"All of Creation rejoices in thee, O full of grace:
the angels in heaven and the race of men,
O sanctified temple and spiritual paradise..."
St John of Damascus wrote zealously in defense of Orthodoxy in the time of time of the Iconoclasts. For this, the hand with which he wrote was ordered severed by the Caliph-- and then restored after his petitions to the Theotokos. St John's joyful response to the miracle was to place on the icon a hand fashioned of silver. Thus, the icon received its name “Of Three Hands.” The miracle also inspired the writing of the hymn of thanksgiving to the Mother of God: “All of creation rejoices in You, O Full of Grace.”
Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Of the Three Hands", "Tricheroussa", of Hilandar, Mount Athos (8th century), commemorated June 28/ July 11
the angels in heaven and the race of men,
O sanctified temple and spiritual paradise..."
St John of Damascus wrote zealously in defense of Orthodoxy in the time of time of the Iconoclasts. For this, the hand with which he wrote was ordered severed by the Caliph-- and then restored after his petitions to the Theotokos. St John's joyful response to the miracle was to place on the icon a hand fashioned of silver. Thus, the icon received its name “Of Three Hands.” The miracle also inspired the writing of the hymn of thanksgiving to the Mother of God: “All of creation rejoices in You, O Full of Grace.”
Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Of the Three Hands", "Tricheroussa", of Hilandar, Mount Athos (8th century), commemorated June 28/ July 11
"'[F]or the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear" + Mt 13:15-16
"Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" + St Peter (Mt. 16:16)
"I live; yet not I but Christ liveth in me" + St Paul (Gal. 2:20)
"First-enthroned of the apostles, teachers of the universe:
Entreat the Master of all to grant peace to the world,
and to our souls great mercy!" - Troparion for the Feast of the Holy Glorious and All-Praised Leaders of the Apostles, Peter and Paul (commemorated together on June 29/ July 12)
Icon: 11th century, Sophia Cathedral, Veliky Novgorod
"I live; yet not I but Christ liveth in me" + St Paul (Gal. 2:20)
"First-enthroned of the apostles, teachers of the universe:
Entreat the Master of all to grant peace to the world,
and to our souls great mercy!" - Troparion for the Feast of the Holy Glorious and All-Praised Leaders of the Apostles, Peter and Paul (commemorated together on June 29/ July 12)
Icon: 11th century, Sophia Cathedral, Veliky Novgorod
"Today, people without Christ are building their home on rubble." ☦️ St Paisios the Athonite (June 29/July 12)
“In the past, people were so brave! In the Monastery of the Flavians in Asia Minor, the Turks had captured a man and slaughtered him. Then they told his wife, 'Either you deny Christ, or we will kill your children too.' And she replied, 'My husband is now with Christ, and I entrust my children to Christ and I will not renounce Christ.' What bravery! If Christ is not in us, how can there be such bravery? Today, people without Christ are building their home on rubble...
What love the holy Martyrs had for Christ, what bravery! ... [For example] St. Gideon the Karakallenos (+1818) -- what amazing forbearance he had! To his executioners he said, 'Take my hand, take my leg, take my nose.' In short, take everything! Incredible! But for a man to reach that point, he must not love himself, he must love God.
“In the past, people were so brave! In the Monastery of the Flavians in Asia Minor, the Turks had captured a man and slaughtered him. Then they told his wife, 'Either you deny Christ, or we will kill your children too.' And she replied, 'My husband is now with Christ, and I entrust my children to Christ and I will not renounce Christ.' What bravery! If Christ is not in us, how can there be such bravery? Today, people without Christ are building their home on rubble...
What love the holy Martyrs had for Christ, what bravery! ... [For example] St. Gideon the Karakallenos (+1818) -- what amazing forbearance he had! To his executioners he said, 'Take my hand, take my leg, take my nose.' In short, take everything! Incredible! But for a man to reach that point, he must not love himself, he must love God.
