"Walk a little bit, even if by crawling, but do it in the right direction..."
☦️ St Innocent of Alaska, Metropolitan of Moscow, Enlightener of the Aleuts and Apostle to the Americas (Glorification Oct 6/ Oct 19)
St Innocent still speaks to us today. Audio: https://soundcloud.com/since33/saint-innocent-of-alaska-on-striving-from-the-way-into-the-kingdom-of-heaven
☦️ St Innocent of Alaska, Metropolitan of Moscow, Enlightener of the Aleuts and Apostle to the Americas (Glorification Oct 6/ Oct 19)
St Innocent still speaks to us today. Audio: https://soundcloud.com/since33/saint-innocent-of-alaska-on-striving-from-the-way-into-the-kingdom-of-heaven
The Holy and Glorious Apostle Thomas (Oct 6) did not want to be
found guilty of careless belief. St Thomas did not say “Except I see,” but, “Except I handle” (John 20:25). He did not want to believe an apparition.
When St Thomas touched the Life-giving side of the Lord, he no longer had any doubts. It was the preaching for the risen Lord, not some apparition, that earned St Thomas a martyr's death.
Icons named “The Doubting Thomas” are incorrectly titled. In Greek, the inscription reads, “The Touching of Thomas.” In Slavonic, it says, “The Belief of Thomas.”
As a result of having converted the wife and son of the prefect of the Indian city of Meliapur [Melipur], the holy apostle was locked up in prison and tortured. Finally, pierced with five spears, he departed to the Lord.
Thomas touched Your life-giving side with an eager hand, O Christ God, crying out, "You are my Lord and my God!" By the intercessions of Thine Holy Apostle Thomas, O Christ our Lord and our God, have mercy on us. Amen.
found guilty of careless belief. St Thomas did not say “Except I see,” but, “Except I handle” (John 20:25). He did not want to believe an apparition.
When St Thomas touched the Life-giving side of the Lord, he no longer had any doubts. It was the preaching for the risen Lord, not some apparition, that earned St Thomas a martyr's death.
Icons named “The Doubting Thomas” are incorrectly titled. In Greek, the inscription reads, “The Touching of Thomas.” In Slavonic, it says, “The Belief of Thomas.”
As a result of having converted the wife and son of the prefect of the Indian city of Meliapur [Melipur], the holy apostle was locked up in prison and tortured. Finally, pierced with five spears, he departed to the Lord.
Thomas touched Your life-giving side with an eager hand, O Christ God, crying out, "You are my Lord and my God!" By the intercessions of Thine Holy Apostle Thomas, O Christ our Lord and our God, have mercy on us. Amen.
St. Panteleimon Monastery, Mount Athos
“When God apportioned the nations according to his Angels, knowing that you, O Virgin, would be his immaculate Mother, he then allotted you this great and beautiful mountain as an inalienable inheritance.”
☦️ Theotokion from the First Ode of the Canon of the Athonite Fathers
“When God apportioned the nations according to his Angels, knowing that you, O Virgin, would be his immaculate Mother, he then allotted you this great and beautiful mountain as an inalienable inheritance.”
☦️ Theotokion from the First Ode of the Canon of the Athonite Fathers
As Igumen of Cernica monastery near Bucharest, Saint Callinicus Bishop of Rimnicului, miracleworker and helper of the needy, took on his responsibilities with great fervour. He believed that the igumen should be “the heart of all hearts who seek him or ask him for instruction or consolation. He is the path to perfection for all the believing souls around him.” Monks and laymen alike sought the godly counsel of this great saint.
Hierarch Father Callinicus, entreat Christ our God that our souls may be saved.
Hierarch Father Callinicus, entreat Christ our God that our souls may be saved.
Let the zealous be particularly attentive to themselves, lest, by condemning the careless, they themselves incur worse condemnation. And I think the reason why Lot was justified was because, though living among such people, he never seems to have condemned them.
☦️ St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, Step 4, #100.
☦️ St. John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, Step 4, #100.
We must reverently preserve the Orthodox Faith, standing firm in it in spite of the fact that we live in a non-Orthodox country....while faithfully preserving the Orthodox Faith, everyone must also take care to spread it among the non-Orthodox. Christ the Savior said that having lit the candle, men do not put it under a bushel but on a candlestick so that it gives light to all (Matt. 5.15). The light of the Orthodox Faith has not been lit to shine only for a small circle of people. No, the Orthodox Church is catholic; she remembers the commandment of her Founder, Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature and teach all nations (Mark 16.15; Matt. 28.19).
☦️ St Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and Apostle to America (Glorification Oct 9)
☦️ St Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and Apostle to America (Glorification Oct 9)
Some icons are wonderworking in that they self-renew and/or self-repair. The Kursk Root icon was chopped in half by the enemies of Russia and the halves rejoined themselves. The self-renewing icon of the Theotokos of Harbin, China, is well known, and at our monastery there is a self-renewing icon of the Theotokos which was given to the keeping of Metropolitan Jonah (see below). Like that of Harbin, it began so dark it was hard to make out the figures, but it got lighter and the figures emerged, and this process continues. It got still lighter, recently, when the Hawaiian Icon came to the monastery. This is all very encouraging because we know that no matter how broken we may become, God can fix us, and no matter how dark our souls have become, they can be healed, and filled with His light.
— Fr. Aidan Keller
— Fr. Aidan Keller
St Tikhon, the Apostle to America (Glorification Oct 9), was known for his loving manner with everyone and was never overbearing. Even when he had to reprimand someone, he did so in a good-natured, sometimes even joking, manner that encouraged the person to correct their mistakes.
"O Holy Confessor and Patriarch, Father Tikhon, Chosen by God in a turbulent time, you glorified God in complete holiness; and attained greatness through humility. Pray to Christ God to Whom you were also crucified, that He may save our souls."
"O Holy Confessor and Patriarch, Father Tikhon, Chosen by God in a turbulent time, you glorified God in complete holiness; and attained greatness through humility. Pray to Christ God to Whom you were also crucified, that He may save our souls."
The Holy Apostle James (Jacob) (Oct 9/ Oct 22), Son of Alphæus, went with the First-Called Apostle Andrew to many places among the gentiles, where they smashed idols, destroyed pagan temples, healed diverse illnesses, drove from people evil spirits, and brought a great multitude of people to Christ.
St James sowed the seed of the word of God in people's hearts, he planted faith and piety. For this, he was called the "Divine Seed". St James finished his apostolic work In the Egyptian city of Ostrachina, where he was crucified by pagans.
St James sowed the seed of the word of God in people's hearts, he planted faith and piety. For this, he was called the "Divine Seed". St James finished his apostolic work In the Egyptian city of Ostrachina, where he was crucified by pagans.