Renew in us O God Thy love and forgiveness,
That we may all walk once again on the path of salvation,

Holy Royal Martyrs of Russia,
Pray Unto God For Us!

Pray for us, Passion-bearers Nicholas and Alexandra
And innocents Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and Alexei,

Holy New Martyrs of Russia,
Pray Unto God For Us!

Photo: Procession to the monastery of the Holy Royal Martyrs, Yekaterinburg 2016

“Where shall I begin to lament the deeds of my wretched life? What first- fruit shall I offer, O Christ, for my present lamentation? But in Thy compassion grant me release from my falls. “

✝️St Andrew of Crete (July 4/July 17), luminary of the Church: hierarch, theologian, teacher and hymnographer

During the Russian Revolution, Saint Elizabeth (July 5/July 18) and those with her were martyred by being thrown alive by God-hating Bolsheviks down an abandoned mine-shaft. When the fall did not kill them, soldiers threw grenades down the shaft to complete their work. Saint Elizabeth was singing the Cherubic Hymn when she died.

O holy martyr Princess Elizabeth, pray ye in behalf of our souls!

Hermit-monk St Sisoes the Great of Egypt (July 6/ July 19) was asked by a brother monk as to how he might attain a constant mindfulness of God.
St Sisoes replied: "That is still not of much consequence, my son, but more important is this – to account oneself below everyone else, because such disparagement assists in the acquisition of humility".

On his way to mercilessly persecute Christians at Alexandria, the future Holy Great Martyr Procopius (July 8/ July 21) known in the world as Neanius, had a vision of the Lord Jesus. This encounter, which took place in 303, was starkly reminiscent of Saul’s conversion on the road to Damascus. A Divine voice exclaimed: "Neanius, why persecutest thou Me?" Neanius asked: "Who art Thou, Lord?" – "I am the crucified Jesus, the Son of God". And at this moment in the air appeared a radiant cross.
Neanius was joyously transformed from being a persecutor for the emperor Diocletian into a zealous follower of Christ, struggling victoriously against the barbarian pagans until his torture and beheading.

"Mother of God is offended by those who never ask her for anything! She is the prayerful intercessor for people; and as much as God can do through His power, so much can the Mother of God do by Her prayer.”

✝️ Elder Arsenie Papacioc (1914-2011)
#RomanianOrthodoxElders

Orthodox do not worship icons, as critics claim. But we venerate with joy created works that open to us the Truth of our Lord’s Incarnation.

And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

✝️ Luke 1:41-43

Sin is every thought that doesn’t correspond to the spirit of the evangelical commandments. And we have to get away from it. But how can we get away? When the work of a certain thought manifests in us, then we cry out: “Lord, heal my mind! Lord, heal my heart! Lord, heal me whole! You see how painful is when the thought, which doesn’t even make sense, torments me like a slave. I pray You, protect me! You know that I have no other desire than to live according to Your commandments. Your commandment is the highest law of my whole being: both temporary and eternal. You inspired me to love Your commandments. You gave me Your light, in order to see the beauty of the divine life. And now, save me from the power of passionate lust!

+Saint Sophrony Sakharov of Essex, 20th century Saint

Full audio transcript at otelders.org/theology-and-spirituality/a-wonderful-recording-of-saint-sophrony-sakharov-of-essex/

Nothing ever happens either in the world or in the universe without the will of God or His permission. All that is good and noble is God's will, and all that is negative and bad happens because He allows it. He knows why He allows these things to happen and for how long. If the incorporeal angelic powers or we men were allowed to do as we please, there would be total chaos in the world and in the entire universe. But God is present everywhere and He is Light, a Light that penetrates all.

—Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica

Having furnished thy mind with wings of divine knowledge, O ever-glorious Olga, pray for thy spiritual descendants in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus, that Christ our God grant them lasting peace from above!

The first female ruler of Rus was Equal-to-the-Apostles, St. Olga (July 11/ July 24), in baptism, Helen, is known also as “Viking-Russian Princess," “Missionary to Ukraine,” and “Scourge of the Drevlians.”

When the Drevlians brutally murdered her husband Igor, Olga unleashed vengeful terror on them, taking their land to further expand the principality of Kiev.

A visit to Constantinople became for both the pagan Olga and her land, a road to redemption. She was moved by the Christians she met at Constantinople and soon received Holy Baptism. In what is now Ukraine and Russia, she exerted her royal influence to begin missionary efforts. She invited Orthodox clergy to come from Byzantium, she set up hospitals, and provided welfare for the poor. Even after her pagan son had ascended to the throne, St Olga’s efforts to heal the violence in her realm and spread Christianity were unmatched.

A generation after Olga’s death, her grandson, St. Vladimir would continue the task of bringing Orthodox Christianity to what is now Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.

St Basil #Psalms

How many hundreds if not thousands of distracting images do we encounter every day? How many of these are demonic in origin? How easily these images are manipulated by demons for the purpose of our soul’s destruction! Therefore, it is vitally important that we spend time before holy images, in veneration and prayer.

“The images of the saints upon our icons represent to us the nearness in the spirit of God’s saints, who all live in God and are always near to us in the Holy Ghost, through our hearty faith and prayer to them.”

☦️ St John of Kronstadt

“If you manage to correct yourself, one small part of the Church is immediately corrected. Naturally, if everyone did the same, the body of the Church would be in good health.”

✝️ St Paisios of Mount Athos