A mother runs into a fire to save her child. She doesn't feel any pain, because her love is stronger than the burning of the fire. Her love for her child masks the pain. So you can imagine how much more the love for Christ can mask the pain of martyrdom!...
For the Saint approaching martyrdom, the love for Christ is stronger than the pain; it neutralizes it. The Martyrs felt the executioner's sword to be sweeter than the bow of a violin. When the love of Christ really blossoms, then martyrdom becomes a festival; fire refreshes better than a bath, because the burning feeling is dispelled by the burning of divine love. A flaying becomes a caress...
For the Saint approaching martyrdom, the love for Christ is stronger than the pain; it neutralizes it. The Martyrs felt the executioner's sword to be sweeter than the bow of a violin. When the love of Christ really blossoms, then martyrdom becomes a festival; fire refreshes better than a bath, because the burning feeling is dispelled by the burning of divine love. A flaying becomes a caress...
[St Paisios continued] Divine eros takes hold of the heart, takes hold of the mind, and man goes 'mad'. He does not feel the pain of anything else, because his mind is on Christ; and his heart is overflowing with joy. So many Saints went to their martyrdom and felt such joy, one would think they were going to a festival!...
If one does not start sacrificing something now, like giving up some desire or selfishness, how will he ever be able to sacrifice his life at a given time? If, even now, he thinks of the labor, and tries to avoid working a little harder than the next person, how will he ever attain the state of risking his own life to save another's? ... When there is no spirit of sacrifice, everyone looks only to save himself...
These years are like a pressure-cooker that is boiling and whistling. It takes endurance, bravery and manliness. If something should happen, be sure not to leave yourselves completely unprepared. Be prepared from now to face any potential difficulty. What did Christ say? Didn't He say, 'Be ye ready?' (Luke 12:40)”
If one does not start sacrificing something now, like giving up some desire or selfishness, how will he ever be able to sacrifice his life at a given time? If, even now, he thinks of the labor, and tries to avoid working a little harder than the next person, how will he ever attain the state of risking his own life to save another's? ... When there is no spirit of sacrifice, everyone looks only to save himself...
These years are like a pressure-cooker that is boiling and whistling. It takes endurance, bravery and manliness. If something should happen, be sure not to leave yourselves completely unprepared. Be prepared from now to face any potential difficulty. What did Christ say? Didn't He say, 'Be ye ready?' (Luke 12:40)”
Each of the Twelve Apostles is honoured with his own Feast Day. However, the Church has also established a general commemoration for all of the Apostles (June 30/ July 13) on the day after the commemoration of the Glorious and First-Ranked among the Apostles Peter and Paul (June 29/ July 12).
Let us also remember the martyrdoms of the Holy Apostles of Christ: Peter was crucified upside-down. Andrew was crucified. James was beheaded. Philip was crucified. Bartholomew was crucified, then flayed and beheaded. Thomas was pierced with five spears. Matthew was burned by fire. James the Son of Alphaeus was crucified Thaddeus was crucified. Simon the Zealot was crucified. Matthias was stoned, then beheaded with an axe when dead. Paul was beheaded. Only John escaped martyrdom, but his miraculous life and blessed repose are worthy of honour. Sentenced to death under Emperor Nero, he escaped an attempt at poisoning.
Let us also remember the martyrdoms of the Holy Apostles of Christ: Peter was crucified upside-down. Andrew was crucified. James was beheaded. Philip was crucified. Bartholomew was crucified, then flayed and beheaded. Thomas was pierced with five spears. Matthew was burned by fire. James the Son of Alphaeus was crucified Thaddeus was crucified. Simon the Zealot was crucified. Matthias was stoned, then beheaded with an axe when dead. Paul was beheaded. Only John escaped martyrdom, but his miraculous life and blessed repose are worthy of honour. Sentenced to death under Emperor Nero, he escaped an attempt at poisoning.
Later, he emerged unharmed after being thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil. St John reposed at more than a hundred years old.
