else?”

“No,” he said.

“Did you see anyone playing on their phone?”

“No,” he replied.

“Do you know why? You were focused on holding the candle without spilling a drop of oil. That is how it is also in our lives. When our hearts focus on Christ, then we don’t have any time to pay attention to the mistakes and shortcomings of other people. We are all sinners, so those among us who say they will leave the church because of the sins of their brothers and sisters, they certainly did not enter the church for the love of our Jesus Christ!

https://www.orthodoxpath.org/catechisms-and-articles/i-will-not-come-to-the-church-again/

The Power of the Cross

Three girls were walking together next to the railroad tracks when suddenly, they found themselves between two speeding trains. The trains passed them, whistling by, and miraculously, nothing bad happened to the girls!

A little more down the road, there were three demons that were receiving the punishment and rage of the other demons.

“Well, why didn’t you push the first girl into the train?” They yelled at the first demon, “Her soul would have been ours by now!”

“I couldn’t,” he replied, “she was wearing a cross!”

The punishing demons then went to the next demon, and they said: “Why didn’t you push the second girl, she wasn’t wearing a cross!”

The second demon replied: “Even if she didn’t wear a cross, she made the sign of the cross at the last moment, and that way I couldn’t throw her onto the train!”

Next, they went to the last demon: “Why didn’t you push the third girl into the train? She wasn’t wearing a cross, nor was she doing the sign of the cross!”

The last demon replied: “While the girl was leaving her home and crossing the street, her mother told her, “My daughter, go with the protection of God.” and blessed her by making the sign of the cross for her daughter!

https://www.orthodoxpath.org/catechisms-and-articles/the-power-of-the-cross/

Sleepiness and prayer

Sometimes it is so difficult to remain awake and alert during our morning or evening prayers. Is it because we are tired from work or school or is there another dimension to the problem? St Cassian may have an interesting insight to our common problem. Abba Cassian (360-435), better known in the West as St. John Cassian who wrote “Institutes” and “Conferences,” two of the best-known classics of monastic writing, joined a monastery in Bethlehem as a young man and later left it with a fellow monk, Germanos, to travel abroad to Egypt and Syria to study monasticism. The books which resulted from these travels have made Abba Cassian one of the best known writers on monastic spirituality in both the eastern and western traditions of Christianity. The Church commemorates St John Cassian on 29 February.

Abba Cassian related a story about another elder living in the desert, that he had asked God to grant him never to become sleepy during a spiritual conference, but, if someone uttered slanderous or useless words, to be able to go to sleep at once, so that his ears should never be touched by that poison. This elder also said that the devil, enemy of all spiritual instruction, works hard to provoke useless words.

He used the following example, “Once when I was talking to some brothers on a helpful topic, they were overcome by sleep so deep, that they could not even move their eyelids any longer. Then, wishing to show them the power of the devil, I introduced a trivial subject of conversation. Immediately, they woke up, full of joy. Then I said to them with many sighs, ‘Until now, we were discussing heavenly things and your eyes were heavy with sleep, but when I embarked on a useless discourse, you all woke up with alacrity. Therefore, brothers, I implore you to recognise the power of the evil demon; pay attention to yourselves, and guard yourselves from the desire to sleep when you are doing or listening to something spiritual.’”

“The Sayings of the Desert Fathers,” (Kalamazoo, Michigan: Cistercian Publications, 1975), p. 114

https://www.orthodoxpath.org/catechisms-and-articles/34249/

What is an Orthodox Catechism?

An Orthodox Catechism is an instruction in the orthodox Christian faith, to be taught to every Christian, to enable him to please God and save his own soul.

http://www.pravoslavieto.com/docs/eng/Orthodox_Catechism_of_Philaret.htm

What is the meaning of the word Catechism?

It is a Greek word, signifying instruction, or oral teaching, and has been used ever since the Apostles' times to denote that primary instruction in the orthodox faith which is needful for every Christian (Luke 1:4, Acts 18:25).

http://www.pravoslavieto.com/docs/eng/Orthodox_Catechism_of_Philaret.htm

A True member of the church

A true member of the Church and a real Christian is the person who has the following attributes.

First, he remains within the Church, without leaving it through atheism or heresy. He is not cut off from this living organism and does not participate in heretical sects. This means that he accepts the faith confessed in the Symbol of Faith absolutely, that he participates in the sacraments of the Church, is sanctified by them and practices ascesis in his personal life so that he will keep God’s commandments. He feels that he remains within the Church in order to be saved rather than to save, because the Church does not need saviours.

Second, he feels that he is a son of God, that is, he has a father and is not an orphan. His great Father is God. Yet, the clergy are also fathers, because they are the type and place of Christ’s presence. Hence, a real member of the Church is obedient to the bishops, the clergy and has a spiritual father, who guides him in his spiritual life. Of course, he also accepts the teachings of the Holy Fathers of the Church and tries to imitate their life, that is to say, their ascetic practice and witness.

Third, he feels that he belongs to a family, and, therefore, has spiritual brothers and sisters, He is not alone within the Church. This clearly means that he loves his brothers and sisters. He does not judge them, regardless of the mistakes they may have made and he does not condemn them. He is tolerant and shows forbearance towards their chance weaknesses. In addition, he shows his love in a variety of ways. He participates in their pain and in their joy. The happiness of other people is his own happiness, their sorrow is his own sorrow, their love is a fellowship of love and their faith a unity of faith. He should that everything is in common. He should feel that the Church is a family, just as the first Christians felt her to be, according to the description in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts :41-47). If he tries to keep God’s law, but does not have love, he is not a real Christian; he is a sick member of the Church.

Fourth, in the instance of sin, he follows a therapeutic course of treatment. Man is changeable. This means that he alters and is wounded throughout his life. In consequence, he sins. The Holy Scriptures say, “Who can become clear from filth? But no one, even if his life on earth is only for a day” (Job 14:4-5 Septuagint). St. John the Evangelist writes, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (I John 1:8).

Sins are not guilty acts or simple rejections of the law; they are first and foremost wounds of sicknesses. The sinner is spiritually sick. Consequently, sin should be encountered within a therapeutic and healing framework. The priest is a healer or doctor, who practices this function in the name of the Great Physician, Christ. He cleans and dresses the wounds, intervenes surgically, if necessary, and in general, heals the wounds. Within this framework, we should look at repentance, confession and the orders of the spiritual father, ie. what is known as penance. We must repent. We must really feel our fault and our illness, we should want to be cured, and resort to the therapist [ie. our spiritual father or confessor] to disclose our illness and reveal all hidden and concealed points of the sickness. We will then follow the therapeutic advice of the spiritual doctor with zeal ad resolve. The Church has the sacrament of repentance and of confession…

From all of this we realize that Baptism alone is not enough; one must also live in accordance with God’s commandments in order to become a true member of the Church. If a Christian happens to fall ill, there is a special method through which he will gain his health again.

An excerpt from Metropolitan Hierotheos Nafpaktos, Entering the Orthodox Church, (trans. Marina Mary Robb), Birth of the Theotokos Monastery (2004), pp. 98-101.

https://www.orthodoxpath.org/catechisms-and-articles/34417/

What does Orthodoxy (Orthodox) mean in Christianity?

Orthodoxy (from Greek: ὀρθοδοξία, orthodoxía, 'righteous/correct opinion') is adherence to correct or accepted creeds, especially in religion.

Orthodoxy within Christianity refers to acceptance of the doctrines defined by various creeds and ecumenical councils in Antiquity.

In classical Christian use, the term orthodox refers to the set of doctrines which were believed by the early Christians. A series of ecumenical councils were held over a period of several centuries to try to formalize these doctrines. The most significant of these early decisions was that between the homoousian doctrine of Athanasius and Eustathius (which became Trinitarianism) and the heteroousian doctrine of Arius and Eusebius (Arianism). The homoousian doctrine, which defined Jesus as both God and man with the canons of the 431 Council of Ephesus, won out in the Church and was referred to as orthodoxy in most Christian contexts, since this was the viewpoint of previous Christian Church Fathers and was reaffirmed at these councils.

Holy Pentecost

In the Church’s annual liturgical cycle, Pentecost is “the last and great day.” It is the celebration by the Church of the coming of the Holy Spirit as the end—the achievement and fulfillment—of the entire history of salvation. For the same reason, however, it is also the celebration of the beginning: it is the “birthday” of the Church as the presence among us of the Holy Spirit, of the new life in Christ, of grace, knowledge, adoption to God and holiness.

This double meaning and double joy is revealed to us, first of all, in the very name of the feast. Pentecost in Greek means fifty, and in the sacred biblical symbolism of numbers, the number fifty symbolizes both the fulness of time and that which is beyond time: the Kingdom of God itself. It symbolizes the fulness of time by its first component: 49, which is the fulness of seven (7 x 7): the number of time. And, it symbolizes that which is beyond time by its second component: 49 + 1, this one being the new day, the “day without evening” of God’s eternal Kingdom. With the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Christ’s disciples, the time of salvation, the Divine work of redemption has been completed, the fulness revealed, all gifts bestowed: it belongs to us now to “appropriate” these gifts, to be that which we have become in Christ: participants and citizens of His Kingdom.

THE VIGIL OF PENTECOST

The all-night Vigil service begins with a solemn invitation:

“Let us celebrate Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit,

The appointed day of promise, and the fulfillment of hope,

The mystery which is as great as it is precious.”

In the coming of the Spirit, the very essence of the Church is revealed:

“The Holy Spirit provides all,

Overflows with prophecy, fulfills the priesthood,

Has taught wisdom to illiterates, has revealed fishermen as theologians,

He brings together the whole council of the Church.”

In the three readings of the Old Testament (Numbers 11:16-17, 24-29; Joel 2:23-32; Ezekiel 36:24-28) we hear the prophecies concerning the Holy Spirit. We are taught that the entire history of mankind was directed towards the day on which God “would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh.” This day has come! All hope, all promises, all expectations have been fulfilled. At the end of the Aposticha hymns, for the first time since Easter, we sing the hymn: “O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth...,” the one with which we inaugurate all our services, all prayers, which is, as it were, the life-breath of the Church, and whose coming to us, whose “descent” upon us in this festal Vigil, is indeed the very experience of the Holy Spirit “coming and abiding in us.”

Having reached its climax, the Vigil continues as an explosion of joy and light for “verily the light of the Comforter has come and illumined the world.” In the Gospel reading (John 20:19-23) the feast is interpreted to us as the feast of the Church, of her divine nature, power and authority. The Lord sends His disciples into the world, as He Himself was sent by His Father. Later, in the antiphons of the Liturgy, we proclaim the universality of the apostles’ preaching, the cosmical significance of the feast, the sanctification of the whole world, the true manifestation of God’s Kingdom.

THE VESPERS OF PENTECOST

The liturgical peculiarity of Pentecost is a very special Vespers of the day itself. Usually this service follows immediately the Divine Liturgy, is “added” to it as its own fulfillment. The service begins as a solemn “summing up” of the entire celebration, as its liturgical synthesis. We hold flowers in our hands symbolizing the joy of the eternal spring, inaugurated by the coming of the Holy Spirit. After the festal Entrance, this joy reaches its climax in the singing of the Great Prokeimenon:

“Who is so great a God as our God?”

Then, having reached this climax, we are invited to kneel. This is our first kneeling since Easter. It signifies that after these fifty days of Paschal joy and fulness, of experiencing the Kingdom of God, the Church now is about to begin her pilgrimage through time and history. It is evening again, and the night approaches, during which temptations and failures await us, when, more than anything else, we need Divine help, that presence and power of the Holy Spirit, who has already revealed to us the joyful End, who now will help us in our effort towards fulfillment and salvation.

All this is revealed in the three prayers which the celebrant reads now as we all kneel and listen to him. In the first prayer, we bring to God our repentance, our increased appeal for forgiveness of sins, the first condition for entering into the Kingdom of God.

In the second prayer, we ask the Holy Spirit to help us, to teach us to pray and to follow the true path in the dark and difficult night of our earthly existence. Finally, in the third prayer, we remember all those who have achieved their earthly journey, but who are united with us in the eternal God of Love.

The joy of Easter has been completed and we again have to wait for the dawn of the Eternal Day. Yet, knowing our weakness, humbling ourselves by kneeling, we also know the joy and the power of the Holy Spirit who has come. We know that God is with us, that in Him is our victory.

Thus is completed the feast of Pentecost and we enter “the ordinary time” of the year. Yet, every Sunday now will be called “after Pentecost”—and this means that it is from the power and light of these fifty days that we shall receive our own power, the Divine help in our daily struggle. At Pentecost we decorate our churches with flowers and green branches—for the Church “never grows old, but is always young.” It is an evergreen, ever-living Tree of grace and life, of joy and comfort. For the Holy Spirit—“the Treasury of Blessings and Giver of Life—comes and abides in us, and cleanses us from all impurity,” and fills our life with meaning, love, faith and hope.

Father Alexander Schmemann (1974)

https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2013/06/23/45-holy-pentecost

Holy Week

Great and Holy Week is the week from the conclusion of Great Lent on the Saturday of Lazarus to the celebration of Pascha (Holy Easter). It is emphasized that the services of Holy Week follow the ecclesiastical day, that is from sundown to sundown. Thus Saturday of Lazarus ends at sundown on Saturday.

History

While little is recorded of the development of the celebrations of the Holy Week during the early years of the Church, it apparently had very early origins. By the fourth century the celebration of the week appears well-founded and to be similar to our celebrations today. The pilgrim Egeria to Jerusalem in the latter part of the fourth century described the events of the week after the services of the Saturday of Lazarus, "...began the week of the Pasch, which they called here the Great Week", noting the procession commemorating Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the first day of the week. It is during this week that we remember Christ's Passion and Crucifixion.

The Holy Week

Lazarus Saturday concludes Great Lent. This celebration remembers Christ's raising of Lazarus from the dead and the promise of universal resurrection for all. Lazarus Saturday provides a bridge to Holy Week during which the Church services remember Christ's last week before his crucifixion and resurrection, his passion. During this week the Matins services for the upcoming day are celebrated the evening before, and Vespers is celebrated in the morning. This anticipation of the Church's services gives the faithful a sense that the world is in travail, upside-down, because of the passion our Lord endured for our salvation. Although this practice is unusual, it is canonical in accordance with the ancient definition that the day is from sunset to sunset.

Palm Sunday

The first day of Holy Week begins with Vespers of Saturday evening leading to the celebration of the services of Our Lord's Entry into Jerusalem the next morning, Sunday. In the western world this day is usually called Palm Sunday. As Christ makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, his divine kingdom on Earth is proclaimed under the branches of the palm tree.

