"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

At times when we are far away from God herding our herd of pigs (sins) we grow hungry and cold we desire to be satisfied with the pigs feed but it is never enough.

If we contemplate on this hunger and cold we see the truth we hunger for the word of God “It is written: ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.’” and the cold for we lack the warmth of the Holy Spirit.

If we wake for this truth we shall feel humility and run back to our Father's embrace and ask for forgiveness and no longer accept to work with pigs and eat of their feed for we are the inheritors of the Kingdom of God and we are kings and queen and our only sustenance is the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

--Canon E Allam

“St Chad, pray for me.” The prayer of a remorseful king?

On his deathbed, King Henry VIII, during the Litany of the Saints prayed by a Jesuit priest, added, “St Chad, pray for me.” Perhaps it was a sign of remorse.

A tragedy of the reign of Henry VIII British Isles was the desecration and destruction monasteries and holy relics. Subjected to this destruction, on King Henry’s orders, were the holy relics of St. Chad, Evangelizer of Mercia, Bishop of Lichfield (Mar 2) a faithful disciple of St Aidan.

As a priest, and later bishop, St. Chad was known for his humility, prayerfulness and gentleness. In Mercia, there was fighting between neighbouring kingdoms. There was also division between the Romans and Celts in the Church. St Chad, belonging to the Celtic group, took up the task of mediation of these conflicts.

St. Chad established monasteries and is said to have dug wells for travelers. The water from these wells sometimes brought healings. St. Chad’s relics had been venerated by pilgrims for centuries at the Shrine of St Chad in Lichfield. In 1538 the Shrine was dismantled under the orders of King Henry. Some relics were destroyed. Others were recovered and hidden. Some later came into King Henry’s possession.

After the king’s death the holy relics were kept by the Jesuit from whom he had received the Last Rites, and eventually enshrined at a small chapel at Aston by Stone and later moved to a newly-built cathedral in Birmingham, consecrated in 1841. In 2022, a portion of the relics were returned to the original shrine in Lichfield Cathedral.

In preparation for the Fast

"Preserve the purity of your baptismal garment and death will become your victory." Fr. Tim Alikakos

There are several Saturdays of the Soul throughout the year, the Saturday before the Sunday of the Last Judgement.

When the Memorial Service is offered, it is customary for the family of the departed to bring a dish of boiled wheat to the Church, known as koliva, as symbol of the Resurrection.

Speaking of the Resurrection, our Lord said: "Unless the grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies it bears much fruit." (John 12:24) O our God, be mindful of all those who have fallen asleep before us in the hope of resurrection unto life eternal.

“Grant them rest, O Lord, where the Light of Thy Countenance shines upon them."

Photo: Berlin-Tegel Russian Orthodox Cemetery

☦️ 🇷🇺 🇺🇦 🇵🇸 🇮🇱 ☦️ We do not know everything about the conflicts of this world, nor is it necessary to know. We just pray with a compassionate heart for the peace of the world and for all. We do not take sides, because each side will be responsible for crimes, and we do not want to share in these crimes and be condemned. If we pray for those who are more wrong than right, well, we perform the commandment to love even enemies. And if we pray for those who are more right than wrong, we do well. Therefore, we cannot go wrong if we pray that God save all and grant peace to the world. Especially for us, priests and monks, it is very important not to be political at all, because we offer our sacrifice to God, the Holy Liturgy, for the whole world; and if we are for some and against others, our sacrifice is annulled. I think that when there is a war, the best is not to be judgmental, but to have compassion and pray that the Lord may spare all from suffering.

If my Liturgy is to have any value, no one should be missing from my heart when I stand before the altar of God and say to Him, ‘Thine own of Thine own, we offer unto Thee, in all and for all.
—Archimandrite Zacharias Zacharou

✝️ St. John Chrysostom

Forsake me not, O Lord my God, depart not from me. Be attentive unto my help, O Lord of my salvation. ☦️ Psalm 37: 21-22

☦️ St. John of Kronstadt

“Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” ☦️

Icon: Jesus praying at Gethsemane, while his disciples sleep, by the hand of Photios Kontoglou

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18

Blessed is God Who hath not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy away from me. ☦️ Psalm 65:20

"If you want to drive [the devil] away, say: “Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me” ... It suits the devil to enter into a dialogue for it means that you acknowledge him. Thus through prayer, we ignore him." + Elder Arsenie Papacioc of Romania

But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, "I do not know this man of whom you speak." And immediately the cock crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, "Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times." And he broke down and wept. ☦️ Mark 14:71-72

St. Olga of Alaska, in her earthly life as Matushka and midwife, lovingly cared for those who had suffered abuse, especially sexual abuse.
☦️ O blessed Mother Olga of Alaska, pray for our healing and salvation!

My soul, wait silently for God alone,
For my expectation is from Him.
He only is my rock and my salvation;
He is my defense;
I shall not be moved.
In God is my salvation and my glory;
The rock of my strength,
And my refuge, is in God.
Trust in Him at all times, you people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us.

Psalm 61:5-8