“And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up!” (James 5:15)
Make a list of people you know who are sick and pray the following: "O Christ, You alone are prompt to defend us; quickly visit Your suffering servants (say their names). Through the prayers of the Mother of God, deliver them from sickness and bitter pain. Heal them so that they may sing to You and always praise you – for You alone love us."
Make a list of people you know who are sick and pray the following: "O Christ, You alone are prompt to defend us; quickly visit Your suffering servants (say their names). Through the prayers of the Mother of God, deliver them from sickness and bitter pain. Heal them so that they may sing to You and always praise you – for You alone love us."
On Feb 9 / Jan 27 the Church celebrates the translation of the honourable relics of Saint John Chrysostom from the village of Comana, where he died in exile, to Constantinople, where earlier he had presided over the Church.
When the coffin of St John was brought to the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople, the people cried out, “Father, take up your throne.” Patriarch Proclus and the clergy standing by the relics witnessed St John opening his mouth and saying, “Peace be to all.” Many were healed of sickness at his tomb.
When the coffin of St John was brought to the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople, the people cried out, “Father, take up your throne.” Patriarch Proclus and the clergy standing by the relics witnessed St John opening his mouth and saying, “Peace be to all.” Many were healed of sickness at his tomb.
St Nina (Nino), Equal-to-the-Apostles, Enlightener of Georgia (Jan 14/ Jan 27)
“O handmaid of the Word of God, who in preaching hast equaled the first-called Apostle Andrew, and hast emulated the other Apostles; O enlightener of Iberia and reed-pipe of the Holy Spirit, holy Nina, equal to the Apostles: Pray to Christ God to save our souls.”
“O handmaid of the Word of God, who in preaching hast equaled the first-called Apostle Andrew, and hast emulated the other Apostles; O enlightener of Iberia and reed-pipe of the Holy Spirit, holy Nina, equal to the Apostles: Pray to Christ God to save our souls.”
St. Blath of Kildare (January 29) was a 6th-century nun who served her obedience as cook at Saint Brigid's Convent in Kildare. Bread and bacon at her table were declared better than a banquet elsewhere.
St. Blath is a model of one who undertook the most basic of daily tasks with devotion to Christ, and in doing so, created something extraordinary.
It is said that once a an almost empty dearth of milk in lasted well beyond what it should have after Blath continued to dip cup after cup of milk for the poor.
St. Blath is a model of one who undertook the most basic of daily tasks with devotion to Christ, and in doing so, created something extraordinary.
It is said that once a an almost empty dearth of milk in lasted well beyond what it should have after Blath continued to dip cup after cup of milk for the poor.
“O Lord and Master of my life...", the familiar prayer said during Great Lent, comes to us from the Monk Ephrem the Syrian (Jan 28/ Feb 10) a most humble teacher of repentance of the 4th century. He was an ardent student and sought-after teacher of Holy Scripture as well as composer of many prayers and hymns which have enriched Church's Divine-services.
Saint Ephrem accepted only the dignity of deacon, in which he remained until death.” Saint Basil the Great “once invited the Monk Ephrem to accept the cathedra-chair of a bishop, but the saint feigned folly to avoid for himself this honour, in humility reckoning himself unworthy of it.”
Saint Ephrem accepted only the dignity of deacon, in which he remained until death.” Saint Basil the Great “once invited the Monk Ephrem to accept the cathedra-chair of a bishop, but the saint feigned folly to avoid for himself this honour, in humility reckoning himself unworthy of it.”
Because the Lord “gave him a gift of teaching … people began to come to him, wanting to hear his guidances, which produced a particular effect upon the soul, since he began with self-accusation. The monk both verbally and in writing instructed everyone in repentance, faith and piety, and he denounced the Arian heresy, which during those times was disrupting Christian society. And pagans likewise, listening to the preaching of the monk, were converted to Christianity.”
—quotes are from the Synaxarion
—quotes are from the Synaxarion
Bishop admonishes young souls to turn off the Internet and turn to quiet, humble labours
When a “young soul abandons the prayer book for a laptop”, engaging in online culture wars and pursuing “blogging in place of prayer, he “places himself in great peril”, says Bishop Gerasim of Fort Worth.