Holy Monday

The first three days of Holy Week remind us of Christ's last instructions with his disciples. These teachings are remembered in the celebration of the Great Compline, Matins, Hours, and Liturgy during these days. The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts celebrated these days includes readings from Exodus, Job, and Matthew.

The Matins services of the evenings of Palm Sunday, Holy Monday, and Holy Tuesday, anticipating the events of the next day, share a common theme. These Bridegroom Services are derived from the Parable of the Ten Virgins, which calls for preparedness at the Second Coming, for the "thief comes in the middle of the night." (Matt. 26:1-13)

Holy Wednesday

Within the past two centuries, Byzantine practice has developed to include the mystery of Holy Unction, which is celebrated on Holy Wednesday, commemorating Christ's anointing with myrrh. The service ends with the priest anointing the faithful with holy oil. Some jurisdictions outside the Byzantine world also include this practice, such as in some parts of the OCA (Orthodox Church in America).

The services appointed by the Typikon for the evening of Holy Wednesday recall that on this day Judas betrayed Christ, which led to the tradition from Apostolic times of fasting on Wednesday throughout the year. It also focuses on the Mystical Supper, which is celebrated in the liturgy of the following day.

Holy Thursday

Holy Thursday begins with the celebration of vespers and the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil, in representation of the earthly presence of Christ realized at the Last Supper. In the evening, anticipating the Matins of Friday morning, the Holy Passion service of the reading of the Twelve Gospels is conducted. In these readings Christ's last instructions to his disciples are presented, as well as the prophecy of the drama of the Cross, Christ's prayer, and his new commandment. The twelve readings are:

John 13:31-18:1

John 18:1-29

Matthew 26:57-75

John 18:28–19:16

Matthew 27:3-32

Mark 15:16-32

Matthew 27:33-54

Luke 23:32-49

John 19:19-37

Mark 15:43-47

John 19:38-42

Matthew 27:62-66

Crucifixion

Holy Friday

Great and Holy Friday begins with reading of the Royal Hours leading up to Vespers of Friday afternoon, at which time the removal of the Body of Christ from the Cross is commemorated. The priest removes the Body of Christ, the Epitaphios, from the Cross, wraps it in a white cloth and carries it into the altar. In an evening service, called the Lamentations at the Tomb, the priest carries the Epitaphios, the painted or embroidered cloth representation of Christ, from the altar around the church before placing it in the Sepulcher, a bier symbolizing the Tomb of Christ. This procession, with the faithful carrying lighted candles, represents Christ's descent into Hades.

Holy Saturday

Great and Holy Saturday Vespers and a Divine Liturgy of St. Basil are served, marked with readings of Psalms and Resurrection hymns that tell of Christ's descent into Hades, celebrated as the "First Resurrection" of Adam and the conquering of Death. It is appointed by the typikon to be celebrated in the afternoon, though it is served in the morning in many places.

This service comes from the ancient liturgical tradition of the Church of Constantinople and was its primary Paschal service. The hymn "Arise O God" from the Psalms was the original primary Paschal hymn before "Christ is risen" came to take its place. Its place as the ancient Constantinopolitan Paschal celebration is what gives the service such a bright and resurrectional character.

Pascha (Holy Easter)

The Resurrection of Christ

Pascha, the Feast of Feasts, celebrations begins just before midnight with the singing of the Odes of Lamentation as the Resurrection Vespers begins with the church in complete darkness. As midnight approaches the priest taking a light from a vigil light within the altar passes the flame to the faithful for their candles while singing "Come ye and receive light from the unwaning life, and, glorify Christ, who arose from the dead." Then the priest leads the faithful out of the church in procession. After circling the church either one or three times, as the procession nears the entrance door of the church, the priest leads in the singing of the hymn of Resurrection. "Christ has risen from the dead, by death trampling upon Death, and has bestowed life upon those in the tombs!" At this point the priest and faithful enter the well-lighted church for the remaining part of Vespers and the breaking of the fast with the Divine Liturgy. After conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, in many communities, the faithful retire to an agape meal to break the Fast together, and then return home as dawn arrives. Later in the day of Pascha the faithful again gather for prayer with lighted candles in a vespers service, singing the hymn "Christ is Risen from the Dead," and greeting each other joyously, "Christ is risen" and responding with, "Truly He is risen."

https://orthodoxwiki.org/Holy_Week

The Saints

Sources of Christian Doctrine

The doctrine of the Church comes alive in the lives of the true believers, the saints. The saints are those who literally share the holiness of God. “Be holy, for I your God am holy” (Leviticus 11:44, 1 Peter 1:16). The lives of the saints bear witness to the authenticity and truth of the Christian gospel, the sure gift of God’s holiness to men.

In the Church there are different classifications of saints. In addition to the holy fathers who are quite specifically glorified for their teaching, there are a number of classifications of the various types of holy people according to the particular aspects of their holiness.

Thus, there are the apostles who are sent to proclaim the Christian faith, the evangelists who specifically announce and even write down the gospels, the prophets who are directly inspired to speak God’s word to men. There are the confessors who suffer for the faith and the martyrs who die for it. There are the so-called “holy ones,” the saints from among the monks and nuns; and the “righteous,” those from among the lay people.

In addition, the church service books have a special title for saints from among the ordained clergy and another special title for the holy rulers and statesmen. Also there is the strange classification of the fools for Christ’s sake. These are they who through their total disregard for the things that people consider so necessary—clothes, food, money, houses, security, public reputation, etc.—have been able to witness without compromise to the Christian Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven. They take their name from the sentence of the Apostle Paul: “We are fools for Christ’s sake” (1 Cor 4:10, 3:18).

There are volumes on lives of the saints in the Orthodox tradition. They may be used very fruitfully for the discovery of the meaning of the Christian faith and life. In these “lives” the Christian vision of God, man, and the world stands out very clearly. Because these volumes were written down in times quite different from our own, it is necessary to read them carefully to distinguish the essential points from the artificial and sometimes even fanciful embellishments which are often contained in them. In the Middle Ages, for instance, it was customary to pattern the lives of saints after literary works of previous times and even to dress up the lives of the lesser known saints after the manner of earlier saints of the same type. It also was the custom to add many elements, particularly supernatural and miraculous events of the most extraordinary sort, to confirm the true holiness of the saint, to gain strength for his spiritual goodness and truth, and to foster imitation of his virtues in the lives of the hearers and readers. In many cases the miraculous is added to stress the ethical righteousness and innocence of the saint in the face of his detractors.

Generally speaking, it does not take much effort to distinguish the sound kernel of truth in the lives of the saints from the additions made in the spirit of piety and enthusiasm of the later periods; and the effort should be made to see the essential truth which the lives contain. Also, the fact that elements of a miraculous nature were added to the lives of saints during medieval times for the purposes of edification, entertainment, and even amusement should not lead to the conclusion that all things miraculous in the lives of the saints are invented for literary or moralizing purposes. Again, a careful reading of the lives of the saints will almost always reveal what is authentic and true in the realm of the miraculous. Also, the point has been rightly made that men can learn almost as much about the real meaning of Christianity from the lives of the saints produced within the tradition of the Church.

https://www.oca.org/orthodoxy/the-orthodox-faith/doctrine-scripture/sources-of-christian-doctrine/the-saints

Saint Paisios of Holy Mount Athos, Greece (+1994) on Prayer and Lighting Candles

Elder, when we light a candle, do we say that it is for some purpose?

-You are lighting it, but where do you send it? Aren't you sending it somewhere?

With a candle, we are seeking something from God. When you light it, you should say: "For those who are suffering in body and soul", "for those who have the greatest need", and among them is also the living and the reposed.

Do you know how much rest the departed sense when we light a candle for them? Thus, one has spiritual communication with the living and with the reposed.

The candle, in a few words, is an antenna*** that brings us into communication with God, with the sick, with the departed, etc.

***Note: St. Paisios is cleverly showing the resemblance of the words "keraki" / "κεράκι" and "kerea" / "κεραία" ("Candle" and "antenna") in Greek.

https://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2020/10/st-paisios-on-prayer-and-lighting.html

Ted Potkonjak, Illinois, USA:

"My cousin who isn’t Orthodox asked me once about this [Saints], she’s a Protestant… I asked her if she was a member of a prayer chain from time to time, praying for member’s of her parish, she said yes, I asked her if that was because the prayers of a righteous person was beneficial… she said yes…. I’m Serbian and my family’s Patron Saint is St John the Baptist… I asked her if she believed St John was alive and in Heaven, she said yes, I asked her is she believed if he was righteous, she said of course… So I asked what could make more sense than to ask the most righteous St John to pray for me or my loved ones…".

https://www.facebook.com/groups/594402733913667/user/1418021111

What is Baptism?

Christian Baptism is the mystery of starting anew, of dying to an old way of life and being born again into a new way of life, in Christ. In the Orthodox Church, baptism is "for the remission of sins" (cf. the Nicene Creed) and for entrance into the Church; the person being baptized is cleansed of all sins and is united to Christ; through the waters of baptism he or she is mysteriously crucified and buried with Christ, and is raised with him to newness of life, having "put on" Christ (that is, having been clothed in Christ). The cleansing of sins includes the washing away of the ancestral sin.

What is Holy Chrismation?

Chrismation (sometimes called confirmation) is the holy mystery by which a baptized person is granted the gift of the Holy Spirit through anointing with oil. As baptism is a personal participation in the death and Resurrection of Christ, so chrismation is a personal participation in the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

Why are vigil lamps lit before icons?

1. Because our faith is light. Christ said: I am the light of the world (John 8:12). The light of the vigil lamp reminds us of that light by which Christ illumines our souls.

2. In order to remind us of the radiant character of the saint before whose icon we light the vigil lamp, for saints are called sons of light (John 12:36, Luke 16:8).

3. In order to serve as a reproach to us for our dark deeds, for our evil thoughts and desires, and in order to call us to the path of evangelical light; and so that we would more zealously try to fulfill the commandments of the Saviour: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works” (Matt. 5:16).

4. So that the vigil lamp would be our small sacrifice to God, Who gave Himself completely as a sacrifice for us, and as a small sign of our great gratitude and radiant love for Him from Whom we ask in prayer for life, and health, and salvation and everything that only boundless heavenly love can bestow.

5. So that terror would strike the evil powers who sometimes assail us even at the time of prayer and lead away our thoughts from the Creator. The evil powers love the darkness and tremble at every light, especially at that which belongs to God and to those who please Him.

6. So that this light would rouse us to selflessness. Just as the oil and wick burn in the vigil lamp, submissive to our will, so let our souls also burn with the flame of love in all our sufferings, always being submissive to God’s will.

7. In order to teach us that just as the vigil lamp cannot be lit without our hand, so too, our heart, our inward vigil lamp, cannot be lit without the holy fire of God’s grace, even if it were to be filled with all the virtues. All these virtues of ours are, after all, like combustible material, but the fire which ignites them proceeds from God.

8. In order to remind us that before anything else the Creator of the world created light, and after that everything else in order: And God said, let there be light: and there was light (Genesis 1:3). And it must be so also at the beginning of our spiritual life, so that before anything else the light of Christ’s truth would shine within us. From this light of Christ’s truth subsequently every good is created, springs up and grows in us.

May the Light of Christ illumine you as well!

Jesus the Christ is in our midst!

Thank you Pres. Nota.

Source:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ask.about.the.orthodox.faith/

Ask About The Orthodox Faith

The life and teaching of Blessed Father Epiphanios Theodoropoulos of Athens, Greece (+1989)

November 10

Fr. Josiah Trenham

The following is the first lecture of a seven-part lecture series entitled “Contemporary Orthodox Elders,” offered by Patristic Nectar Publications. This series by Fr. Josiah Trenham seeks to unfold the nature of spiritual direction and eldership in the Church, and examines the lives of influential elders who have served Christ and who are either still living or who have reposed in the Lord in the last fifty years. Each of the seven presentations surveys the life and teaching of one particular elder. The elders include Fr. Epiphanios of Athens, St. Porphyrios of Attica, Fr. Sophrony of Essex, Fr. Cleopa of Sihastria, Fr. Aimilianos of Simonopetra, St. Paisios of Mt. Athos, and Fr. Ephraim of Arizona. These great elders from Romania, Greece, England and America, are majestic love gifts from the reigning Christ to His flock on earth and their radiant witness serves as a clear guide for all who wish to enter into the Kingdom of God.

The audio for this lecture, and the entire series can be found at Patristic Nectar Publications.

* * *

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

This is our first installment in the new series “Contemporary Orthodox Elders.” I think you’ll find it absolutely fascinating, and I want to make a few preliminary comments before we jump into our first example of glorious recent elders, Elder Epiphanios Theodoropoulos of Athens. The reason that I’ve chosen to do this series, which is dedicated to surveying the lives of seven elders, is that these elders have lived and reposed in the last fifty years. The reason they’re so important is that they answer the question we have as we struggle in our fallen world, which is, “Is it really possible to be faithful to God now? Things are so bad and the temptations are so great and the world is so pressing. I know it was done in the past—we have so many saints in the past who lived and found their way to the Kingdom of God in this wilderness, but they didn’t live with what we’re living with.” This is the thought. The reason the contemporary elders and saints are so important is that they provide a definitive “Yes.” They tell us that the resources that God has provided for His people—the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Mysteries of the Church, the power of Christian fellowship—are sufficient to enable us, as they have enabled our brothers and sisters in generations before us, to live a life that is holy and come into the Kingdom of God. This is the great value of the contemporary saints.

Transformation is possible for us and Pentecost is relevant now, right here. I have maybe fifteen contemporary men and women who mean a lot to me and upon whom I rely for hope and an example, but I have chosen seven. These real personas are affecting me still and I’m always learning. When I came home a few weeks ago from the country of Georgia I had a strange postcard in my bag. I was in the big cathedral, and a woman came up to me, and without saying a word she seemed to realize I was a foreigner, and gave me this postcard of some monk and walked away. I looked at him and he was so beautiful. I had no idea who it was, but I brought it home and now it’s on my keyboard, looking at me for the past month. This week I found out who it was. I sent the picture to some Georgian friends and found out he’s an incredible recent elder who suffered terribly under the communists and who was a Fool-for-Christ and recently glorified as a saint. His name is Elder Gabriel. That’s just one example of how the contemporary saints are not a static reality. New saints are constantly being made all the time. Just this past year Elder Paisios was glorified as a saint, and more are coming, which is incredible. We discover them and share them with each other and people from other countries visit and tell us about them. I’m always learning new things.

