Baptism by Rain
The martyrdom of Saints Akindinos, Pegasias, Anempodist and those with them (Nov 2/ Nov 15) is one of the fire of zeal and baptism by rain.
The martyrs miraculously escaped the pain of a series of attempted executions under the sadistic and enraged Persian emperor Sapor II (310-381). As each execution attempt failed, the fury of the emperor grew— and so did the number of new Christians.
At one point, the saints were put on an iron grate and a fire was lit. As they prayed, rain fell and extinguished the fire. In response, many came to believe and confess faith in Christ. The saints called on the new believers to accept Holy Baptism by the rain sent down upon them. Among the newly baptized was the emperor’s own mother, and one of the executioners, who had publicly repented.
The day of execution was a day of bloodshed as the emperor ordered the slaughter of every Christian in the crowd. Elpidiphoros, the repentant executioner, was among them.
The martyrdom of Saints Akindinos, Pegasias, Anempodist and those with them (Nov 2/ Nov 15) is one of the fire of zeal and baptism by rain.
The martyrs miraculously escaped the pain of a series of attempted executions under the sadistic and enraged Persian emperor Sapor II (310-381). As each execution attempt failed, the fury of the emperor grew— and so did the number of new Christians.
At one point, the saints were put on an iron grate and a fire was lit. As they prayed, rain fell and extinguished the fire. In response, many came to believe and confess faith in Christ. The saints called on the new believers to accept Holy Baptism by the rain sent down upon them. Among the newly baptized was the emperor’s own mother, and one of the executioners, who had publicly repented.
The day of execution was a day of bloodshed as the emperor ordered the slaughter of every Christian in the crowd. Elpidiphoros, the repentant executioner, was among them.
Later, Akindinos, Pegasias, and Anempodist together with the emperor’s mother were set ablaze but when Christians came secretly by night to the place of the execution, they found the bodies of the holy martyrs unharmed. With reverence they buried them.
Troparion, Tone II “O athletes of the Lord,/ blessed is the earth/ which drank in your blood,/ and holy the habitations which have received your bodies,/ for ye vanquished the enemy in the arena/ and preached Christ with boldness.// Entreat Him, in that He is good, we pray, that our souls be saved.”
Troparion, Tone II “O athletes of the Lord,/ blessed is the earth/ which drank in your blood,/ and holy the habitations which have received your bodies,/ for ye vanquished the enemy in the arena/ and preached Christ with boldness.// Entreat Him, in that He is good, we pray, that our souls be saved.”
Elder Paisie Olaru on setting a prayer rule
"Each one does what he can, just as the bee does not take all the nectar from the flower. But it’s very good if you do a little rule. I know this myself, if I get up and do a little of my rule, it seems as if I’m a different man all day long. But if you get up in the morning and you whirl around the house because you have this and that to do, then your whole day goes poorly. So do a little of your rule every day, like the righteous Job, who offered sacrifice every day for his children in case they had sinned in their thoughts (cf Job 1:5)."
"Each one does what he can, just as the bee does not take all the nectar from the flower. But it’s very good if you do a little rule. I know this myself, if I get up and do a little of my rule, it seems as if I’m a different man all day long. But if you get up in the morning and you whirl around the house because you have this and that to do, then your whole day goes poorly. So do a little of your rule every day, like the righteous Job, who offered sacrifice every day for his children in case they had sinned in their thoughts (cf Job 1:5)."
Priests have huge shoes to fill. Through many temptations and trials, they walk in the path of the Holy Apostles of Christ. What an affront to the ancient enemy of Christ! Let us not take the enemy’s side when our priests do not meet our expectations. They struggle with even greater temptations than we do— and more cleverly devised. Pray! Lord have mercy!
Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.
☦️ Luke 12:27-31
☦️ Luke 12:27-31
"Commanders of God’s armies and ministers of the divine glory, princes of the bodiless angels and guides of mankind, ask for what is good for us, and for great mercy, supreme commanders of the Bodiless Hosts."
—Kontakion, Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the other Bodiless Powers: Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Salaphiel, Jegudiel, and Barachiel (Nov 8/ Nov 21)
—Kontakion, Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the other Bodiless Powers: Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Salaphiel, Jegudiel, and Barachiel (Nov 8/ Nov 21)
Where does the idea of prayers to angels and to saints come from? Actually it’s more than an idea. It’s a reality found in Holy Scripture.
Abbot Tryphon notes that “the Bible indeed directs us to invoke those in heaven and ask them to pray with us. In Psalms 103, we pray, ‘Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, hearkening to the voice of his word! Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers that do his will!’ (Psalms 103:20-21). And in Psalms 148 we pray, ‘Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his host!’ (Psalms 148:1-2).
Abbot Tryphon notes that “the Bible indeed directs us to invoke those in heaven and ask them to pray with us. In Psalms 103, we pray, ‘Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, hearkening to the voice of his word! Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers that do his will!’ (Psalms 103:20-21). And in Psalms 148 we pray, ‘Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his host!’ (Psalms 148:1-2).
Not only do those in heaven pray with us, they also pray for us. In the book of Revelation, we read: ‘[An] angel came and stood at the altar [in heaven] with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; and the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God’ (Rev. 8:3-4).
