“I was born blind! And I glorify the Panagia because that way I commit fewer sins! At some point, the Panagia gave me my sight, but when I saw that it didn't help me, I asked her to take it back... And she listened to me!”
+ Elder Isidoros the Blind Monk of Philotheou Monastery, of Blessed Memory +
Elder Isidoros, devout spiritual child of the Blessed Geronda Ephraim of Arizona, reposed on Sunday November 27, 2022 at the Athonite Monastery of Philotheou at the age of 87.
Twice a year, when the humble elder would come out of Mount Athos, many souls were blessed by his wisdom and many miracles.
+ Elder Isidoros the Blind Monk of Philotheou Monastery, of Blessed Memory +
Elder Isidoros, devout spiritual child of the Blessed Geronda Ephraim of Arizona, reposed on Sunday November 27, 2022 at the Athonite Monastery of Philotheou at the age of 87.
Twice a year, when the humble elder would come out of Mount Athos, many souls were blessed by his wisdom and many miracles.
“Salvation consists in the restoration of our communion with God.
Unhappy is he who is satisfied with his own human righteousness, for he does not need Christ, Who says of Himself: I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Mt. 9:13).”
☦️ St Ignatius Brianchaninov (1807-1867), Bishop of the Caucasus and the Black Sea:
Unhappy is he who is satisfied with his own human righteousness, for he does not need Christ, Who says of Himself: I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (Mt. 9:13).”
☦️ St Ignatius Brianchaninov (1807-1867), Bishop of the Caucasus and the Black Sea:
A Story of St Moses the Black (St Moses the Ethiopian) Aug 28/ Sept 10
A brother at Scetis committed a fault. A council was called to which Abba Moses was invited, but he refused to go to it. Then the priest sent someone to say to him, ‘Come, for everyone is waiting for you.’ So he got up and went. He took a leaking jug, filled it with water and carried it with him. (Some versions of the story say he carried a leaking bag of sand.) The others came out to meet him and said to him, ‘What is this, Father?’ The old man said to them, ‘My sins run out behind me, and I do not see them, and today I am coming to judge the errors of another.’ When they heard that they said no more to the brother but forgave him.
A brother at Scetis committed a fault. A council was called to which Abba Moses was invited, but he refused to go to it. Then the priest sent someone to say to him, ‘Come, for everyone is waiting for you.’ So he got up and went. He took a leaking jug, filled it with water and carried it with him. (Some versions of the story say he carried a leaking bag of sand.) The others came out to meet him and said to him, ‘What is this, Father?’ The old man said to them, ‘My sins run out behind me, and I do not see them, and today I am coming to judge the errors of another.’ When they heard that they said no more to the brother but forgave him.
He proclaimed the One Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He proclaimed Him without regard to the consequences, for this life is fleeting in the Light of Eternity.
#StJohntheForerunner
Aug 29/ Sept 11
#StJohntheForerunner
Aug 29/ Sept 11
“A general rule for all men is by no means to trust spirits when they appear in sensuous form, not to enter into conversation with them, not to pay any attention to them, to acknowledge their appearance as a great and most dangerous temptation. At the time of this temptation one should direct one's mind and heart to God with a prayer for mercy and for deliverance from temptation. The desire to see spirits, curiosity to find out anything about them and from them, is a sign of the greatest foolishness and total ignorance of the Orthodox greatest edge of spirits is acquired quite differently than is supposed by communion with spirits for the inexperienced is the greatest foolishness and total ignorance of the Orthodox Church's traditions concerning moral and active life. Knowledge of spirits is acquired quite differently than is supposed by the inexperienced and careless experimenter. Open communion with spirits for the inexperienced is the greatest misfortune, or serves as a source of the greatest misfortunes.”
☦️ St Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov, “Collected Works”
☦️ St Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov, “Collected Works”
“When you sit down to eat, pray. When you eat bread, do so thanking Him for being so generous to you. If you drink wine, be mindful of Him who has given it to you for your pleasure and as a relief in sickness. When you dress, thank Him for His kindness in providing you with clothes. When you look at the sky and the beauty of the stars, throw yourself at God’s feet and adore Him who in His wisdom has arranged things in this way. Similarly, when the sun goes down and when it rises, when you are asleep or awake, give thanks to God, who created and arranged all things for your benefit, to have you know, love and praise their Creator.” ✝️ St Basil the Great (330-379)
The glorious beheading of the forerunner
was part of God's dispensation,
that he might proclaim to those in hades the coming of the Savior.
Let Herodias, who demanded the iniquitous murder, therefore lament;
for she loved not the law of God nor the age of life,
but rather this false and transitory one.