Perhaps some of these elders you won’t know and I’ll have the happiness of sharing a very rich fare with you and you’ll take from it and eat and decide you want to continue eating from that plate the rest of your life and you’ll become friends with some of these elders. Tonight we’re starting with my favorite of favorites, Epiphanios Theodoropoulos. He lived and served most of his life in Athens, Greece. When I think of him I think of what St. Gregory wrote about St. Basil in an encomium on his life, that he was a professor of life and a teacher of dogmas. This is very much an apropos description of Elder Epiphanios. He was a professor of life. He was a very fine Patristic scholar and canonist and he wrote several books. A collection of his teachings have been published in English called Counsels for Life, translated and published by Fr. Nicholas Palis through his St. Nikodemos Publishing.

He was a celibate priest, living his whole life in the world. He didn’t retreat to Mt. Athos which he loved dearly, but lived in the city of Athens and became a professor of life for believers and teacher of dogmas for us. He was born on December 27, 1930 in Vornazion in the southern Peloponnese in Greece. He was named Etioklis and he was the oldest of six kids. His parents John and Georgia were pious, and he had an aunt who was crippled a little bit in her feet named Alexandra to whom he was absolutely dedicated, and vice versa. She was a great God-lover, and many times he said that whatever he was in life he owed to God and Aunt Alexandra. He absolutely praised and loved his aunt, and also his grandmother. He said the two of them taught him to love Paradise. When he was young and squirmy Aunt Alexandra used to put him on a stool in the kitchen and told him that if he learned to sit still then Jesus would give him Paradise. Sometimes he would grow restless and start to squirm and he would ask her, “Do you think I’ve lost Paradise?” and she would say “If you move a little more you will.” Through those little interactions she taught him to evaluate everything he did in relationship to Paradise. She expected a lot from him. This is important for us to hear, in a time when we expect almost nothing from children and we’re taught to spoil them.

He wanted to be a priest from the age of two and became very faithful to the fasts and services of the Church by the age of five. Sometimes his aunt would suggest that he have a little milk, because he was so young to be fasting so strictly, and he was so incensed for even suggesting drinking milk on a Sunday morning before Liturgy, when he was five! He used to give her little sermons about she needed to trust God and that it’s very important to listen to the Church because it’s the voice of Christ in the world. When he was six or seven he would beat the priests to the church and would be waiting for them by the locked church in the shadows. Many times he even scared his priest, making him think he was some burglar standing in the darkness by the locked doors. From childhood he read Small Compline every night and he later encouraged his spiritual children to read Compline. Sometimes he even read it by the light of the moon during the Nazi Occupation, when many Greeks were without electricity. He also had to become very wise in order to offset his aunt’s condescension to him. In humility she didn’t want to push him too hard. When she would get up early to go to some church or chapel for a feast day, she would leave him sleeping and sometimes he would wake up, and she’d be gone, and for him that was horrible. From the time he couldn’t stand it anymore, he would steal her shoes before he went to bed and hide them in bed with him so that she had to wake him up and not leave without him.

When he was in elementary school he served as the altar boy in the school chapel and would take home prosphora from the liturgies and took a little bit every day to stay connected with the previous Liturgy and to prepare for the next Liturgy. He lived Liturgy to Liturgy. He used to reenact the entire Liturgy once or twice a week with his family in the living room. That’s a very common type—St. Athanasius the Great reenacted the Baptism service over his friend as a young boy. The patriarch of Alexandria saw it and said it was perfect and accepted it. This is how Elder Epiphanios lived. For him, even as a small child, the Liturgy was his greatest happiness.

He was very manly in his courage. His aunt recalls that when he was young, after he made a mistake he would immediately take credit for it. He wanted everyone to know it was his mistake because he couldn’t bear the thought that someone else would be blamed for his mistake.

He went to school in Kalamata. He was very academic, although he hated math. He was especially dedicated to reading Holy Scripture. He developed the practice for the rest of his life of reading the Old and New Testaments in the ancient languages three times each year. He wanted to regularly hear the voice of his beloved, which is the why people are so serious about reading the Scriptures every day. This is a common theme for holy people—think of St. Seraphim who read the New Testament every week. Once his aunt caught him reading some very secular material and was very offended. She didn’t understand why this pious young man would read such things, and he chastised her saying, “I am going to become a worker of the Gospel and I have to read all the things the other people have read. I have to know these things and be able to converse with them and be able to answer them.”

He used to say the university does not make the scholar, but rather the chair makes the scholar, referring to enduring the discomfort on your gluteus maximus and back and eyes from sitting in your chair, reading and studying. The willingness to endure is what produces scholarship and knowledge, which he applied to his spiritual life as well. In high school he stopped eating meat for the rest of his life. He honored the Lord’s Day very seriously and never studied on Sundays. He visited monasteries a lot as young man. He called the monks and nuns the “aristocracy of the Church,” meaning they had the wealth of prayer and the wealth of piety—real treasures, and he wanted to be with them.

He loved the poor and he would often turn his friends’ views of the poor upside down. His dad owned several fields and thieves were often caught stealing the harvest. As a young man he became responsible for the fields, and once a thief was caught. When Fr. Epiphanios heard the thief’s story, not only did he not punish the thief, but he told those holding him that this man had endured far more than his family, and decided that from then on they would set aside a portion of their fields for the thief every harvest, to take care of himself and his family. He didn’t want the man to have to look for other fields to steal from. He now had his own land to work, harvest, and sell.

In 1949 he moved to Athens at about twenty-two years of age and enrolled in the spiritual school and studied both sacred and secular literature very broadly, on the model of the Cappadocian Fathers. St. Gregory and St. Basil had studied the great secular works of the Greek Empire as well as the Holy Fathers and Scriptures in Athens. He often visited the monastery of Logovardo on the island of Paros, the home of the very famous Elder Philotheos Zervakos, who served as his spiritual father until his own death in 1980. He said if he wasn’t a priest he would have studied either medicine or law, because medicine is the most philanthropic of the sciences, and law enables one to champion the cause of the good and the just and to protect the innocent.

He was ordained a deacon at twenty-five, the canonical minimum age and published his first book entitled Holy Scripture and Evil Spirits. He published twenty-two books in all, and many articles. Unfortunately there is a small amount of his material translated into English. There is Counsels for Life, which I already mentioned, which is a thematic collection of his teachings, and there is also the wonderful book Precious Vessels of the Holy Spirit which collects the lives of contemporary elders from Greece, including Elder Epiphanios. Hopefully more will be translated into English.

He was a great zealot for the canons, including the local canons and those of the holy fathers which were ratified by Ecumenical Councils. Many contemporary Churchmen accused him of having a pharisaical attachment to the canons, but he said that to reject the canons and not listen to them was to reject the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Someone said to him: “Father, with your attachment to the sacred canons you will end up a legalist,” and he answered “No, my child. In an age, though, when many invent various excuses to throw these fruits of the Holy Spirit in the wastebasket, I insist on standing with absolute respect before these canons and the God-bearing fathers who instituted their beckonings.” He was not even close to being a Pharisee; he was just faithful—faithful to stand before the fathers and give them their due. We are in great need of that same spirit now.

As a deacon he spent five years peacefully studying, reading and writing for five years without being bothered. What a nice life! He looked back on that period as a treasure. In 1961he was ordained a priest by Metropolitan Ambrose of Eleutheropolis, who deeply loved him. Fr. Epiphanios loved the priesthood. He used to marvel at archimandrites who were dissatisfied with being simply priests and wanted to become bishops. He had absolutely no idea what their problem was, and he mentioned it often—it’s like someone with the richest fare and they’re just not satisfied. He loved being a priest and serving the Holy Mysteries. He even loved not having to be a bishop and he refused the request of the Church to become a bishop more times than anyone can count. He was offered many offices but rejected them because he loved just serving, praying, hearing confessions, and writing and reading. He loved his cassock. Aunt Alexandra said if she hadn’t been there at the birth and known otherwise she would have been sworn that the man was born wearing a cassock. Once someone asked him what he would do if the Church of Greece banned cassocks. He said “I would live in seclusion.”

He served his entire ministry in a little chapel in downtown Athens dedicated to the Three Holy Hierarchs, and refused to receive a single penny in payment. He made a deal with God that he would keep his pockets empty through charity if He would keep his pockets full. He ended up building churches and a beautiful monastery, helping students go through university, and taking care of the poor. He was a machine of almsgiving because he stayed true to his promise to God. He edited publications for the austere publishing house of the Papademetriou Brothers which brought him income for food, but he remained unpaid and uninsured his entire life.

He had a very serious personal Typicon. He woke up and prayed and served the services from 4-9, studied from 9-12, and then opened his confessional from 12-5 or 6, nonstop every day. After Vespers he went to the hospitals and visited the sick, and then he went to bed. That was the basic cycle of his life: prayer, study, confession, services, hospital, sleep.

In addition to refusing to become bishop, he sacrificed a full professorship, the offer to become the chief secretary of the Synod of Bishops of the Church of Greece, to be the rector in a magnificent large church, and to be the director of a missionary brotherhood. He just wanted to live peacefully with his stole that he could put on people’s heads and reconcile them with God through Confession. Confession was his greatest happiness. It was his own personal crucifixion with Christ to accept this many sins and he wrote, “There is no greater satisfaction for me than to remain for many hours on the seat of the confessional and to reconcile man with God.” Once he said to a spiritual child who had behavioral problems, causing himself and others great grief, “Now I can explain why you are acting like this. I have not placed you particularly in my prayers, but from today, this evening, I will do it.” He saw the person’s behavior and blamed himself—because he had been given to him by God as a spiritual child but he hadn’t particularly prayed for him. So he decided to start that night.

He had terrible insomnia, and three times in his life it was so bad that he begged God to deliver him from it. Each time, when he couldn’t bear to go on, he let the New Testament fall open, and each time it fell open to 2 Cor. 12 where the Lord said to St. Paul that He had given him a thorn in the flesh so that he might not boast of the revelations he was able to see, that he could become strong in his weakness. After the third time he never complained or asked God again, recognizing that it was from God, that he could depend on God in weakness.

In 1976, he founded a monastery of the Mother of God, "Full of Grace," in Trizina, in the Peloponnese near his birthplace. From then on he split his time between his Three Holy Hierarchs chapel and the monastery, where he provided spiritual direction. He was absolutely devoted to the Holy Mountain and the monastic way though he himself chose to serve God in the city. Once a nun came to him asking very complex spiritual advice about the Jesus Prayer, and with the humility which distinguished him he told her, “I am a man who lives in the world. I am on the one hand a celibate clergyman, but in the end, I live in the world. I will tell you a few technical simple things, but you would do well to seek the counsel of an agiorite [that is, a monk of the Holy Mountain] father.” He told her of a particular monk who especially practiced and taught hesychasm. The sister answered him, “But elder, he is the one who sent me to you.”

In December of 1982 he developed cancer of the stomach and had surgery. He was barely fifty. Three quarters of his stomach were removed and in 1988 he had a second operation and he reposed on November 10, 1989 at fifty-eight. Before he died he wrote out the instructions for his funeral—where to be buried, what to write on his tombstone, etc. He lay in state at his Three Holy Hierarchs chapel, then was moved to a very beautiful church that he loved near the chapel, then to his monastery in the Peloponnese, which is where he was buried. On his tomb, which is white marble, he had 1 Tim. 1:15 written: This is a trustworthy statement, worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief. That’s his life—an absolutely beautiful man.

In the remaining few minutes I want to share a number of his teachings which I think you’ll find inspiring. He used to say that love, which is the primary characteristic proving an authentic Christian faith, is self-multiplying, just like a candle lights another candle without diminishing. There’s no diminishing when you share love. He was also very tough. In the city a lot of people wanted to find ways to justify themselves. A woman brought her young pregnant but unmarried daughter to Fr. Epiphanios, thinking she could convince him to bless am abortion. He listened to the woman explaining about how they have no money and the father isn’t around and this would ruin her life and the obvious course was to have an abortion, and so on. He looked at the woman, took off his stole and hung it on the wall, and leaned over to her and said “Can you do me a favor,and look at my forehead? Do you see the word ‘IDIOT’ written on my forehead?” She said no and he said, “Get out of my chapel before I scorch you with the holy canons for the rest of your life.” How appropriate. He had the love of Christ and also the courage and prophetic nature of Christ, to do such a thing. What a man.

He loved kids and often gave parenting advice, saying that they needed to talk to God more about their kids than to their kids about God, which St Porphyrios used to say too. He said that when someone is free he has rights and responsibilities, but when he gets married he has few rights and very many responsibilities. Then when he has children he has no rights and only responsibilities. How true. He also said that married Christians need to go to church early on Sunday mornings, because we pray Orthros for the faithful, not for the chairs. One time a woman came to him, and in her Confession she talked all about her daughter-in-law’s sin, who she was very upset with. It kept going and going, so he took off his stole, without reading the prayer of forgiveness. She asked him whether he was going to read it, and he said, “Absolutely, just send me your daughter-in-law and I’ll read it right away.”

He was once asked about how to find a holy spiritual father. This is a very relevant teaching today because many Orthodox in America somehow think that you can’t be saved without a God-bearing elder. A theologian told the elder that he was having difficulty finding a suitable spiritual elder, and he said, “My beloved, you don’t have a problem with an elder, you have a problem with yourself. If you had a problem with an elder you would go out on the street, turn right, walk a hundred meters, turn left, walk another fifty meters, and stop and wait there until the first spiritual father walked by. You would do undiscerning obedience and have neither a problem with an elder nor with your own salvation. It is not holy fathers that we are in need of, as much as holy obedience. Did all the great saints of the Church have a particular holy elder? No. What they did have was holy humility and holy obedience and for this reason also they became holy.” It’s a beautiful word to us about what we really need.

Once a woman who had confessed to Elder Epiphanios for the very first time told him she would have preferred to have confessed to a spiritual father who was elderly and blind. So he said to her, “And he if were deaf it would be even better!”

He said God has provided family dynamics that have to be governed by patience and tolerance. Rubber tires have inner tubes so that the car won’t fall apart on a bumpy road. The same thing happens when members of a family yield to the wishes of each other. This way we surpass many problems without falling apart. You just have to learn how to bump and move whenever you have a little conflict in the family. He used to praise couples who had a fifth child. When he did Baptisms of a fifth child he would give a sermon on martyrdom, saying any family that would embrace a fifth child is embracing a small martyrdom, and that God would certainly help them in a unique way. Once he was asked how he could justify refusing to become a bishop, as he could have done so much more good as a bishop. He said, “Through my counseling and Confession I’ve been able to convince many families who were only going to have one or two children to have one more.” That’s how precious and important he thought children were.