Those in heaven who offer to God our prayers aren’t just angels, but humans as well. John sees that ‘the twenty-four elders [the leaders of the people of God in heaven] fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints’ (Rev. 5:8). The simple fact is, as this passage shows: The saints in heaven offer to God the prayers of the saints on earth.
If Christ is the only intercessor before the Throne why do our Protestant friends ask fellow believers from praying for them? We all ask our friends to pray for us all the time. Why, then, would we not want to ask for the prayers of those who have already won their place in Paradise, and are already standing before the Throne of God, worshiping the Holy Trinity?”
Those in heaven who offer to God our prayers aren’t just angels, but humans as well. John sees that ‘the twenty-four elders [the leaders of the people of God in heaven] fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints’ (Rev. 5:8). The simple fact is, as this passage shows: The saints in heaven offer to God the prayers of the saints on earth.
If Christ is the only intercessor before the Throne why do our Protestant friends ask fellow believers from praying for them? We all ask our friends to pray for us all the time. Why, then, would we not want to ask for the prayers of those who have already won their place in Paradise, and are already standing before the Throne of God, worshiping the Holy Trinity?”
“How many heresies have depraved men raised up against the Church from the days of the holy apostles even to the present? What things did the holy fathers before us not suffer at their hands? Yet the Church always remained unvanquished. Those who endured sufferings have been splendidly glorified and received their crown, but heretics have received that which they merited for their deeds”
☦️ St Theodore the Studite, speech to the faithful concerning the iconoclastic laws of Emperor Leo the Armenian (8th century)
☦️ St Theodore the Studite, speech to the faithful concerning the iconoclastic laws of Emperor Leo the Armenian (8th century)
Rightly discerning the meaning of the Old Testament prophecies, the Holy, All-Praised Apostle Philip (Nov 14/Nov 27) waited the coming of the Messiah. When the Saviour called him (John 1:43), Philip followed.
Christ Our God, Your disciple, friend and imitator of Your passion, the God-preaching Philip, proclaimed You to the universe! By his prayers deliver Your Church from her enemies; through the Theotokos protect every city, most merciful Christ!
Christ Our God, Your disciple, friend and imitator of Your passion, the God-preaching Philip, proclaimed You to the universe! By his prayers deliver Your Church from her enemies; through the Theotokos protect every city, most merciful Christ!
"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."
“Let not one think, my fellow Christian, that only priests and monks need to pray without ceasing and not laymen. No, every Christian without exception ought to dwell always in prayer.”
✝️ St Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonika, defender of Hesychasm (Nov 14/ Nov 27 and the 2nd Sun. of Great Lent)
“Let not one think, my fellow Christian, that only priests and monks need to pray without ceasing and not laymen. No, every Christian without exception ought to dwell always in prayer.”
✝️ St Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonika, defender of Hesychasm (Nov 14/ Nov 27 and the 2nd Sun. of Great Lent)
“God is waiting for us.” Why are we late?
“Think about it. If we are consistently late for work, then we would be out if a job. Be three minutes late for a plane or train, and they will leave without you. But, with church, that's not even the case. It should be known that the Liturgy begins well before its “beginning.” Upon entering the church temple, the priest is to pray the Door Prayers in front of the iconostasis. He then prays Proskomedia, where he prepares the offering for the Eucharistic Liturgy. While this is happening, the cantor/chanter is singing the Hours in order to establish the setting of prayer and praise. People are lighting candles and praying silently for their intentions, in preparation to encounter our Lord and Savior in the Eucharist.
“Think about it. If we are consistently late for work, then we would be out if a job. Be three minutes late for a plane or train, and they will leave without you. But, with church, that's not even the case. It should be known that the Liturgy begins well before its “beginning.” Upon entering the church temple, the priest is to pray the Door Prayers in front of the iconostasis. He then prays Proskomedia, where he prepares the offering for the Eucharistic Liturgy. While this is happening, the cantor/chanter is singing the Hours in order to establish the setting of prayer and praise. People are lighting candles and praying silently for their intentions, in preparation to encounter our Lord and Savior in the Eucharist.
All of this reminds us of the eternal choirs of angels singing in praise of our Lord—an eternity that we, as Christians, aspire to attain once we leave this earth. The church temple is meant to reflect heaven, where we meet our Lord and Savior in HIS house surrounded by the sounds, sights, and smells of His dwelling. ⠀ In church, God is waiting for us. And if we nurture a relationship of trust and love with our God, then the issue of being late doesn't even arise. After all, going to the Liturgy is not a weekly Sunday obligation. It is something that we freely should choose to do, not to “gain” anything, but because we truly believe in our Lord and Savior, and we want to offer Him praise and spend time with Him in His house. Simply put, the time that we spend in church is meant to be a taste of what eternity in heaven will be like.
Simply put, if we are focused on God, we would find being late for church unacceptable in our lives. We would take every safeguard to be on time for our dream vacation… Going to church is the joy of meeting, the pursuit of union with our Creator—it is our sincere response to His invitation... Let's hurry to God!”
—Author unknown
—Author unknown