Kontakion, in Tone 5, Commemoration of the Beheading of St John the Forerunner and Baptist (Aug 29/ Sept 11)
was part of God's dispensation,
that he might proclaim to those in hades the coming of the Savior.
Let Herodias, who demanded the iniquitous murder, therefore lament;
for she loved not the law of God nor the age of life,
but rather this false and transitory one.
Kontakion, in Tone 5, Commemoration of the Beheading of St John the Forerunner and Baptist (Aug 29/ Sept 11)
O Most Holy Theotokos, save us!
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.
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.
During the reign of Emperor Leo the Wise (886-912), the Empress Zoe, his wife, was afflicted with an unclean spirit. She had a vision that she would be healed if the Cincture (Sash) of the Most Holy Theotokos was placed upon her. The Sash had been placed in a sealed casket in the Church of the Theotokos at Blachernae, Constantinople at the time of the Emperor Arcadius (395-408). (The event is commemorated on Aug 31/ Sept 13.)
Emperor Leo asked the Patriarch to open the casket in which the relic was kept. When the Patriarch removed the seal and opened the casket the Holy Cincture of the Mother of God appeared completely whole and undamaged. The Patriarch placed the Cincture on the empress, and immediately she was healed.
The Holy Sash has been the source of countless miracles throughout the centuries. Parts of the holy Sash are in the Vatopedi monastery on Mount Athos and in Trier monastery in Gruzia, Georgia.
Emperor Leo asked the Patriarch to open the casket in which the relic was kept. When the Patriarch removed the seal and opened the casket the Holy Cincture of the Mother of God appeared completely whole and undamaged. The Patriarch placed the Cincture on the empress, and immediately she was healed.
The Holy Sash has been the source of countless miracles throughout the centuries. Parts of the holy Sash are in the Vatopedi monastery on Mount Athos and in Trier monastery in Gruzia, Georgia.
An icon of Dormition of the Theotokos depicts the Mother of God's Metastasis (Translocation) from earth to heaven and shows her bequeathing her sash (ζώνη) to the Apostle Thomas.
A blessed 7532! By the Byzantine Calendar, it has been 7532 years since the creation of universe. May this new liturgical year (Sept 1/ Sept 14), be holy and acceptable to the Lord!
This is also the date, and how appropriate, that, according to Holy Tradition, Christ entered the synagogue with a proclamation from Isaiah 61:1-2: “The spirit of the Lord is upon me; because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to proclaim release to captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord...” (Luke 4:16-22)
This is also the date, and how appropriate, that, according to Holy Tradition, Christ entered the synagogue with a proclamation from Isaiah 61:1-2: “The spirit of the Lord is upon me; because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to proclaim release to captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord...” (Luke 4:16-22)
The Orthodox Church is the Church established by Jesus Christ.
https://youtube.com/shorts/7ghvjFJcDbA?si=HXrVvpNzn7q2HULd
https://youtube.com/shorts/7ghvjFJcDbA?si=HXrVvpNzn7q2HULd
There was once a monk who happened to slip and sin by himself continually, yet he would always arise at once and do his prayer rule. The demon that kept throwing him into sin lost his patience seeing the courage and hopefulness of this brother. So he visibly appeared to him, and said to him with vexation:
“Don’t you fear God, you defiled wretch? You have just sinned, so with what face can you now stand before God? Aren’t you afraid that God will burn you?”
But since this brother had a valiant soul, he said to the demon: “This cell is a forge: you hit and get hit. As God is my witness, Who came to save the world, I will not stop fighting you, falling and getting up, beating and being beaten, until my final breath—and let’s see who will win: you or Christ!”
When the demon heard this unexpected reply, he said: “I won’t fight you anymore, because if I do, I’ll make you win crowns.”
Thenceforth, this brother was delivered from the warfare, and he sat in his cell weeping for his sins.
—Elder Ephraim of Arizona
“Don’t you fear God, you defiled wretch? You have just sinned, so with what face can you now stand before God? Aren’t you afraid that God will burn you?”
But since this brother had a valiant soul, he said to the demon: “This cell is a forge: you hit and get hit. As God is my witness, Who came to save the world, I will not stop fighting you, falling and getting up, beating and being beaten, until my final breath—and let’s see who will win: you or Christ!”
When the demon heard this unexpected reply, he said: “I won’t fight you anymore, because if I do, I’ll make you win crowns.”
Thenceforth, this brother was delivered from the warfare, and he sat in his cell weeping for his sins.
—Elder Ephraim of Arizona