Once someone asked him if he felt inferior when people younger and with less qualifications became bishops and he said, “Oh, child, why should I feel like that? What am I lacking? The crown on my head? I was never jealous of these things, nor do they suit me. I’m not lacking anything. I’m a priest and I perform the Sacraments. I bless the bread and wine and they become the Body and Blood of Christ. I read the prayer of forgiveness over the believer and his sins are wiped out. I join a couple in common life. I do everything. They only thing I don’t do is ordain. However that is an advantage, not a disadvantage. If you only knew what a responsibility the bishops have, that they will give an account before Christ for the ordinations they perform.”

He was once asked if he ever saw a vision, and he said, “Oh, my child, no, nor do I ever wish to see one. The only thing I want to see are my sins.” He was also asked if he’d seen miracles. “Miracles? Nothing but. The greatest miracle which I have seen is that God came down to earth to save me, the most sinful of people.”

He was many times seen burdened by his labor of love, pastoring, and someone said to him, “Elder I see that today you are distressed,” and he answered to him, “And what day am I not? The problems of the Church and of my spiritual children are my won. My heart only has entrances. It has no exists. My worst hell is to realize that i have saddened a beloved person.” Wow! Elder Epiphanios Theodoropoulos. What a man, what a gift from God in His great love to us! God bless you for listening and being saturated with this wonderful man.

Question: Is there a reason he chose to remain celibate? Was he actually a monk?

He was a monk-priest, and he said he never thought of anything else since he was little. But you see what an authentic monk he is. You can’t be an authentic monk unless you love marriage. He loved marriage and he loved family life so much, and that proved that his monasticism was not a deprecation of marriage, but a deep appreciation and a love offering of his whole energy to God, and that’s what makes a true monk. The fathers of the Church say that if you’re a monk because you think something’s wrong with marriage, you are no monk; you’re a heretic. If marriage is not holy and blessed, then what you’re doing is not an offering to God, but it’s a must, because there’s no other way to live. But it’s not. Marriage is blessed by God, which means that giving up the great happiness of marriage so that you can completely dedicate yourself to God’s service, which is what he did, as a true monk, is the harder path.

Fr. Josiah Trenham

Patristic Nectar Publications

11/10/2016

Source:

https://orthochristian.com/98498.html

Monks and Mission

Blessed Father Epiphanios Theodoropoulos of Athens, Greece (+1989)

The following was originally published as an article in the journal “Athonite Dialogues” (Ἀθωνικοί Διάλογοι) on September 15, 1980.

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Dear brothers!

A few months ago I was in a monastery far from Athens, Greece. There was a large group of tourists from Athens there the same day. They were all pious academics, some young and unmarried, and some the heads of families. At trapeza, after the reading, a conversation started up, and one of the pilgrims asked: “What does monasticism offer to a suffering society? Wouldn’t it be better if monastics were among the unmarried clergy or lay preachers, and carried out their missionary work in the world?

The abbot appealed to my humility and asked me to answer the question posed. My word at trapeza, although improvised and delivered without any preparation, in my humble opinion, offers a particular addition to the article, “Orthodox Monasticism and Mission,” recently published in our journal (April-June). I’m sending it to you as is, and if you also think it contains something “better than silence,” you may publish it.

With love in the Lord,

Archimandrite Epiphanios

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The clergy who labor in the world carry out an extremely important task, which no one can belittle or despise. They are instruments of grace, ministers of Christ, and stewards of the Mysteries of God (1 Cor. 4:1). They continue the work of the Holy Apostles down through the centuries. They preach Christ Crucified and Risen, they teach repentance and remission of sins “in His name.” By means of this teaching and the celebration of the Holy Mysteries, they lead multitudes of people to the eternal Kingdom of God. “Apart from these, there is no Church,” according to St. Ignatius the God-Bearer of Antioch (To the Trallians 3:1).

But if it’s impermissible to denigrate the mission and work of clergy serving in the world (as well as of the zealots and bearers of gifts of grace from among the laity), it’s also impermissible to denigrate the mission and work of monks. The Church is led unerringly by the Holy Spirit.

If monasticism was something superfluous and useless, if it were a state without essence and meaning, it wouldn’t be an institution in the Church, the holy Ecumenical and Local Councils wouldn’t concern themselves with it, and the great and God-bearing Fathers wouldn’t have written about it.

If monasticism weren’t the work of God, if it weren’t the fruit of the Holy Spirit, if it weren’t a plant that the Father has planted (cf. Mt. 15:13), it would have been expelled as a “foreign body” from the body of the Church from its very appearance.

But monasticism sprouted in His field (cf. 1 Cor. 3:9), in the holy Church, and in it was strengthened and bore fruit this field precisely because it was “the plant of God.” Doubt about the dignity of monasticism is unthinkable from an Orthodox point of view. Any attacks on it as an “institution” are pure theomachy.

And I, brothers, belong to the number of the clergy serving in the world. But as an obedient child of the Orthodox Church, I must follow her teaching and not question or even condemn that which it, “led by the Holy Spirit,” has approved and embraced.

Don’t we know that our calendars are full of the names of monastics? Martyrs and monastics (also martyrs “by will”) make up eight, and maybe nine-tenths in the “catalog” of our saints! We’re not more perfect in theology or wiser than the Church. We don’t know better than it what agrees and what disagrees with the spirit of the Gospel. He who rejects monasticism as discordant with the spirit of Christianity becomes a heretic, because he places himself above the authority of the Church.

No one forces anyone to become a monk. If someone has the desire (but also the calling!) to serve the Church in the world, then this is holy work, and the path to him is open, and no one hinders it. But those who have a draw to monasticism shouldn’t be attacked or hindered by us. Holy is their desire and blessed their choice. The Holy Spirit divides gifts to every man severally as He will (1 Cor. 12:11).

I’m not going to reveal the dignity of monasticism as the “most perfect path of deification,” based, of course, not on my own experience, which doesn’t exist, but on the teachings of the Holy Fathers. I’m not going to speak about the difficult and truly heroic podvigs of monks to purify themselves from “shameful passions,” podvigs, the “taste” of which we living in the world barely know. I won’t speak about the unceasing Divine service to God, worshiped in the Trinity, celebrated in the sacred monasteries and in the heart of every monk. I’m not going to talk about the Heavenly gifts with which many monks were adorned.

I will focus on just one point, which is directly relevant to the given question. And I dare say that the monk’s offering to “suffering society” is very great! I dare say that a monk—every monk (of course, a true monk)—is a missionary!

I said “every monk” because I don’t want to limit missionary work only to those monks who, having the grace of the priesthood, go beyond their sacred enclosures, and with permission of the local bishop, go around teaching and confessing in cities and villages; or to those who, endowed with a talent for writing, sometimes of rare strength, publish wonderful books and thereby edify thousands of souls, and for whole generations, as, for example, St. Nikodemos the Athonite.

I am convinced, brothers—and don’t think I’m speaking paradoxically, because I will substantiate this certainty—that those monks who have never left their monastery and never written a single line are also missionaries.

“You mean prayer?” you might say.

Of course I have in mind prayer, but not only prayer. The power of prayer, and especially of the prayers of those who have “a life purified or cleansed for God,”[1] of those “who have acquired much boldness before God,” is all-powerful. One “heartfelt tear” of a holy man can lead to results that would otherwise require many sermons and many books. Prayer works miracles. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit (Jas. 5:16-18).

I’m not addressing non-believers now, or people who are indifferent to faith; I’m talking to believers. So there’s no need for me to expand on this point. We all accept the power of prayer, we all know about its salvific activity. Therefore, everyone should look at the prayers of monks as the greatest offering to the world.

Think about it! There isn’t an hour, or a single moment in the day when fervent prayers aren’t ascending to the throne of the Almighty. All twenty-four hours in a day, God is “besieged” with fiery and tearful petitions to have mercy and save the world. When we’re working, when we’re eating and when we’re sleeping, someone is praying for us, someone is “working out,” watching and calling out in a spiritual podvig: “Lord, have mercy!” Isn’t this offering enough?

I visited one large monastery a few years ago. Among the monastics I knew was one who was almost a hundred years old—illiterate, but a holy soul. She no longer got out of bed due to her age. Weeping, she told me her complaint:

“Ach, that abbess! I ask her to give me work to do here on my bed, since I can’t get up if they don’t hold me up, but she doesn’t give me any. I can twist yarn into skeins. But she doesn’t give me any work. She says I worked eighty years in the monastery” (she joined when she was sixteen). “But that means I eat my bread for nothing. Others work and feed me. What should I do? The abbess is unyielding. I was so worried that I didn’t even want to eat. But then I thought of something and calmed down. I decided to constantly pray for everyone. Thus, it seems to me that I work. You see this prayer rope?” (She showed me a prayer rope with very large knots). “I never let it out of my hands, neither day nor night, except for the two or three hours I sleep. I always pray for the abbess and the nuns who work so that I can eat. And I pray for others: for our Vladyka and for other hierarchs, for priests, for preachers, for bosses, for judges, for the army, for the police, for teachers, for students, for widows, for orphans, for everyone I remember. Thus, I feel less of the weight on my soul that comes from eating without working…”

I cry every time I remember this scene. I never saw this venerable nun after that. A few months later, she departed to the other world, to continue her prayers “from the depths,” “for everyone she remembers” from there (I hope for me too…), although now without her thick prayer rope, which was buried together with her holy body.

But prayer is one of the means—the first—by which a monk carries out missionary work; that is, helping souls be saved. There are two more ways, brothers.

The second way: Where has there ever been a monastery that didn’t become a drawing point for the people? Where has a hermit labored where a cloud of visitors didn’t come to his cave, his mountain, his den of the earth (cf. Heb. 11:38), seeking from him either a “word of comfort,” or at least to behold his face—a sight that teaches many things and edifies much?

And this isn’t just in olden days, but in our day too. How many wanderers through life that labour and are heavy laden (Mt. 11:28) run to the holy monasteries, to find a little silence of soul! How many benefit from the impressive atmosphere that reigns there during the Divine services! How many unbelievers or indifferent people, visiting the sacred abodes of monasticism as tourists, feel a prick in their hearts from what they see there! Quite often, one such visit was enough to put their unbelief or indifference to the test.

Moreover, are there really only a few cases where they felt how their inner world was shaken when they left the sacred monasteries, reborn after a few days or hours there?

Any monastery is a true oasis in the arid desert of this present life, especially of modern life… Especially for the nearest towns and villages, every monastery is a set of lungs delivering spiritual oxygen. And Holy Mount Athos is the “lungs” for all of Greece, and for the whole world!

Let the monks not go out into the world. The world comes to them. Let monks take shelter in enclosed places. Their light shines and illuminates everything around; and sometimes it illuminates even that which is far away. Let them talk little. There is also the “silent eloquence of a holy life.”

Brothers, let there be monasteries! But let’s pray that they might be worthy of their calling. And then, by some Divine law, they will automatically become like missionary centers, spiritual beacons, oases of souls, Divine hotels for many who fell among thieves (Lk. 10:30). The world can benefit greatly from monasteries.

The third way: Even if he is silent and hidden, a monk is a shouted sermon—a sermon not in words, but deeds; a sermon strong and astounding.

Brothers, what do missionaries, that is, those who work in the Church, proclaim in their sermons? What do they write about in their books, what are their topics? What do they prompt us to do? To love God, to pray, to fight against vice, to commune of the Holy Mysteries, to repent of our sins, to be humble, not to cling to material goods, to have a home in Heaven, and so on and so on.

But doesn’t a monk proclaim the exact same thing—not in words, but by deeds and example?

I if decide to become a monk, a true monk, it means love for God—Divine eros—consumes my entire being. (It’s understood that such love is found mainly and principally among monks, but it can’t be said that only and exclusively a monk has such love and no one else. Such a statement would be one-sided, unacceptable for Orthodoxy. We have already said that the Holy Spirit distributes gifts as He pleases. St. John of Kronstadt, for example, was a “secular” priest. But who could deny the fiery Divine love burning in his sanctified heart?) Prayer is the water and air of my soul. The Church’s Mysteries are my daily food. Repentance is my whole life’s work. My “I” is condemned to death. I disdain material goods. I count all things … but dung, that I may win Christ (Phil. 3:8). Wealth, prosperity, position, honor, and glory don’t concern me. I pass them by. My steadfast gaze is fixed upon the Heavenly Jerusalem…

So, when you hear that your friend, neighbor, relative, or friend left the world and departed to a monastery, isn’t that the same as hearing a resounding and deafening sermon about everything above, especially if the one who left possessed wonderful qualities and could have had great “success” in this life?

Your friend left in silence. You didn’t see him before he left, he didn’t say goodbye. But his act, a heroic act, an act of the greatest sacrifice for the sake of the love of God, speaks for itself. His footsteps sound forth quite clearly as he walks out the door, and will never trail off. You’ll hear the sound your whole life.

You’ll never see your friend again, or hear about his death when he dies. The memory of him won’t leave you alone. You’ll always have a saving turmoil and a holy uneasiness from it. It will constantly rebuke you. You’ll think:

“I can’t fast on Wednesdays and Friday, but he… I didn’t even commune on Pascha this year, but he… I have to force myself to barely say two words of prayer, but he… I earn a lot of money, I amass a great fortune—and I’m afraid to give a little to the poor, but he… I lie and flatter in order to rise up in society, but he… I chase after honors and fame, but he… I cling to the ground, but he…”

But even if you’re an unbeliever or indifferent, this act of your friend, in addition to the surprise it causes, will continuously chip away at the foundation of your unbelief or indifference. You’ll be thinking about this act in a moment of spiritual sobering up, and perhaps in a moment of frustration and disappointment in the “joys of the world,” and you’ll hear an inner voice asking you:

“The faith that inspires such sacrifices—perhaps it’s not just a product of fantasy? The faith that makes you happy when you deny and reject everything that others consider important—that is, pleasure, money, convenience, success, glory, and so on—maybe the truth is there? Perhaps there is life after death? Maybe the decision of your friend—who is otherwise so intelligent and gifted—isn’t a heroic “madness,” but a very “profitable undertaking?” Maybe he really did find the pearl of great price (Mt. 13:46) that that book called the Gospels tell us about?...”

This and other similar things will be proclaimed to a great many people by the example of a monk. Who will dare claim that this silent, but also thunderous “sermon” doesn’t “break bones,” according to the well-known expression?

This sermon isn’t theoretical, but practical. It doesn’t last a few minutes, but strikes your ear continuously. It literally follows you! The monk, taking up the Cross and following Christ, TEACHES BY DEED—and teaches loudly—“to disdain the flesh, as something transient, but to care for the soul as something immortal.”[2]

So, is a monk or is he not, by his example alone, a herald of eternity?

Is he or is he not an indication of the path to Heaven?

Is he or is he not a preacher and missionary?

