Born into nobility but joyfully declaring herself a slave of Christ, the virgin-martyr Agatha of Palermo in Sicily (Feb 5/ Feb 18) was a model of courage even in the midst of the cruelest tortures. “Corn does not reach the granary until it is threshed, and my soul cannot attain eternal blessedness until it is separated by sufferings from my body.”
Holy Agatha, pray for us, that we may overcome our weakness, and be numbered with the Righteous.
Holy Agatha, pray for us, that we may overcome our weakness, and be numbered with the Righteous.
We need to live life not only for ourselves. Pray quietly for everyone. Do not reject or humiliate anyone. Our thoughts and words have a powerful impact on the world around us. Pray with tears for everyone, for the sick, the weak, for the sinners. Pray for those who have no one to pray for them. —Elder Nikolay Guryanov
The historic St. Nicholas Church in Atka in the Aleutian Islands is likely the westernmost Orthodox church in the U.S. The church began as a large tent constructed by Father Jacob Netsvetov (1802-1864), a native of the Aleutian Islands, now Saint Jacob, Enlightener of the Peoples of Alaska. ☦️ Although St. Nicholas Church hasn’t had a resident priest since 1899, the Orthodox Faith continues to thrive in the area.
When you are about to pray to our Lady the Holy Virgin, be firmly assured, before praying, that you will not depart from her without having received mercy.
To think thus and to have confidence in her is meet and right. She is, the All-Merciful Mother of the All-Merciful God, the Word, and her mercies, incalculably great and innumerable, have been declared from all ages by all Christian Churches; she is, indeed, an abyss of mercies and bounties.
† St. John of Kronstadt
To think thus and to have confidence in her is meet and right. She is, the All-Merciful Mother of the All-Merciful God, the Word, and her mercies, incalculably great and innumerable, have been declared from all ages by all Christian Churches; she is, indeed, an abyss of mercies and bounties.
† St. John of Kronstadt
It is no small thing for the ruler of a nation to abandon earthly power to live the struggle of the monastic life. St. Symeon the Myrrhbearer of Serbia (Feb 13/ Feb 26) is one of those special saints.
“Loving the angelic life on this earth, thou didst abandon the world and worldly dominion and didst follow It is no small thing for the ruler of a nation to abandon earthly power to live the struggle of the monastic life. St. Symeon the Myrrhbearer of Serbia (Feb 13/ Feb 26) is one of them.
“Loving the angelic life on this earth, thou didst abandon the world and worldly dominion and didst follow Christ by fasting, O Symeon. In an apostolic manner, thou didst guide unto Christ them that loved thee and didst cry: Love ye the Lord even as He hath loved you.” by fasting, O Symeon. In an apostolic manner, thou didst guide unto Christ them that loved thee and didst cry: Love ye the Lord even as He hath loved you.”
“Loving the angelic life on this earth, thou didst abandon the world and worldly dominion and didst follow It is no small thing for the ruler of a nation to abandon earthly power to live the struggle of the monastic life. St. Symeon the Myrrhbearer of Serbia (Feb 13/ Feb 26) is one of them.
“Loving the angelic life on this earth, thou didst abandon the world and worldly dominion and didst follow Christ by fasting, O Symeon. In an apostolic manner, thou didst guide unto Christ them that loved thee and didst cry: Love ye the Lord even as He hath loved you.” by fasting, O Symeon. In an apostolic manner, thou didst guide unto Christ them that loved thee and didst cry: Love ye the Lord even as He hath loved you.”
Prayer Upon Entering a Church
I rejoiced with those who told me: in the house of the Lord I shall go. (Ps. 131:1) In the greatness of Your mercy, O Lord, I will enter Your house; I will worship in Your holy Church, O Lord.
In Your righteousness guide me, because of my enemies make Your way straight before me, so that with a clear mind I may glorify You: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen!
I rejoiced with those who told me: in the house of the Lord I shall go. (Ps. 131:1) In the greatness of Your mercy, O Lord, I will enter Your house; I will worship in Your holy Church, O Lord.
In Your righteousness guide me, because of my enemies make Your way straight before me, so that with a clear mind I may glorify You: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen!
☦️ A Prayer of St. John of Damascus.
I stand before the doors of Your temple and I do not forsake my wicked thoughts. But, O Christ my God, as You justified the tax-collector and had mercy on the woman of Canaan and opened the gates of paradise to the thief, open to me the interior depths
of Your love for mankind and receive me as I come and repent before You. Receive me as You received the sinful woman and the woman with the flow of blood. For the first embraced Your most pure feet and received the forgiveness of her sins and the second just touched the hem of Your garment and received healing. But I who am lost, daring to receive Your whole Body, may I not be burned, but receive me as You received them and enlighten my spiritual senses, burning up my spiritual faults by the prayers of her who gave birth to You without human seed and of the heavenly angelic powers, for You are blessed unto ages of ages. Amen.
I stand before the doors of Your temple and I do not forsake my wicked thoughts. But, O Christ my God, as You justified the tax-collector and had mercy on the woman of Canaan and opened the gates of paradise to the thief, open to me the interior depths
of Your love for mankind and receive me as I come and repent before You. Receive me as You received the sinful woman and the woman with the flow of blood. For the first embraced Your most pure feet and received the forgiveness of her sins and the second just touched the hem of Your garment and received healing. But I who am lost, daring to receive Your whole Body, may I not be burned, but receive me as You received them and enlighten my spiritual senses, burning up my spiritual faults by the prayers of her who gave birth to You without human seed and of the heavenly angelic powers, for You are blessed unto ages of ages. Amen.
Those forces that are preparing the appearance of Antichrist will have a leading significance in public life. Antichrist will be a man and not the devil incarnate. … That man wants to be in place of Christ, to occupy His place and possess that which Christ ought to possess. He wants to possess the same attraction and authority over the whole world.
And he will receive that authority before his own destruction and that of the whole world. He will have a helper, a Magus, who, by the power of false miracles, will fulfill his will and kill those that do not recognize the authority of Antichrist.
— from “The Antichrist and the Signs of the End of the World, a Homily on the Last Judgement” ☦️ St John Maximovitch
And he will receive that authority before his own destruction and that of the whole world. He will have a helper, a Magus, who, by the power of false miracles, will fulfill his will and kill those that do not recognize the authority of Antichrist.
— from “The Antichrist and the Signs of the End of the World, a Homily on the Last Judgement” ☦️ St John Maximovitch