Today is the day of repentance. St John (Maximovitch) of Shanghai and San Francisco (June 19/ July 2)
Consider a drunkard or a fornicator: when the body dies, some think the sin, too, has died. No — the inclination to sin was in the soul, and to the soul the sin was sweet. And if the soul has not repented of this sin, has not freed itself of it, it will come to the Dread Judgment with the same desire for the sweetness of sin and “never sate this desire.” There will be the suffering of hatred and wrath in this soul. This is the state of hell. “The fiery Gehenna” – this is the inner fire, the fire of weakness and anger, and here will be the wailing and the gnashing of teeth of powerless wrath. - Sermon on the Day of the Last Judgement
Consider a drunkard or a fornicator: when the body dies, some think the sin, too, has died. No — the inclination to sin was in the soul, and to the soul the sin was sweet. And if the soul has not repented of this sin, has not freed itself of it, it will come to the Dread Judgment with the same desire for the sweetness of sin and “never sate this desire.” There will be the suffering of hatred and wrath in this soul. This is the state of hell. “The fiery Gehenna” – this is the inner fire, the fire of weakness and anger, and here will be the wailing and the gnashing of teeth of powerless wrath. - Sermon on the Day of the Last Judgement
“If your marriage is like this, your perfection will rival the holiest of monks.” ✝️ St John Chrysostom
St John’s advice to husbands :
+ Never speak to your wife in a mundane way but with compliments, with respect and with much love.
+ Tell her that you love her more than your own life, because this present life is nothing, and that your only hope is that the two of you pass through this life in such a way that in the world to come, you will be united in perfect love.
St John’s advice to husbands :
+ Never speak to your wife in a mundane way but with compliments, with respect and with much love.
+ Tell her that you love her more than your own life, because this present life is nothing, and that your only hope is that the two of you pass through this life in such a way that in the world to come, you will be united in perfect love.
[St John’s Advice to husbands continued]
+ Say to her, ‘Our time here is brief and fleeting, but if we are pleasing to God, we can exchange this life for the Kingdom to come. Then we will be perfectly one both with Christ and with each other, and our pleasure will know no bounds. I value your love above all things, and nothing would be so bitter or painful to me as our being at odds with each other. Even if I lose everything, any affliction is tolerable if you will be true to me.’
+ Show her that you value her company, and prefer being at home to being out at the marketplace
+ Esteem her in the presence of your friends and children
+ Praise and show admiration for her good acts; and if she ever does anything foolish, advise her patiently.
+ Pray together at home and go to Church; when you come back home, let each ask the other the meaning of the readings and the prayers.
+ Say to her, ‘Our time here is brief and fleeting, but if we are pleasing to God, we can exchange this life for the Kingdom to come. Then we will be perfectly one both with Christ and with each other, and our pleasure will know no bounds. I value your love above all things, and nothing would be so bitter or painful to me as our being at odds with each other. Even if I lose everything, any affliction is tolerable if you will be true to me.’
+ Show her that you value her company, and prefer being at home to being out at the marketplace
+ Esteem her in the presence of your friends and children
+ Praise and show admiration for her good acts; and if she ever does anything foolish, advise her patiently.
+ Pray together at home and go to Church; when you come back home, let each ask the other the meaning of the readings and the prayers.
3rd-century Christian tombs found on the construction site of a gas station in northern Serbia predate the legalization of Christianity under Emperor Constantine. The elaborate tombs could mean that Christians were a majority in the area, then known as Sirmium, one of the four capitals of the Roman Empire.
One wall painting depicts the Good Shepherd. Another shows an angel saving the three young men thrown into the flame by the Babylonian emperor Nebuchadnezzar.
The site has been removed and completely restored at the Museum of Srem in Sremska Mitrovica.
One wall painting depicts the Good Shepherd. Another shows an angel saving the three young men thrown into the flame by the Babylonian emperor Nebuchadnezzar.
The site has been removed and completely restored at the Museum of Srem in Sremska Mitrovica.