“A young man that turned to the Orthodox Faith without proper mentoring and instruction, without strong, positive role models before his eyes, is in grave danger of becoming the equivalent of a monster. An Orthodox monster. An Orthodox Bolshevik… ready to take either a cudgel, or a cross to beat his neighbor over the head because this neighbor does not agree with his …concept of orthodox tradition…”
The Bishop warns “there is no substitute for what Father Seraphim (Rose) called ‘quiet and humble labours’.”
When a “young soul abandons the prayer book for a laptop”, engaging in online culture wars and pursuing “blogging in place of prayer, he “places himself in great peril”, says Bishop Gerasim of Fort Worth.
“A young man that turned to the Orthodox Faith without proper mentoring and instruction, without strong, positive role models before his eyes, is in grave danger of becoming the equivalent of a monster. An Orthodox monster. An Orthodox Bolshevik… ready to take either a cudgel, or a cross to beat his neighbor over the head because this neighbor does not agree with his …concept of orthodox tradition…”
The Bishop warns “there is no substitute for what Father Seraphim (Rose) called ‘quiet and humble labours’.”
Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom are hymned as “Torch-bearers of the triune Godhead, sweetly-flowing rivers of wisdom” but which of them is the greatest?
The Synaxis of Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom (Jan 30/ Feb 12) arose from the controversy over who was the greatest among them.
The three hierarchs appeared to St John, the Bishop of Euchaita in 1084, declaring their equality before God. They told him that all disputes should stop and that their common commemoration should be celebrated on a single day. “There are no divisions among us, and no opposition to one another.”
Holy Hierarchs Basil, Gregory and John, ceaselessly intercede for us before the Holy Trinity!
The Synaxis of Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom (Jan 30/ Feb 12) arose from the controversy over who was the greatest among them.
The three hierarchs appeared to St John, the Bishop of Euchaita in 1084, declaring their equality before God. They told him that all disputes should stop and that their common commemoration should be celebrated on a single day. “There are no divisions among us, and no opposition to one another.”
Holy Hierarchs Basil, Gregory and John, ceaselessly intercede for us before the Holy Trinity!
"Christ is the salvation that comes, and Zacchaeus is the house to which He comes. Each of us, my brethren, is a house in which sin dwells while Christ is afar off, and to which salvation comes as Christ draws near. Whether Christ is able or not to draw near to my house and yours depends on us. You see that He did not force an entry into Zacchaeus' house, but came as a warmly invited guest. Little Zacchaeus had climbed up into a tree, to see the Lord Jesus with his own eyes. He had sought Him, desired Him. And we must seek Him in order to find Him, and desire that He draw near to us, and climb up high in spirit to meet His glance. Then He will visit our house as He visited the house of Zacchaeus, and bring salvation with Him.
Draw near to us, O Lord, draw near, and bring us Your eternal salvation!" #Zaccheaus
☦ St Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic
Draw near to us, O Lord, draw near, and bring us Your eternal salvation!" #Zaccheaus
☦ St Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic
At the Meeting of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, in the Temple, the Holy, Righteous Anna the Prophetess (Synaxsis of Ss. Symeon and Anna Feb 3/ Feb 16) was there, giving thanks and bearing witness of Him "to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem."
"Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem. " +Luke 2:36-38
"Enlightened by the Spirit, your pure heart became the dwelling place of most splendid prophecy; for you saw things far off as if they were near. Therefore, we honour you, blessed and glorious Prophetess Anna."
"Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem. " +Luke 2:36-38
"Enlightened by the Spirit, your pure heart became the dwelling place of most splendid prophecy; for you saw things far off as if they were near. Therefore, we honour you, blessed and glorious Prophetess Anna."
One day a monk from the monastery of Saint Elias sinned. So they threw him out of the monastery, and he went over the mountain to Saint Antony. After a while Antony sent him back to the monastery. When the monks saw him they threw him out again, and so he went back to Saint Antony crying, “Father, they will not take me back!” Then Antony sent a message to them saying, “A ship lost its cargo being shipwrecked at sea and after much struggle it reached the shore, so why do you want to throw it back into the sea?” When the monks realised Saint Antony had sent back the monk, they took him back again. #StAnthony