A forbidden icon: The Mother of God “Enthroned”
The “Enthroned” (or “Reigning”) Icon of the Mother of God appeared miraculously on March 2, 1917, the day of Tsar Nicholas’ abdication, in the village of Kolomskoye near Moscow.
Many copies of the icon were venerated throughout Russia, but these were confiscated by the Soviets. The original icon is in the Novodevichy Museum in Moscow. There is a copy in the Church of the Kazan Mother of God in Kolomskoye.
The “Enthroned” (or “Reigning”) Icon of the Mother of God appeared miraculously on March 2, 1917, the day of Tsar Nicholas’ abdication, in the village of Kolomskoye near Moscow.
Many copies of the icon were venerated throughout Russia, but these were confiscated by the Soviets. The original icon is in the Novodevichy Museum in Moscow. There is a copy in the Church of the Kazan Mother of God in Kolomskoye.
“If you want to serve God, prepare your heart not for food, not for drink, not for rest, not for ease, but for suffering … for 'by many afflictions is it appointed to us to enter the Kingdom of Heaven'.” (Acts 14:22)
☦️St. Sergius of Radonezh
At the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh in Kyiv, the icon of the church’s patron saint recently began to stream myrrh.
☦️St. Sergius of Radonezh
At the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh in Kyiv, the icon of the church’s patron saint recently began to stream myrrh.
“Lord, give me the servitude that sets the soul free and take away the freedom that enslaves my soul!” These were the last words of Valeriu Gafencu (Feb 18, 1952) Romania’s “Saint of Prisons.”
For his involvement in the Orthodox youth organization called the Cross Brotherhood, Valeriu was condemned to 25 years of hard labour. He was only 20.
Valeriu and other faithful prisoners made a prayer schedule that continued uninterrupted day and night.
After years of cold, torture and hunger, he became very sick with tuberculosis. Even in this miserable physical state, Valeriu was able to help his fellow prisoners, to the point of giving his lifesaving antibiotics to another prisoner.
Valeriu Gafencu died at Targu Ocna prison. His grave remains unknown. Prisoners were buried in a common pit and their head was smashed so that it would be beyond recognition. However, Valeriu asked to be buried with a small silver cross in his mouth. God willing, this may someday allow his holy relics to be found.
For his involvement in the Orthodox youth organization called the Cross Brotherhood, Valeriu was condemned to 25 years of hard labour. He was only 20.
Valeriu and other faithful prisoners made a prayer schedule that continued uninterrupted day and night.
After years of cold, torture and hunger, he became very sick with tuberculosis. Even in this miserable physical state, Valeriu was able to help his fellow prisoners, to the point of giving his lifesaving antibiotics to another prisoner.
Valeriu Gafencu died at Targu Ocna prison. His grave remains unknown. Prisoners were buried in a common pit and their head was smashed so that it would be beyond recognition. However, Valeriu asked to be buried with a small silver cross in his mouth. God willing, this may someday allow his holy relics to be found.
The Holy, All-Praised Apostle Philip (Nov 14) discerned the meaning of the Old Testament prophecies, awaited the coming of the Messiah, and heeded the Savior's call to follow Him. (John 1:43). The holy apostle was crucified upside-down by the superstitious pagans of Hierapolis (in present-day Turkey) in about 80 AD. In 2011, St Philip's tomb was uncovered at a newly excavated church at Hierapolis.
By the prayers of the holy Apostle Philip, deliver Your Church O Lord Jesus Christ, from her enemies; through the Theotokos protect every city, most merciful Christ!
By the prayers of the holy Apostle Philip, deliver Your Church O Lord Jesus Christ, from her enemies; through the Theotokos protect every city, most merciful Christ!
Abbot Daniel Tudor (Nov 17, 1962), New Confessor of the Romanian Orthodox Church, was, as a monk, part of group of scholars called The Burning Bush. Their goal was to regain, based on the Bible and the Holy Fathers of Orthodox Christianity, true spirituality. At the centre of their efforts was the noetic prayer.
Later monk Daniel went to the Sychastria Monastery where Elder Cleopas made him a hermit and later abbot of the Skete Raraou.
In June 1958, Father Daniel went to Bucharest after receiving a prophetic vision that he would die in prison, confessing Christ. A court magistrate condemned Father Daniel to prison on the ludicrous assertion that he wanted to burn Communism with The Burning Bush.
At one point in his incarceration, Father Daniel and a friend endured a “refrigerator” torture in a -30 degree storehouse. This form of torture would normally leave a prisoner dead within three days.
Later monk Daniel went to the Sychastria Monastery where Elder Cleopas made him a hermit and later abbot of the Skete Raraou.
In June 1958, Father Daniel went to Bucharest after receiving a prophetic vision that he would die in prison, confessing Christ. A court magistrate condemned Father Daniel to prison on the ludicrous assertion that he wanted to burn Communism with The Burning Bush.
At one point in his incarceration, Father Daniel and a friend endured a “refrigerator” torture in a -30 degree storehouse. This form of torture would normally leave a prisoner dead within three days.
After they were locked in the storage room, Father Daniel immediately lay face down with open arms on the dirt floor. He told his friend: "Sit on me back to back with open arms and say only this, 'Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!'" Immediately, the storehouse was filled with a brilliant light. After eight days of extreme cold and complete deprivation of food, water, sleep or clothes, the guards came to take away their corpses only to find the two alive and well. When they touched Father Daniel he was hot, and what was around him had melted.
Father Daniel died after four years of suffering in Aiount Prison. Like many martyrs of the Communist yoke, we do not know exactly where his holy body is to be found.
Father Daniel died after four years of suffering in Aiount Prison. Like many martyrs of the Communist yoke, we do not know exactly where his holy body is to be found.
"Fast from criticism, feast on praise.
Fast from self-pity, feast on joy.
Fast from ill-temper, feast on peace.
Fast from resentment, feast on contentment.
Fast from jealousy, feast on humility.
Fast from selfishness, feast on service.
Fast from fear, feast on faith.
Fast from bitterness, feast on forgiveness.
Fast from discontent, feast on gratitude."
--Fr John Bakas
Fast from self-pity, feast on joy.
Fast from ill-temper, feast on peace.
Fast from resentment, feast on contentment.
Fast from jealousy, feast on humility.
Fast from selfishness, feast on service.
Fast from fear, feast on faith.
Fast from bitterness, feast on forgiveness.
Fast from discontent, feast on gratitude."
--Fr John Bakas
"As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, 'Follow Me.' So he arose and followed Him." + Matt. 9:9
The primary affirmation of the Gospel account written by the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew (Nov 16) is that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah. There would not be another. (Matt.11:3).
"Divinely eloquent Matthew, we honour your precious memory!
Entreat merciful God that He may grant our souls remission of transgressions.
The primary affirmation of the Gospel account written by the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew (Nov 16) is that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah. There would not be another. (Matt.11:3).
"Divinely eloquent Matthew, we honour your precious memory!
Entreat merciful God that He may grant our souls remission of transgressions.
You proclaimed the word of truth and roused the souls of the slothful by writing of the hour of Judgment. #StMatthew
For Ioan Ianolide, life without Christ “seemed unthinkable, because God filled his soul.” His involvement with the Romanian student movement, Brotherhood of the Cross, brought him the maximum prison term: twenty-five years of forced labour. The tortures had begun even before his sentence and would endure them for many years to come.
The Life of Ioan Ianolide, Who Spent Twenty-Three Years in Prison for Christ https://orthochristian.com/149415.html
The Life of Ioan Ianolide, Who Spent Twenty-Three Years in Prison for Christ https://orthochristian.com/149415.html