Elder Epiphanios Theodoropoulos of Athens, Greece (+1989)

Translated from Greek by Michael Vishnyak

Translated from Russian by Jesse Dominick

Pravoslavie.ru

[1] St. Gregory the Theologian, Oration 15.2

[2] Troparion for a monastic from the General Menaion

Source:

https://orthochristian.com/141820.html

What is an Orthodox Catechism?

An Orthodox Catechism is an instruction in the orthodox Christian faith, to be taught to every Christian, to enable him to please God and save his own soul.

http://www.pravoslavieto.com/docs/eng/Orthodox_Catechism_of_Philaret.htm

What is the meaning of the word Catechism?

http://www.pravoslavieto.com/docs/eng/Orthodox_Catechism_of_Philaret.htm

What is Baptism?

What is Holy Chrismation?

Why are vigil lamps lit before icons?

1. Because our faith is light. Christ said: I am the light of the world (John 8:12). The light of the vigil lamp reminds us of that light by which Christ illumines our souls.

2. In order to remind us of the radiant character of the saint before whose icon we light the vigil lamp, for saints are called sons of light (John 12:36, Luke 16:8).

May the Light of Christ illumine you as well!

Jesus the Christ is in our midst!

Thank you Pres. Nota.

Source:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ask.about.the.orthodox.faith/

Ask About The Orthodox Faith

In 1916-17, Elder Gabriel the Dionysian writes that he was in the Orphanage of Pangaios, responsible of a share of his Monastery. An army division was stationed in that area. A group of officers, initiated into spiritualism, used to assemble in the evenings around a table, and through the medium of a soldier-medium they called up the spirits of King George, Trikoupis, and other famous dead. When the little table was shaking (a sign that communication with the "spirit" had begun), they would ask various questions and the soldier-medium would answer on behalf of the "spirit".

It happened one night at such a gathering that Elder Gabriel was also present. He immediately understood that the whole effort was a summoning of demons. When they were all gone, he took the opportunity to stick two candles in the shape of a Cross under the table. When they went back and tried to repeat the invocation of the "spirits", they experienced a painful surprise. While they were calling for a long time, the little table did not move from its place and the "spirit" did not appear. They began to investigate, wondering if someone had nailed the table to the floor. And while investigating they discovered the wax cross under the table.

Then Elder Gabriel said to them:

"I did it so that you would be convinced that demonic energy is hidden in your act."

But they did not admit it. And they began to put forward various spiritualist theories, that the candle as a substance is a "good receiver" and that's why it gathers the current of communication, etc.

"Good," Elder Gabriel told them. "If the candle is to blame, remove it. But allow me to do something else…”.

And after lighting one candle, he formed with the smoke a Cross under the table. Then he told them to make their invocations. They started calling again, but the table again remained motionless and nothing happened...

They were then forced, from the facts, to admit that they were not dealing with the communication of spirits of dead people, but with the devil, who "like a roaring lion prowls about and devours" (1 Peter 5:8 -10), which, however, his power and his traps, literally crumble before the power of the Holy Cross!!

Vladimir Mikhailovich Zobern. BRIGHT GUESTS. Stories of priests.

Service to the Fatherland

I was once invited to the consecration of an official's apartment. Having quickly dressed myself, I went out into the street, where this master's servant, a strong soldier, was waiting for me. As we walked, I asked him how long he had been in the service?

— Father, I have already been retired for two years.

— How many years have you served?

- Twenty-five.

I was surprised. He was so young that he couldn't be more than thirty years old.

- Rather, the service was easy, without much difficulty?

"I don't know what to say to that, father." Can a soldier have easy service? The soldier swears to work! For example, I served for twenty-five years - all in the Caucasus. How much I had to endure during this time! Yes, how much I walked, or rather crawled, in the mountains of the Caucasus! I've been to Dagestan and Chechnya, but you never know! He may not have been among the first Caucasian daredevils, but he was not far behind them.

- How did you manage to maintain your health so well? - I asked.

- This, father, is due to God's special mercy towards me. That's why I think I got military service.

- Do you really see military service as a special mercy of God to man? — I asked surprised.

- Of course, father!

- Why?

"But because of my military service I see the light of God and I am happy in my family life."

- How is this possible? - I asked.

"I was born in a village," he began. "My father was a farmer and I am the eldest of his three sons. In the sixteenth year of my life, the Lord was pleased to test me: I began to lose my sight. Since I was my father's assistant, my illness made him very sad. Despite his poverty, he gave his last penny from his labor for my treatment, but neither home remedies nor medicines helped.

We prayed to the Lord and to the Mother of God and to the saints, but here too we were not given mercy. After some time, my illness worsened and eventually I became completely blind. This happened exactly two years after the onset of my illness. Having completely lost my sight, I began to grope and often tripped. It was difficult for me then; before me was a continuous, endless night. It was not easier for my beloved parents.

One day, when I was alone at home, my father came in. Putting his hand on my shoulder, he sat next to me and thought. His silence lasted for a long time. Finally I couldn't take it anymore.

"Father," I said, "do you still mourn for me?" Why? I went blind because God wanted it that way. "So, father, did you want to tell me," I asked him, "tell me honestly!"

- Hey, Andriousa, how can I tell you something happy? I think you should go to the blind and learn from them to beg for Christ's sake. At least then you can help us with something and you won't go hungry!

And then I realized the seriousness of my situation and the extreme poverty because of which my father suffered. Instead of answering, I cried.

Father began to comfort me as best he could.

"You are not the first," he said, "and you are not the last, Andriaussa, my child!" Presumably, it is God's will that the blind feed on His name. And they ask in the name of God...

"It is true," I noted excitedly, "the blind beg for alms in the name of God, but how many of them live like Christians?" Father, I thought to myself, knowing your need, but I could not stop myself! I prefer to work day and night, move millstones and starve, but I will not walk through windows, I will not wander through bazaars and fairs!

After such a decisive refusal, my father no longer insisted or reminded me of alms.

At the beginning of October, the priest came from the road and, turning to his mother, said with a sigh:

"We will have many tears in the village."

- Why? - asked the mother.

- Yes, they announced recruitment in the army.

Then the priest suddenly asked me:

- What, Andryusha, if God gave you back your sight, would you become a soldier? Would you serve for your brothers?

- With the greatest pleasure! - I answered. "It is better to serve the sovereign and the Motherland than to go around with a bag and eat someone else's bread for nothing." If the Lord restored my sight, I would go at once!

"If the Lord were gracious in thy promise, I would gladly bless thee!"

"And I!" added the mother.

That was the end of the evening. In the morning I got up early, washed my face and, forgetting yesterday's conversation, began to pray. And, oh joy! Suddenly I began to see!

- Father mother! - I shouted. - Pray with me! Kneel before the Lord! Looks like he felt sorry for me!

Father and mother knelt before the images:

- Lord have mercy! Lord, save me!

A week later I was completely healthy, and at the beginning of November I already became a soldier. Twenty-five years have passed since my service, and my eyes never hurt. And where have I been, under what winds, in what damp places, what heat have I endured! Now I am married, retired and able to support my family with honest work.

After that, father, I see military service as God's mercy towards me! Obviously, father, serving the Orthodox sovereign is pleasing to the Lord!

How the Olive Tree was blessed

The night Christ was born was very cold. The cave was cold and the Virgin Mary did not know what to do.

Then Joseph thought of lighting a fire to warm up a little, but he could find no wood anywhere. He goes out of the cave, takes a walk, but nothing.

He goes back inside, takes some straw from the manger and lights a fire. As soon as she saw them, the Virgin Mary wept and said that they should always be golden.

But after a while the haystacks were extinguished. The cave froze again. Joseph came out again, and his feet became tangled in a dry branch. It was rosemary.

Joseph lit it and the Virgin Mary wished to smell and decorate the icons of the Saints. But the fire lasted a while and the frost grew stronger.

Then Joseph heard voices through his bag saying:

Go Joseph, to our mother the olive tree above the cave and tell her that Christ is in danger. She will be very sad that we knew about it and didn't tell her anything.

It was a handful of olives that he had stored along with some bread in time of need.

Joseph went to the olive tree and she began to break pieces of wood from her old trunk and push them towards the entrance of the cave. All night the fire burned and warmth spread around the newborn Christ.

In the morning the tree was nothing but a root stump. When the Virgin Mary saw it, she wept, bent down, stroked it and said:

My wish that you never dry out. May your oil nourish and illuminate people. In the evening, light the candle of Christ.

So it happened. By evening the olive tree became big again as it was before.

Since then, the olive tree does not age. It dries, but from its roots it sprouts again and feels again.

Nativity story:

The fire crackled and red sparks filled the air as the old man fanned the coals and dropped the last log into the fireplace. Outside, the dusk was rapidly spreading its frosty haze, though the whiteness of the snow struggled to prolong the illusion that day still lasted.

Around the Christmas table, as is their tradition, the family hummed happily in the embrace of the festive warmth. And what a family! Thirty souls, from grandparents to great-grandchildren, gathered today to celebrate together.

The eighty-year-old old man, with his hair as white as snow, saw old and new sprouts around him and rejoiced. His gaze wandered to the smoldering candle in the corner, and every now and then his heart fluttered.

- "Glory to God in the highest...", he whispered like the angels. Your love is infinite, Lord!… Your mercies are rich!…

An eighteen-year-old lad, his grandson, prepared to bring wood for the fire from outside. Passing by, he stopped short, smiling, as he saw him moving his lips without speaking. He knew his grandfather well. He said to tease him.

– What are you talking about there alone, grandfather?

The old man looked at him cheerfully.

– I'm talking about His love. What else can I say.

– Then I would like you to ask Him something, continued the grandson teasingly. Since, as you say, He loves us so much, why does He punish us harshly if we stray a little from His law?

The old man instantly became serious.

- I heard someone say this, that God only knows how to punish. Do you think so too? Come on, finish your woodwork and come and let's talk later.

The young man wrapped himself up, pulled his fur cap down to his ears and went out. The cold was bitter, but it would not be long. He walked under the shed to the tall paddock where the wood was stored. He filled his cart three times and emptied it near their door. But as he put it in its place and turned to enter the house, he thought he heard something. Like a strangled sob, a noise mingled with the howling of the wind.

Surprised, he put his ear up to hear better. He cautiously brought his gaze round. A high enclosure protectively enclosed the huge estate. Their large family was accommodated there in the winter, when the terrible cold drove them from the high mountains. Tufts of gray smoke flew into the sky tirelessly from the chimneys. The icy wind stirred up every little cloud of snow in the great valley before him. Quiet everywhere.

He turned around, when again something like a strange groan reached his ears. At the same time in the nearest clump of trees a dark mass moved. He was wildly suspicious. And it didn't fall out. He dashed into the warehouse and grabbed a gun. Seeing that the wild beast was already starting to move away, he untied a horse from the stable and rushed after him. In the dull twilight he made out red spots in the snow. The beast was wounded. Sensing the danger, he growled more and more menacingly. He was in a hurry to get into the big forest.

The young man rushed after him without hesitation. It seemed an easy task to him. And a unique opportunity to show his worth.

In the great forest, which stretched across the valley and disappeared into the horizon above white hills, it was an inviolable rule that only the experienced men of the family should hunt. But they too always in groups and never at night.

The eighteen-year-old was not allowed to participate in these operations. He was not yet trained for such. He could only patrol with his peers in the open valley. The great forest was forbidden fruit to him. Their family community was based on laws. Unwritten rules, by tradition, but strict and absolute. Thanks to them the huge family survived from generation to generation safely and functioned without problems. And the elders taught the younger ones respect for tradition, since any transgression always entailed heavy consequences.

But now the excitement got the better of him. He didn't even think about rules and consequences. He spurred the horse into a run and lowered his body into the saddle. He wanted to catch the wild animal in the open space. But the light was constantly diminishing. His horse was sinking every little while in the thick snow and it was difficult to run. The wounded savage finally made it to the hills and disappeared into the dense forest.

The young man hesitated, but only for a moment. His blood was boiling. He wouldn't let his chance go to waste. It was what he was so jealous of and always longed for. He was taking a big risk, but he wanted to show that he was ready for something like that. Who wouldn't recognize its value after that? He would finally join the family's group of great hunters. He decided it was time to taste the forbidden fruit.

The forest, snowy and vast, seemed awesome. Night had fallen. The towering trees were desperately diminishing the minimal light. He moved forward cautiously guided by the grunts, which were becoming weaker and weaker. But time passed, without reaching his goal. His venture was getting complicated.

The horse made his way with difficulty in the inhospitable, icy, almost barren place. Things were not as simple as they seemed at first. He knew neither how far he had advanced, nor where he was. The forest was becoming so dense that there was no reference point for calculations. Little by little his initial confidence was leaving him. A growing fear began to rise in his heart.

He hesitated. Pull forward or back? He was now thinking of the consequences. How would he justify his action? He knew the family's religious adherence to its rules. There was great strictness in their observance. And he was sure now that a heavy punishment awaited him for his audacity.

But when he was struggling with what to choose, the growl was heard very close. And a shadow moved among the branches. That's it! Revive yourself. Only one step separated him from his goal. He was already touching his dream.

He raised his gun to aim, when unexpectedly another growl startled him from the right... and another behind him... and left and in front and around him... everywhere. And suddenly, a bunch of shadows sprung from the darkness, terrifying ghosts, hideous creatures of the night. The wounded savage trapped him well. Played him the worst game of his life. He threw him north into the hungry mouths of an entire pack.

It only took a moment for his senses to go from triumphant euphoria to utter despair. Everything happened in a flash. Maddened by terror, his horse jerked up on its hind legs. He dropped him suddenly on the snowy ground and, despondent, he started running blindly. His finger caught the trigger as it fell, and unconsciously, mechanically, in his surprise he pressed it. The weapon thundered deafeningly into the night, but as it fell it was out of his hands. The wild beast was startled by the heavy blast for a moment, which, however, was enough for him to grab hold of the nearest branch and quickly climb as high as he could. It was about time! The beasts immediately swarmed again and surrounded him with wild roars.

From now on time passed slowly and excruciatingly. The frost was melting everywhere and piercing him. The stillness numbed his body. He was in danger of falling. He could hardly imagine his frozen hands grasping the tree. But his guilt taught him more. How he regretted it, my God! What was he too? How did he act so casually? And now; What was waiting for him? Death; Very likely. But even if he was saved by hope, how would he justify his folly? He was no longer proud of himself at all.

A hunting conch far in the valley tore with its deep sound the deathly silence. His heart skipped a beat. They were looking for him! His hopes were restored. He reached into his belt for his own horn to answer. But he had no hunting equipment with him.

It took a long time for him to be found by the rescue team, which rushed to look for him as soon as his disappearance was noticed. Dogs and shots scattered the beasts. At the last limit of his endurance, the young man was finally back in the warm arms of the family.

