O Most Holy Theotokos, save us!
Through the intercession of the Most Holy Mother of God and the protection offered by a wonder-working icon, Moscow was delivered from the Invasion of the fearsome Khan Tamerlane in 1395. This event and the icon associated with it is commemorated on the Julian Calendar date of Aug 26 (Sept 8).
The “Vladimir” Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos was painted by the Evangelist Luke on a board from the table at which the Saviour ate together with His All-Pure Mother and Righteous Joseph.
The icon was brought from the city of Vladimir to Moscow as Khan Tamerlane was preparing an invasion of Russia. Along the way, on both sides of the road, countless people prayed kneeling: “O Mother of God, save the land of Russia!” At that same hour, Khan Tamerlane had a dream of a Radiant Lady commanding him to leave the domains of Russia. His experts explained that the Radiant Lady was the Mother of God, the great Protectress of Christians. Tamerlane then gave the order for his troops to retreat.
Through the intercession of the Most Holy Mother of God and the protection offered by a wonder-working icon, Moscow was delivered from the Invasion of the fearsome Khan Tamerlane in 1395. This event and the icon associated with it is commemorated on the Julian Calendar date of Aug 26 (Sept 8).
The “Vladimir” Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos was painted by the Evangelist Luke on a board from the table at which the Saviour ate together with His All-Pure Mother and Righteous Joseph.
The icon was brought from the city of Vladimir to Moscow as Khan Tamerlane was preparing an invasion of Russia. Along the way, on both sides of the road, countless people prayed kneeling: “O Mother of God, save the land of Russia!” At that same hour, Khan Tamerlane had a dream of a Radiant Lady commanding him to leave the domains of Russia. His experts explained that the Radiant Lady was the Mother of God, the great Protectress of Christians. Tamerlane then gave the order for his troops to retreat.
"My whole life, whether short or long, shall be devoted to your service.” —Queen Elizabeth II, after her coronation
May the Lord grant eternal rest among the righteous to Queen Elizabeth II, the beloved Sovereign of fifteen Commonwealth nations.
May the Lord grant eternal rest among the righteous to Queen Elizabeth II, the beloved Sovereign of fifteen Commonwealth nations.
☦️ St Paisios on the dispassionate lives of The Holy and Righteous Ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna (Sept 9): “From a young age I had great reverence towards the Holy Ancestors of God. Indeed, I had told someone that, when they make me a monk, I would want them to give me the name Joachim. How much I have benefited from them!... As soon as a dispassionate couple was found, which is how God created man and as he wished men to be born, the Panagia was born, this pure creation, and then Christ became incarnate. My thoughts tell me that Christ would have descended earlier to earth, if there was a pure couple, such as were Sts. Joachim and Anna."
"Contemporary people, even when they come to the Church, do not wish to genuinely change their mindset. They do not wish to genuinely repent (for 'repentance' in the biblical sense is a change of mindset). They want at once to be both Orthodox and friends of this world. People have absolutely no desire to make this choice, and so they begin to want to 'sanctify everything.' This gives rise to the invention of new virtues, foreign to the holy fathers (such as 'tolerance of spiritual delusion'). The old terms, such as 'love' and 'marriage', take on entirely new meanings. And we begin to encounter the opinion that since there are many 'good' or 'nice' people outside the Church, Christianity isn't something they really need after all. Christianity becomes something that is desirable but not essential.”
☦️ Hieromartyr Daniel Sysoev, “Marriage to a Non-believer?”
☦️ Hieromartyr Daniel Sysoev, “Marriage to a Non-believer?”
The Church of the Resurrection (Holy Sepulchre) at Jerusalem (Sept 13), was founded by Constantine the Great in 335 and site of the discovery of the True Cross by Constantine's mother, St Helen.
From the first century, Pagan Roman emperors such as Titus and Hadrian engaged in repeated attempts to erase from the people's memories Christ's miraculous birth, life and resurrection. Their vain attempts failed. Jerusalem's Christians kept the memory of Christ's crucifixion, burial and resurrection alive. In the fourth century, they begged St Helen to demolish the pagan Venus temple atop the site and uncover the True Cross.
"You have revealed the beauty of the holy dwelling place of Your glory on earth to be like the splendor of the heavenly firmament, O Lord. Through the prayers of the Theotokos, strengthen it for ever and ever and accept our supplication which we ceaselessly offer to You therein, the life and resurrection of all." --Troparion, Tone 4
From the first century, Pagan Roman emperors such as Titus and Hadrian engaged in repeated attempts to erase from the people's memories Christ's miraculous birth, life and resurrection. Their vain attempts failed. Jerusalem's Christians kept the memory of Christ's crucifixion, burial and resurrection alive. In the fourth century, they begged St Helen to demolish the pagan Venus temple atop the site and uncover the True Cross.
"You have revealed the beauty of the holy dwelling place of Your glory on earth to be like the splendor of the heavenly firmament, O Lord. Through the prayers of the Theotokos, strengthen it for ever and ever and accept our supplication which we ceaselessly offer to You therein, the life and resurrection of all." --Troparion, Tone 4
"Christ is hung upon the Cross, and the devil has become a corpse. Christ has been stretched on the Cross, and a standard of salvation has been given to the world. Christ has been nailed to the Cross, and every soul has been released from bonds. Christ has been fixed to the Cross, and all creation has been set free from the slavery of corruption. Christ has breathed his last on the Cross, and a new marvel has been shown to the world; for the sun’s light is darkened"
☦️ St. John Chrysostom, on the Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Life-giving Cross
☦️ St. John Chrysostom, on the Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Life-giving Cross
"As the Bush burned and was not consumed, so the Virgin gave birth to Thee yet remained a Virgin" (Octoechos, Dogmatikon Tone 2, "The shadow of the Law").
The Unburnt Bush is the Bush which the Holy Prophet and Godseer Moses (Sept 4/Sept 17) saw on Mount Horeb. It burned, yet was not consumed (Exodus 3:2). “Unburnt Bush” Icon of the Mother of God is also commemorated on the Feast Day the Prophet Moses. The icon, which is especially revered in Russia where it is one of the most popular icons in homes, was, according to tradition, painted on a piece of the rock where Moses beheld it.
The Unburnt Bush signifies the Holy Virgin's sinless conception of Christ when the Holy Spirit came upon her and she was overshadowed by the power of the Most High (Luke 1:35), revealing the Holy Trinity by naming the Holy Spirit, the Power which is the Son, and the Most High which is the Father" (Saint Theophylact).
The Unburnt Bush is the Bush which the Holy Prophet and Godseer Moses (Sept 4/Sept 17) saw on Mount Horeb. It burned, yet was not consumed (Exodus 3:2). “Unburnt Bush” Icon of the Mother of God is also commemorated on the Feast Day the Prophet Moses. The icon, which is especially revered in Russia where it is one of the most popular icons in homes, was, according to tradition, painted on a piece of the rock where Moses beheld it.
The Unburnt Bush signifies the Holy Virgin's sinless conception of Christ when the Holy Spirit came upon her and she was overshadowed by the power of the Most High (Luke 1:35), revealing the Holy Trinity by naming the Holy Spirit, the Power which is the Son, and the Most High which is the Father" (Saint Theophylact).