With tears and shouts of joy, deeply shocked by the unexpected event, they all fell upon him when the sleigh that carried him stopped at their door. And when they lifted him up in their arms with moist and shining eyes, he felt that he was entering heaven, not his home.

The sweet warmth of the Christmas hearth and his loved ones, laughing again after the disturbance, slowly erased the memory of his terrible adventure like a bad dream...

– Will you ever be able to forgive me? he said as he felt better. How bad I feel for what I did! Whatever my punishment is, I am ready to accept it.

Grandpa looked at him kindly, as always.

– Who spoke of punishment?

- But don't the violation of our laws have serious consequences? Isn't that what you teach us?

– There are undoubtedly heavy consequences, but we do not impose them. Your punishment is what you already went through. Didn't get enough? What else are you asking for? You were almost touched by death from the beasts and the frost! But only because you wanted to leave the safety and warmth of our home. You condemned yourself! What you have imposed on yourself, the natural and only consequence of your action, this is your punishment. Not something we will impose after the fact.

– So, grandpa, ...you won't punish me?

– Of course not, my child! We have no concern to restore order legally to our own satisfaction, to punish the transgression in order to get our ashore. We only care that you are restored safe and sound to our family. You are not too much for us, let us be many. We love you no less than anyone else in here and you are too precious to us to lose you.

And with these words the good old man bent down and tenderly embraced the young sprout of his house, kissing it affectionately. A surge choked the boy's heart, hot tears filled his eyes before he could hold them back.

– Is this the answer to what I asked you before I left, grandpa? he asked in a voice that was breaking with emotion.

– Exactly, my dear child! You said, how can God love and punish at the same time? But God only loves, my son! Who says that all He knows is to punish? Whoever just ignores Him. The distorters of His image. Death, every punishment, is but the natural consequence of our estrangement from Him, the final outcome of our sin. Not a punishment imposed by God out of some sadistic and vengeful mood for his own satisfaction.

The conversations stopped, they all surrounded the bleached old man. He calmly continued.

– Do you see the sun? It shines for everyone and radiates. But if one hides from its light and freezes, is it the sun's fault? It is the same with God.

– Really grandpa?

– He is, my son, the only source of life. He radiates love, warmth and light for all. And whoever is with hHim, truly lives. But whoever, always freely, leaves His presence, is deprived of this life. Leaving the warmth, it freezes in the dark and eventually dies. Outside His shelter he is unprotected. Invulnerable to every danger, spiritual and physical. Anything can happen to him, but not because God is punishing him. But why does he choose of his own accord to stay away from His protection, exposed to any harm, since he enters the dangerous region ruled by death.

– Just like I did, grandpa!

– Exactly, my child! But not because we punished you. But why did you of your own free will move away from the protection and comfort of your home? It was next in the dark valley to be surrounded by frost, pain and near death.

– I understood well, grandpa! If one hides from the sunlight, one freezes through one's own fault, although the sun illuminates and radiates warmth.

– The same invariably happens with the sun of justice. He came for us! He was born among us today, to radiate the sweet rays of His love without exception to the whole earth. Isn't it a shame to condemn ourselves to the cold, stubbornly choosing the shade?

... said the grandfather and fell silent...

Crouching, small and large, they respectfully received his words. Silence reigned in the air...

But in everyone's hearts and eyes divine reflections shone.

Christmas 2011

Christmas Stories, no. 11

H. Temple of St. Vassiliou Preveza

Entering the Elder's room, I found there the father of the girl, whose funeral had just taken place.

I hugged him, kissed him and we both started crying.

Then the Elder jumps up and tells us:

"Both of you should go out. I can't stand you."

We did, indeed, go out. After a while the Elder sent and they called me. I went and he said:

Excuse me for telling you to go out, but do you know what is happening to me today?

"What, Elder?"

And he began to say to me, crying:

-At the time of the funeral I saw a bright light over the Church. Throughout the funeral I saw this bright star.

When they lowered the coffin into the grave and filled it with soil, then I stopped seeing it.

"Stop, Elder, please because you too will suffer something and I will suffer from our excessive emotion!

-After so many years and to see you crying, Mr. Papazachos, recounting this shocking thing!

- I cannot, indeed, hold back my tears!

He once said to me:

"Death can be represented as follows: Suppose we are in one room where they open the door and immediately we are in the other room.

So are we: If we are here with Christ, we will also be with Him."

Anthology of Advice, St. Porphyrios, ed. I. Monastery of the Transfiguration, Milesi, p.201-202

The Holy Monastery of St. Catherine in Aegina is located on the right side of the road that goes up to the Monastery of Holy Trinity, St. Nectarios. Tradition says that there was a small church of Saint Catherine there and miraculously her icon was found. It is said that this little church was owned by a very blasphemous person and that in 1908 it was bought by two nuns.

According to tradition, when that estate was bought, there was no water at all. So they dug 30 meters, but they could not find water. Then, a saintly monk prayed with the nuns and lowered the icon into the well and burned incense in the dry well.

In the evening during the prayer, a loud noise and strange banging was heard and the small monastery shook from its foundations. "The Saint got angry, they said, because we left her in the soil and she is destroying us". But in the morning when the monk went down to take out the image, he sees a Cross carved on the walls of the well. He then saw that the Cross was wet at the bottom. He then took the image out of the well and informed the nuns of the joyous event. The well was producing water! Since 1924, the water of the well has existed until today and adequately covers the needs of the Monastery of Saint Catherine. Saint Catherine has performed many miracles in the monastery which are recorded in a special book.

A certain villager had a cow, which he took great care of. He was taking her to graze, where there was plenty of grass. And for water, he took her to a nearby spring with very cool and clean water. Nevertheless, he noticed that, day by day, the cow was getting thinner and thinner. He ate more, but every day he lost weight...

The man left wondering:

"How does my cow get so thin, with so much care?", he said over and over again.

And the answer did not take long to come. One day, completely coincidentally, he also wanted to drink water from the spring. But when he bent down to drink, he noticed with horror that the trough of the spring was full of leeches. So the cow, every time she drank water, also swallowed leeches, which of course, living in her guts, sucked her blood, resulting , getting weaker and weaker.

Something similar happens with the spiritual searches of contemporary man. He quenches his thirst at the wrong springs, drinking water full of sinful "leeches", which enter him and rob him of all spiritual dignity.

A miracle story of St. Nectarios

The construction of the Church Stephen in Paliachora is placed in the 17th - 18th century, but after the abandonment of Paliachora, it ended up in ruins, like many other churches. In this state was the church at the time when Saint Nectarios erected the church of his monastery (1904-1908), the Holy Trinity. At that time, some workers had gone to the ruined churches of Paliachora to find ashlars, and among them was Agesilaos Hatzopoulos, a native of Kypseli, who found a massive ashlar, but, while trying to lift it, he became immobile and lost his voice. His colleagues, unable to do anything, informed the Saint, who went to the place, said a prayer for him and he immediately got well.

Saint Nectarios, examining the stone, recognized that it had "openings" and therefore it was a Holy Altar of a temple. Since everyone was unaware of the name of the Church, they called the old vicar of Vatheos Simeon Kalamara, who knew Paliachora well, who explained to them that it was the church of St. Stephen. Hatzopoulos, out of gratitude to the Saint for his miracle, repaired the dilapidated church and placed the "opening" in their place.

This incident is known in Aegina and he saves it in his book "Christian Aegina". Mr. S. Dimitrakopoulos.

The Vision of the Epitrachelion

A hieromonk father from the Neamț Monastery, an eminent scholar, typographer, bibliographer, almost half a century ago, recounted to me a moment in his life.

He was alone and loved quiet, so he lived in a small house outside the monastery. He made his monastic rule with holiness, all the canons plus akathist and the supplication of the Virgin Mary.

When he was a regular in the service, he did not like society and the crowd of brothers very much. The crowd bothered him, rarely stopping by a café for food. His head hurt for talking so much. But what only bothered him was the crowd of worshippers at Saint Maslu. People from all the neighboring villages flocked to the Sacrament of Unction and pulled the epitrachelion from the heads of the priests. During the reading of the Holy Gospels, as if in sign, the whole congregation of women crowded under his neck, pulling the poor father. It even seemed to him that it was unworthy and obscene to get under his necklace.

The abbot saw him frowning and asked him. what was wrong. The father said to him: "Elder, old man, I came to the monastery, not to be pulled, to be pushed by all the women, to be crushed.

The abbot said: "I will pray for you."

The next night, the father dreamt of a great lake of fire, with terrible flames in which millions of people burned. And he was carried by an angel over the lake of fire, full of devils.

He was wearing his epitrachelion and dozens of people were holding it screaming in fear, yet it did not tear.

And the angel said to him: "these are the people for whom you pray, whom you confess"

Do not remove them from your neck or they will fall into the sea of fire and be lost forever. And not only do you hold them, but they also hold you, because without them you could fall.

Since then, in fear and trembling, the Father has not turned anyone away from the epitrachelion knowing that God's grace flows through it.

Father John Istratis.

I remember an event that happened in Cyprus. When I first came to Cyprus from Mount Athos, in the early years, a teacher of transcendental meditation came to me.

A yoga teacher who was initiated into all these satanic delusions and sophistry. He worked in England, traveled around, was a student of great gurus and various other delusional people of that time.

After a meeting with the elder Sophronius in Essex, his entire situation was disturbed. He was Cypriot. He came to Cyprus with his wife and they came and confessed and laid the foundations of a spiritual life. But he had many demonic actions.

Satan was fighting him fiercely. With many calculations and with a hardness of heart. Because meditation - or as the old man Paisios jokingly called it, diabolism - is based on human egoism, arrogance, vanity. So he cultivated vanity in himself for years.

He was a teacher, he had his own school with hundreds of students who taught them meditation, esoteric philosophy and more. So there was a battle inside his logic, inside his calculations and his heart could not be crushed to repent. He was coming to the monastery, confessing but struggling.

As I was taking confessions, I had next to me an image of the Bridegroom Christ, this image is the modern one that is the Bridegroom Christ with the red chlamys and the reed in his hand.

I found the icon in the monastery, I lit a candle in front of the icon and people confessed near it. He looked at it and wondered: "What does this picture mean?"

In the evening after the confession was over he went home and went to pray. In a state of dizziness, confussion etc., he fell asleep a little. He saw a vision, he himself could not understand, he saw Christ as the Bridegroom wearing that chlamys and searching with the reed in garbage and in grasses and in meadows and on cliffs.

He says: “But this is the Christ! What is Christ looking for? "

He took courage and went to Him and said to Him: "Lord, what are you looking for?"

And Christ says to him: "I am looking for some monsters like you."

And He urned and looked at him sternly. And then his heart breaks and for years he cried. Because he understood that Christ had been looking for him for so many years and he, with all these demonic things he had done, had made his heart a demonic monster.

But Christ was looking for him!

Elder Athanasiou, Metropolitan of Limassol

EXAM WITH THE GUARDIAN ANGEL.

I would like to tell a story of a young student. He was not particularly good at higher mathematics. And at the end of his second year, he just couldn’t pass the test. He failed exam after exam. When he was given the last chance - either he passes the exam or flies out of the institute - he took the ticket and realized that he would not be able to answer.

The teacher also understood this: “Okay, here’s a differential equation for you. If you solve it, so be it, I’ll give you a C.” The student looked at this equation and realized that he couldn’t solve it either. And so, here he prayed: “Lord, forgive me that I’m so stupid and a bad student. But, if it is Your holy will that I study at this institute, help me. After all, if I am kicked out, they will immediately draft me into the army, and these two years will go down the drain. Why then did You allow me to come here?”

And then he heard a voice in his head, not even a voice, but a persistent thought: “Write = equal. Well, why are you sitting, I’m telling you, write - R A V N O.” The young student was surprised and wrote the “=” sign. “Write further - two, then draw - a fraction, but not like that, longer, write above - dx, open a bracket below...”

The student was surprised to do everything that this “voice” told him, and only then looked at what what the teacher gave him, and was surprised to find out that, indeed, one is equal to the other. Developing this equation further was a matter of technique; the main thing was to take that first step.

Fortunately, that student was Orthodox and after the exam, shocked, he rushed to the nearest church. A priest he knew immediately served a prayer of thanks and then said: “It was your guardian angel who helped you.” Stories like this happen by the grace of God.

Priest A. Diaghilev

A miracle in a village in the Tambov region!

An image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker appeared on the door of a barn in the village of Tambov.

The family bought an abandoned house in the village for demolition. The building slowly began to dismantle, the old door was removed and hung on the shed. And it hung for almost a year.

"The other day my daughter went out into the yard after the rain and saw the icon on the door - says the owner of the house Alexandra Shibina - she rushed to the face and began to kiss him, and then came running and tells me: we have a miracle in the yard - St. Nicholas the Wonderworker appeared!".

The door was immediately removed and taken to the church in the village of Shekhman. The locals believe that the more people come to worship the shrine, the stronger the image appears. A second silhouette began to appear on the left. The face is not yet visible, but, according to experts, it is already clear that it is some kind of saint in the dignity of a metropolitan.

The restorer claims that it is a local saint, possibly St. Tikhon of Zadonsk. Parishioners from neighboring regions come to the place of the miracle.

Once, a poor woman passed by a vineyard, which was full of delicious and ripe grapes. It was midsummer, so she stopped in front of the vineyard and as she was thirsty, she pondered:

"If only I had a bunch of these juicy grapes..."

At that moment, the owner of the vineyard appears on the street.

He greeted her and said:

"What are you looking at, my dear? Would you like a bunch of grapes?"

"Of course, I would!" she replied, "but I can't take."

"Don't worry," the landlord tells her. "I am the master of the vineyard and I will give you, wait for me."

He then enters the vineyard and gets lost in the tufted vines. She waited anxiously, but when she saw that the winegrower was late, she thought that he forgot about it and so she moved away from that place. After a while, the winegrower appears and finds that the woman was gone. But he saw her at the far end of the road, far away, and called for her to come back.

As soon as the woman returned, the winegrower told her:

"I'm sorry I'm late. But why did you leave? I was a little late because I wanted to choose the best bunches! Here, I brought you a full basket!"!

And he gave her the basket. The woman was ashamed, put her head down, took the basket, thanked the good winegrower and left!

This story hides a great lesson for everyone. Many times we ask in our prayer for something, but we do not get an immediate answer. Then, we believe that God does not care about us. Sometimes, after a while, and when, of course, it is for our good that we ask, the answer comes from the Lord and indeed rich and blessed, as much as we could not have expected it!

One afternoon, hundreds of people had gone to the Monastery (Holy Monastery of the Transfiguration in Kymi) for a vigil and with the secret hope that there might be a chance to eat something, because hunger was ravaging the world in year 1943 because of the German occupation.

But in the Monastery, they only had a handful of chickpeas in one bag and a handful of oatmeal in another. The Elder Simon Arvanitis then said to the cook, Moschoula:

"Listen to what you will do: You will put the two large cauldrons on fire and fill them up to the waist with water. As soon as you see the water boiling, put the chickpeas in one cauldron and the oatmeal in the other, so we can make food and the people can eat!"!!

Moschula had lively doubts about what he heard, but Father Simon checked him strictly and said to him:

“Obey, my child. Do what I tell you and stop thinking"!!

Moschula was afraid, seeing the Elder so stern and distressed, and said:

"Good Father Simon. I will do as you say."

As soon as the water boiled, Moschoula poured the ingredients into the two cauldrons...

After a while he went to see what happened to the food. And what did he see! He sees the two cauldrons filled with food and bubbling! Everyone ran to the caldrons, even bringing various containers which they filled with the overflowing food!

In the morning, after the vigil, everyone ate and was filled. And there were a lot of people! The fathers of the Monastery had rich and hearty food for several days!

Much later, after this miracle, Father Simon told the Monks that he was troubled by seeing all the miracles that were happening in the Monastery and, as he was walking in the garden, he said to the Lord:

“Sir, please:

I don't know who I am...?

Don't I know that I am a great sinner...?

These miracles are done only by Saints!

How come they happen to me too...?!

"At that moment, there was a living revelation," said the Elder.

"I heard the Voice of God loudly, mentioning my name, and I felt every word striking my forehead: "Simon, you say you are a sinner. Have this awareness! I have not ranked you among the Saints, but among the Righteous! When you beg Me day and night for the world to eat and show so much Love for My creatures, how can I not send you what you ask of Me? If you continue to have this Love until the end, I will bless you and you will lack nothing"!!!

Sometimes miracles happen in my life. And then I see clearly: someone great and unknown put his hand on it. Maybe an angel? I don't know ... I want to share such a miracle with you.

It was in the winter, late at night, in a terrible snowstorm. After painting the painting and washing the brushes, I was returning home from the workshop. I was in a hurry, because the family was waiting for me at home. But the blizzard was so strong, that I could see nothing even three paces away—it was dark, and the thick snow was thickening, swirling, and raging...

And so, reversing, my car hit something in the middle of a street. My stomach exploded. I came out. That's how it happened — I hit someone else's car.

It was a small green jeep, parked in the middle of the yard, covered in snow, which means it had been here for a long time. And how badly parked, immediately abandoned. I scratched his bumper, not much, but it was visible. And I see, that my tail light was broken.

I was walking, honking from the car. No one... I walked, I shouted, I called, maybe they will hear me, maybe they will look out the window? The snow swirled blinding my eyes. I call, but I'm shaking all over. And I thought, “Come on, now. Go away. It's his fault — why does he leave his car anywhere?' I got into my car and drove off.

I'm driving, but I feel very uneasy. And this is getting worse and worse. I've already crossed the avenue, but I ache inside. No, you can't do that I thought to myself. So I turn around and come back. I placed a violation notice and my phone on the windshield of the jeep. I went home tired, but already calm.

The next day, the phone rang. It was an old lady who introduced herself as the mother of the owner of this jeep.

— Oh, he always does that to me: he leaves the car in the middle of the yard. The neighbors were already complaining. He is a zoologist, he went on an expedition. Young, in a hurry, you know…

We met with this lady. I gave her fifteen thousand rubles for repairs. Then we left.

And this story would have been forgotten, if not for a wonderful sequel.

I used to go to Moscow in the summer. Suddenly, a friend of mine calls me. She has a problem, she urgently needs money, fifteen thousand. She's asking for help. I park, try to transfer to her card — something isn't working right... I call her.

— I'm sorry, the transfer is not possible. I can not help you.

I went further. And then at the traffic light, while braking, someone hits my rear bumper and breaks my rear tail lights and bumper.

It turned out that the young man who was driving rented the car and couldn't control the brakes.

— I'm sorry, this car is unfamiliar to me, this is my first time renting from an office, — he worries, and gives me the money, — yes, fifteen thousand, take it. I'm late ... let's not call the police, okay?

I hear him, but still he babbles, the poor fellow:

— And what indeed, turned out to be? I am in a hurry to get to the airport, I have already parked my car at home, I have such a green jeep. And I'm going on a mission, I'm a zoologist…

I was standing there looking at him and I couldn't believe my ears. I subtly asked:

— And your car, where is it parked?

— Yes, close to home, in the Dynamo area. There are artist workshops there too, you know?

— Yes. I am aware…

I even felt dizzy at that moment.

"Listen," I told him, "Don't give me the money." You can transfer them to this number if possible. And I dictated my girlfriend's phone number.

He made the transfer.

- Thank you, thank you! - he said, and grabbed the steering wheel again. — Sorry, I'm in a hurry!

Nice guy. Very abstract, but good.

I didn't tell him anything about the miracle. He was in a hurry so I didn't tell him.

But, did you understand what happened?

I hit his jeep and I paid exactly fifteen thousand rubles. And now he gave them back to me. At the right time, when my friend needed exactly that fifteen thousand.

It can't be a coincidence. This is a real miracle. This is the hand of an angel.

“Why did this happen? Probably to help my friend. Apparently, she really needed help.

And why did it happen to me? Maybe the angel decided to reward me like this? For my return to the jeep I hit?

But I think the main point is this: I was gifted this incident for you. So that I can now convey to people the main miracle: for us always, they always care from above. And sometimes they help us carefully.

And they smile at us from there, behind the clouds.

Yes, I told you. I hope you are smiling now too.

Anastasia Kovalenkova

A miracle of the life of St. Gabriel Urgebadze !

Once Father Gabriel sat quietly on a bench in the courtyard of the monastery. Suddenly he was approached by a beautiful woman with makeup and wearing tight pants. And she sat on Father Gabriel's knees, and kissed him, and said:

Father Gabriel, you are so beautiful. I'm a fan of yours ! I will come back to you again..... "

Stood stiff, didn't understand what was happening. Father Gabriel looked stoned. I thought someone sent this woman on purpose.

Father Gabriel listened to her for a long time, and did not interrupt her, then said:

"Come, Makwala, come again... "

When Makwala heard Fr Gabriel calling her by her name, Fr Gabriel suddenly stood up and ran towards the exit without looking back.

After that, Father Gabriel went into his cell and received no one all evening, and he prayed a lot in front of the icon of the Virgin Mary.

I thought if Makwala came back the next day, it would happen again. Makwala is back, but a miracle has happened:

She had nothing in common with the one that came yesterday:

She was wearing a long black skirt, she had a scarf on her head, and her eyes were crying. She stood at the door of Father Gabriel's cell and said with tears:

"Father Gabriel, I know you will not open the door for me. I know I'll never see you again, forgive me for my rudeness yesterday. Thank you for everything".

I'm blown away by this change. I couldn't understand everything right away, but now I see clearly that Father Gabriel performed an invisible miracle - he healed a perplexed woman.

The next day, I remembered, that yesterday, shortly before Makwala's arrival, Father Gabriel unexpectedly got up, entered his cell and closed the door. No doubt he predicted her arrival and didn't want to meet her.

Once, in a village, there was a grandmother, who every morning went out into the forest and gathered wood for her fire, and herbs to eat. One day, as she was returning from the forest, loaded with wood on her shoulder and grass on her apron, on the way she met Charontas.

"Hello and welcome, Charontas," Grandma says, unperturbed, "where are you going?"

"I'm coming for you", Charontas replies. "Come on, get ready for me to pick you up."

"Let me go home first, unload and get ready for the trip. But, to have a good question, like how do you want me to get ready?"

"As you wish," Charontas replies.

Then the grandmother goes home, lights the fireplace and puts the greens to boil. Then, she began to leaven bread and made bagels for forgiveness. Then she set a table and waited for the bread and greens to be baked.

Then Charontas appears again and asks her:

"Hey, are you ready, auntie?"

"I am waiting for the greens to boil, bake the bread and eat. Don't you want to sit down and have a bite to eat with me?"

"But... Don't you have a grudge against me, auntie, that I will take your soul?"

"No, why should I hold a grudge against you? Is my soul yours? It is the Lord's!!"!!

"And your body, where will you leave it in the grave?" asks Charontas

"Well, that's my business!" the grandmother replies. "I will hand it over to God and He will keep it for me. Have you seen where we put a cross on the graves?"

Just in time, the greens were boiled, she smelled the bread in the oven and the grandmother put down the food and put on the table two plates of greens and several slices of bread and sat happy to eat!

Charontas, however, was sad and did not want to eat...

"I don't like taking people who don't cry," he tells the grandmother.

"Can you tell me why?" asks the grandmother in wonder.

She adds: "What does it matter to you, whether they cry or not?"

"When people cry and mourn, before I take them, they are mine and I take them to hell. But when they are quiet, prayerful and meek, God takes them and takes them straight to Paradise."

"That's why you have a bad name and they're afraid of you," the grandmother tells him. "Eat a little to warm your soul, make your Cross, lest you stop punishing the world"!

Then Charontas could not stand the words of the wise and pious grandmother, he ran away from his evil, so he threw himself up and left, saying:

"I have lost you anyway. What am I sitting and loitering with you..."

The grandmother, then, carefree, continued her meal, praising God!!

ANT.

Nativity Message of St. John Maximovitch

1963 Christmas Message

By St. John Maximovitch

“Glory to God in the highest, and on the earth peace among those whom He is pleased” (Luke 2:14).

The angels sang in heaven when the Son of God was born in Bethlehem. “Glory to God in the highest” is heard in heaven to this day, in all ages it has not calmed down and never stopped for a moment. The angels are constantly praising Him. “Holy, Holy, Holy,” cry the six-winged seraphim and the many-eyed cherubim, countless hosts of angels worship Him. Soulless creation listens to Him: the sun shines, warming the earth with its rays, the moon dispels the darkness of the night, the stars shine, the material sky, imitating the spiritual Heaven, glorifies the Creator of the universe in its strength in the highest.

Is there peace on earth that the angels sang about on the night when the Infant Christ was born in a wretched cave?

After all, when the angelic singing heard by the shepherds had not yet ceased, Herod’s warriors were already sharpening their swords for slaughtering innocent babies. Then the Jewish elders and high priests viciously persecuted the Newborn, finally achieving the crucifixion and death of the Source of life. And soon after His Ascension, the blood of His disciples poured into heaven, beginning with Archdeacon Stephen, whose memory has long been associated with the feast of the Nativity of Christ. The blood of those who believe in Christ is still shed today, and divisions constantly arise between them, often turning into enmity. Where is the peace that the angels sang about on the night of the Nativity of Christ?

But, although it seems that there was not and is not peace on earth, now indeed the King of the world was born in Bethlehem, He gave peace to mankind. He proclaimed peace to people and was the bearer of true peace.

“Peace be with you,” He constantly told His disciples. He also had peace towards His enemies, and prayed for those who crucified Him. That peace He bequeathed and left to those who followed Him and loved Him. This is that inner peace given from above, for which we daily pray during divine services, saying: “For peace from above and the salvation of our souls, let us entreat the Lord.” That is a deep inner peace, a feeling of closeness to God and the purity of one's conscience before Him. That peace does not depend on external conditions, but is given by the purification of one's heart.

This peace belonged to the martyrs during their sufferings, the saints who fled from the world, but whom the world followed. “Acquire inner peace and thousands around you will be saved,” said St. Seraphim of Sarov. That peace Christ brought to earth, which He gave and gives to those who seek Him. He gives to those who aspire to it and in their hearts prepare a dwelling place for Him, driving out all that is filthy from it - to those who have good will, i.e. the will to do the commandments of God and do good to others. Whoever not only wants it, but directs and forces himself to it, the Lord rewards him with a grace-filled peace. Blessed is the soul that feels it, then nothing is terrible! She experiences joyful blessedness, and sows peace all around.

Lord God, give us Your peace! Let's break away from earthly attachments. Woe to our hearts! May the light of the Star of Bethlehem shine upon them, and with joy let us cry:

Glory to God in the highest, and on the earth peace among those whom He is pleased!

Christ is born!

https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2023/01/1963-nativity-message-of-st-john.html

A miracle of St. Xenia of St. Petersburg: "You know where to go!"

About fifteen years ago, I heard this story about an event that took place in Northern California—an unusual story, about a miracle of St. Xenia of Petersburg. Nun Nina, now Abbess Nina of St. Nilus Skete in Alaska, had heard it from Fr. Weldon Hardenbrook, who at the time was the rector of a church in Santa Cruz County. I wrote it down immediately, but unfortunately the notebook I wrote it in is located somewhere far away from me now, and I am writing it again from memory—so that people might know that Blessed Xenia the fool-for-Christ of St. Petersburg helps people everywhere, even people who previously knew nothing about her. She helps not only those who have prayed to her, but even those who will pray to her.

This priest, Fr. Weldon, served in a parish that consisted of former Evangelical Christians who had embraced Orthodox Christianity. There was a time when their flourishing community was not Orthodox, and all kinds of people came to them to hear their Christian message. One day, a young man rode up to the church on his Harley Davidson. His appearance betrayed the life of a prodigal, but he was sincerely interested in hearing about Jesus. A relationship formed with the Fr Weldon, now an Orthodox priest (who told this story), and the young man began to gradually change his ways. He had given up one vice after another when the pastor told him that his “biking” would have to go if he wanted to truly follow Christ. This was too much for the newly-born Evangelical to bear, and he left the community and his pastor’s care, never intending to return.

Our biker rode off on his Harley Davidson, and soon had a terrible accident, which cost him his legs. Eventually he landed back in the company of his old “friends”, in a run-down apartment in a low-rent neighborhood in the bad part of a crime-ridden city. One evening, as he and his companions were abusing drugs and alcohol in a particularly vigorous way, he slipped over the edge and lost consciousness. The others were also far from sober and took him for dead. Not understanding clearly what they should do, and as usual avoiding all contact with the police, they simply dragged his limp, legless body to the street and threw him into the nearest garbage dumpster. In there, the next morning, he came to his senses. It was a rude awaking indeed to find himself in a dumpster, wallowing in refuse. Climbing dazedly out of that would-be coffin, he sat down on the curb, thinking the darkest thoughts. “So, this is what I have come to. Useless, human trash. Thrown away like garbage.”

Sunk in these pessimistic thoughts, he was suddenly stirred by the presence of an old lady in tattered clothes—what people call a “bag lady”. She was coming closer to him with a fierce, accusatory expression. “You know where to go,” she said, pointing at him. “So, go there!” At that moment the man remembered his former pastor, and the church where he had almost reformed. Determined to find it again, he made his way back to the town where it is located.

When he returned to that church it was different. There were gold domes with crosses on the roof, and the interior was completely changed. No pews; and there was a sort of screen at the front, with strange images of holy people. He looked around in wonder, when his gaze caught the image of a woman—the very “bag lady” who had told him where to go in that hour of dire depression. It was Holy Blessed Xenia, the fool-for-Christ of Petersburg.

He met his old friend, now an Orthodox priest in a cassock, wearing a cross. He received holy Baptism himself, and began to live the life of a dedicated parishioner, this time truly transformed.

I do not know what has come of this man since. I have no reason to believe that he is anywhere other than at that parish, but as I have said, this story was related to me fifteen years ago. However, the fact remains that this miracle of St. Xenia happened to person who knew nothing of her, who lived in a place very far from Russia, and when he needed it the most.

https://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2017/01/a-miracle-of-st-xenia-of-st-petersburg.html

ELDER PAISIOS AND ST. ISAAC THE SYRIAN, WHO WERE TREATED SO UNFAIRLY

Hieromonk Isaac

In light of the recent commemoration of St. Isaac the Syrian the Bishop of Nineveh, we offer a small episode from the life of Elder Paisios, who particularly revered this saint and was very upset with the fact that modern-day theologians identified him as a follower of Nestorian heresy.

One day, the Elder, sitting on a stone ledge near the monastery of Stavronikita, had a conversation with some pilgrims. One of them, a graduate of the school of theology, claimed that Abba Isaac the Syrian was a Nestorian, and he kept repeating his view that was so commonly accepted in the West.

The Elder Paisios tried to convince the theologian that Abba Isaac the Syrian was not only Orthodox, but also a saint, and his ascetic words were filled with great grace and power. But the elder’s attempts turned out to be futile—the “theologian” stubbornly stood his ground. The elder retreated to his cell in distress and immersed himself in prayer.

When he had walked just a little distance from the monastery and reached a large sycamore tree, in his own words, he “experienced an event”, which he declined to describe in greater detail. According to one testimony, the elder had a vision: he saw the venerable monastic fathers passing in front of him. One of the venerable saints stopped in front of the Elder and said, “I am Isaac the Syrian. I am really and truly Orthodox. Indeed, the area where I served as bishop fell into the Nestorian heresy, but I fought against it.” We are unable to confirm the truthfulness of this vision or to reject it. At any rate, beyond a doubt, the event the Elder had witnessed was of supernatural origin. This event clearly and precisely informed the Elder of the Orthodoxy and holiness of Abba Isaac.

The book by St. Isaac lay at the head of the Elder’s bed. He would read this book all the time, and for six years, it would be his only spiritual reading. He used to read a single phrase from the book only to repeat it in his mind throughout the day, “working” at it actively and in depth, in his own words, just like “the cattle that chews their cud.” The Elder would hand out excerpts from St. Isaac’s writing as a blessing to his visitors in his desire to encourage people to read his works. The Elder believed that the study of the ascetic writings by Abba Isaac is “greatly beneficial since it allows us to grasp the most profound meaning of life. And if a person who believes in God, has complexes of any kind, either large or small, it will help him be rid of them. Abba Isaac’s book contains a great number of spiritual ‘vitamins’, and owing to them, it transforms the soul.”1

The elder also advised the laity to read Abba Isaac, but in small bites in order to digest what they have just read. The elder said that Abba Isaac’s book is identical in value to the entire library of the Holy Fathers.

Elder Paisios wrote in his book by Abba Isaac under the icon of the saint that shows him holding a pen: “Abba, give me your pen so that I can underline every single word in your book!” With this, the elder meant to say that this book is of such great value that every word in it is worth underlining.

The Elder not only read the sayings of Abba Isaac, but he also held him in great awe and revered him as a saint. The icon of St. Isaac the Syrian was one of the very few icons placed on the tiny altar table in his Panaguda cell. Because of his love and reverence for the saint, the Elder gave his name to one of the monks when he tonsured him into the Great Schema. The Elder celebrated the memory of St. Isaac on September 28. He saw to it that all the fathers from his inner circle celebrated a general All-Night Vigil on this day. During one of these vigils, the Elder was seen surrounded by the Light of Tabor, exalted and in a transformed state.

Before the Fathers began to commemorate the memory of the saint on September 28, the Elder had signed the following in his Menaion on January 28 (on this day the memory of St. Isaac the Syrian is commemorated, together with that of St. Ephraim the Syrian): “The 28th day of this month is the commemoration day of our Venerable Father Ephraim the Syrian, as well as Isaac the Great Hesychast, who were treated so unfairly.”

From: Hieromonk Isaac. Life of the Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain (Moscow: Holy Mountain, 2006), 243–245.

https://orthochristian.com/158669.html

Saint Eumenios Saridakis of Athens, Greece (+1999)

May 23

Saint Eumenios was born in 1931 in Ethia of Monophatsion in the province of Heraklion of Crete, the eighth child of a poor family of faithful Christians. He became a monk at the age of 17; he struggled to cultivate his soul with love and prayer and was tested very harshly by leprosy; but later also, while a priest, by a demonic influence which tormented him in body and soul, but was freed of it after many prayers, vigils and exorcisms in monasteries of Crete, such as the monasteries of Koudoumás and Panagía Kalyvianí.

Leprosy brought him to the Hospital for Infectious Diseases in the St.Barbara suburb of Athens. He was healed there, but, having seen human suffering, he decided to remain at the Hospital as a priest, in order to help comfort his fellow-men as much as he could! That was where “he was to begin his pastoral work, in the presence of which, those with theological degrees and ecclesiastic offices ought to kneel”.

His love and his ascetic labours brought God’s grace upon him; this humble priest (who officiated in the chapel of the Holy Unmercenaries and Physicians, Saints Cosmas and Damianos, situated inside the Hospital for Infectious Diseases) reached a high degree of sanctity – which he kept secret as much as he could – and became endowed with the gift of foresight, lofty spiritual experiences and visions and helped countless people of every social class and level of education – not only with his advice and his prayers, but also with his sanctified presence.

The Elder loved everyone, every individual personally, and he was particularly a laughing saint – his booming laugh was one of his distinctive features – likewise, he would often exit the Inner Sanctum during the course of a Liturgy, with his beard soaked by his tears, since he used to pray for all of our suffering and unfortunate fellow-men, obviously because he also had the gift of tears.

At the Hospital for Infectious Diseases, he was blessed to meet the leprosied holy monk Nicephorus [St. Nikephoros the Leper] who, even though blinded by the illness, had nevertheless become a great spiritual father of many Christians and a teacher to Elder Evmenios.

He spent the last two years of his life at the “Annunciation” Hospital and on May 23, 1999 he gave up his spirit in the Lord and was buried at his birth place (in Ethia), in accordance with his wishes. (cf. Monk Simon, Fr. Evmenios – The hidden saint of our time, Athens 2010, ed. 2, pp. 137-146).

http://o-nekros.blogspot.gr/2011/02/elder-evmenios-saridakis-holy-friend-of.html

Quote from Saint Elder Ephraim of Arizona (+2019) on Holy Pascha

Today is the Resurrection of Christ.

"Come, receive the light, from the never-setting light..."

O, never-setting, perfect light that never sets, surpassingly bright and surpassingly white, O how you magnetize my nous, my soul, my heart! I desire you endlessly, with love and eros unending. When will I be made worthy of the gift of the compassion of my Most-Holy God the Father, to partake of You unto the ages of ages!

My unworthiness troubles me, that I am not worthy of such a place among the saved, but I am worthy of hell and of eternal punishment.

The Resurrection, the eternal Pascha, attracts me terribly. It draws me above the state of things. Above heaven. Above to the sure desire, which I greatly desire to find. But, when will this occur?

O Pascha, together with the Angels, with the Saints, dressed in white, who so greatly desire me and attract me! New songs and unspeakable words are chanted and praised to God, with an awesome, but also unspeakable peace and serenity.

O Pascha, without end, and transformation of the unspeakable joy and Festival! My Father and my God, preserve me from every evil that I myself might be made worthy, I the refuse, one day to be found at that Pascha which cannot be described in human words, nor expressed and spoken of.

Rejoice and exalt, you to as well, O my Lady Theotokos, at the arising of Your Son and God. In the divine beauty of your Son and God, remember me, the wretched one, that I might be found together with you in the eternal Pascha!

...It is the day of Resurrection, let us brilliantly shine forth, O people, Pascha, the Lord's Pascha.

I greet you this year, my Pascha.

https://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2021/05/quote-from-elder-ephraim-of-arizona-on.html

St. Ephraim of Katounakia on the Humble Simplicity of the Cave of Bethlehem

Christ's Nativity in the humble Cave of Bethlehem (source)

"I remember," said St. Ephraim of Katounakia, "that I was astonished by everywhere in the Holy Lands, but when I went to the Cave of Bethlehem, there, my heart was broken! It was torn into a thousand pieces! And I said, 'how was God born in this place, in this cave, without any consolation, like one thrown out of the city? This God Who could make anything for Himself, but, without complaint, far from every worldly comfort, during the night (and the coldest night of the year), the longest night of the year, in a totally abandoned place, He Who created everything--Heaven and Earth--He was born in this place!

"And when I returned [to his cell on Mount Athos], I entered in and saw my blankets (what blankets did He have?), and I saw what I had, and I was ashamed, and said: 'If God was born in that cave, how could I need all of these things?' I saw pots and pans..."

Metropolitan Athanasios of Lemesou, who was relating the story, comments that: "If I were to describe his pots...not even our dogs would eat from them! And if I could describe his bed...not even our pigs would we put in them!

"But, he perceived his place to be a luxury, over the top. And from then on, when they would tell him: "Elder, your cell is small." He would reply: "God was born in a cave. If I thought of God's cave, well then, what could I say regarding my own?"

http://apantaortodoxias.blogspot.com/2020/12/blog-post_380.html

St. Paisios the Athonite on Prayer and Lighting Candles

Elder, when we light a candle, do we say that it is for some purpose?

-You are lighting it, but where do you send it? Aren't you sending it somewhere?

Do you know how much rest the departed sense when we light a candle for them? Thus, one has spiritual communication with the living and with the reposed.

The candle, in a few words, is an antenna*** that brings us into communication with God, with the sick, with the departed, etc.

***Note: St. Paisios is cleverly showing the resemblance of the words "κεράκι" and "κεραία" ("Candle" and "antenna") in Greek.

https://www.vimaorthodoxias.gr/gerontas-paisios/to-keraki-poy-anavoyme-einai-mia-keraia-poy-mas-fernei-konta-ston-theo/

When was such a wonder of wonders ever seen by men? How does the Queen of all lie breathless? How has the Mother of Jesus reposed? Thou, O Virgin, wast the preaching of the prophets; thou art heralded by us. All the people venerate thee; the angels glorify thee. Rejoice, thou who art full of grace, the Lord is with thee, and through thee, with us. With Gabriel we hymn thee, with the angels we glorify thee; and with the prophets we praise thee, for they announced thee.

Habakkum beheld thee as an overshadowed mountain, for thou art covered with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Daniel beheld thee as a mountain from whom, seedlessly, the solid and strong King, the Christ, issued forth. Jacob saw thee as a ladder upon Whom Christ came down to eat and drink with us. And although we, His slaves, contemplate ascending into the heavens, yet thou hast ascended before all. Rejoice, O Virgin, for Gideon beheld thee as a fleece. David saw thee as the virgin daughter of the King. Isaias called thee Mother of God and Ezekiel a gate. All the prophets prophesied thee!

What shall we call thee, O Virgin? Paradise. It is meet, for thou hast blossomed forth the flower of incorruption, Christ, Who is the sweet-smelling fragrance for the souls of men. Virgin? Verily, a virgin thou art, for without the seed of man thou gavest birth to our Lord Jesus Christ. Thou wast a virgin before birth and virgin at birth and still a virgin after. Shall we call thee Mother? This is meet too; for as a Mother thou gavest birth to Christ the King of all. Shall we name thee Heaven? This thou art also for upon thee rose the Sun of righteousness. Wherefore, rejoice O Virgin, and hasten to thy Son’s rest and dwell in the tents of His beloved. Hasten there and make ready a palace and remember us and all thy people also, too. O Lady Mother of God, for both we and thyself are of the race of Adam. On account of this, intercede on our behalf; for this supplicate thy Son Whom thou hast held in thine embrace, and help us in our preaching and then afterwards that we may find rest in our hopes. Go forward, O Virgin from earth to heaven, from corruption to incorruption, from the sorrow of this world to the joy of the Kingdom of the heavens, from this perishable earth to the everlasting Heaven. Hasten, O Virgin to the heavenly light, to the hymns of the angels, to the glory of the saints from all the ages. Hasten, O Virgin, to the place of thy Son, to His Kingdom, to His power, where the angels chant, the prophets glorify and the Archangels hymn the Mother of the King, who is the lit lampstand, wider than the heavens, the firmament above, the protection of Christians, and the mediatress of our race.”

-St. Ierothos

https://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2020/08/when-was-such-wonder-of-wonders-ever.html

A Miracle of St. Iakovos of Evia in India

When we celebrated the forty-day memorial of Papou [St. Iakovos of Evia], they whole area was covered in snow.

At one point in the evening, a rural villager came close. I heard Fr. Seraphim tell the sailor: "Go ahead, Niko, they're waiting for you behind the Altar."

When I went for a walk again in the Monastery, I passed by [the Saint's] grave, and I see the sailor crying, and after a short time, he related to us:

"We were stopped in India, because our boat had suffered damage, and we didn't know what was wrong. On Thursday evening I saw [the Saint] and he told me:

'Niko, it's there. That's where the damage is. Change out that part and you will leave.'

And that is how it occurred."

And when he returned to his home, his loved ones hadn't told him anything.

At the lunch table in his home, his little daughter told him:

"Daddy, that Papouli*** flew"

"What Papouli?"

They told him what had occurred [i.e. the repose of St. Iakovos] and he immediately came up to the Monastery. Of course at that hour, Fr. Seraphim and other pilgrims were there saying:

"He was a holy man."

And Fr. Seraphim [joked] "What kind of holy man? He was lying. He said that he hadn't gone anywhere, but he himself had gone to India."

-Quote of Metropolitan Pavlos of Siatista, of Blessed Memory, from a talk on St. Iakovos of Evia in the Holy Church of St. George, Panoramatos 11/21/2016

***Note: "Papouli" here is being used as a term of endearment for a priest.

https://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2020/08/a-miracle-of-st-iakovos-of-evia-in-india.html

Orthodox Bouquets - English Flowers of Orthodoxy 13

Orthodox Bouquets - English Flowers of Orthodoxy 13

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