Many times St Athanasius, the Founder of the Great Lavra and Coenobitic Monasticism on Mt. Athos (July 5 / July 18) saw the most blessed Theotokos with his own eyes.
There once occurred such a lack of food at the Lavra that the monks one after the other left, until St Athanasius alone remained. In a moment of weakness, he also considered leaving. Suddenly he beheld a Woman beneath an ethereal veil, coming to meet him. “Who are you and where are you going?” She asked quietly. Saint Athanasius replied, “I am a monk from here,” and spoke about his worries.
“Would you forsake the monastery which was intended for glory from generation unto generation, just for a morsel of dry bread? Where is your faith? Turn around, and I shall help you.” “Who are you?” asked Athanasius. “I am the Mother of the Lord,” she replied, and told Athanasius to strike his staff upon a stone. There gushed forth a spring of water, which exists even now, in remembrance of the miraculous visit from the Mother of God.
There once occurred such a lack of food at the Lavra that the monks one after the other left, until St Athanasius alone remained. In a moment of weakness, he also considered leaving. Suddenly he beheld a Woman beneath an ethereal veil, coming to meet him. “Who are you and where are you going?” She asked quietly. Saint Athanasius replied, “I am a monk from here,” and spoke about his worries.
“Would you forsake the monastery which was intended for glory from generation unto generation, just for a morsel of dry bread? Where is your faith? Turn around, and I shall help you.” “Who are you?” asked Athanasius. “I am the Mother of the Lord,” she replied, and told Athanasius to strike his staff upon a stone. There gushed forth a spring of water, which exists even now, in remembrance of the miraculous visit from the Mother of God.
“In the Christian context, we do not mean by a 'mystery' merely that which is baffling and mysterious, an enigma or insoluble problem. A mystery is, on the contrary, something that is revealed for our understanding, but which we never understand exhaustively because it leads into the depth or the darkness of God. The eyes are closed—but they are also opened.” - Kallistos Ware, The Orthodox Way
“Laughter has been implanted in our soul, that the soul may sometime be refreshed.”
✝️ St John Chrysostom
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✝️ St John Chrysostom
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Holy Apostles and all Saints, pray for us, that we may be delivered from dangers, sorrows and afflictions; for we have obtained you as fervent intercessors with the Saviour.
Under thy tender compassion we run to you, O Mother of God. Reject not our prayer in our trouble, but deliver us from harm, O only pure, only blessed one.
Icon: All Saints of North America
Under thy tender compassion we run to you, O Mother of God. Reject not our prayer in our trouble, but deliver us from harm, O only pure, only blessed one.
Icon: All Saints of North America
The struggle for purity
"Sins of a sexual nature are common among many people today. Much of the struggle is directly related to the fact that people do not take advantage of having a spiritual father. If you are your own guide the struggles with sexual passions can be beyond your ability to fight, leading to despair. ...
Without the help of a spiritual father or mother, abstinence can seem impossible, especially given the powerful drive of our sexual nature, and the pressures of our society to express our sexuality freely. ...
Frequent confession with one's spiritual father or confessor is a tool that can make all the difference in our struggle to be free of sinful passions, and triumphant in our goal of purity before the Lord, who loves us so." —Abbot Tryphon, All-Merciful Saviour Monastery
"Sins of a sexual nature are common among many people today. Much of the struggle is directly related to the fact that people do not take advantage of having a spiritual father. If you are your own guide the struggles with sexual passions can be beyond your ability to fight, leading to despair. ...
Without the help of a spiritual father or mother, abstinence can seem impossible, especially given the powerful drive of our sexual nature, and the pressures of our society to express our sexuality freely. ...
Frequent confession with one's spiritual father or confessor is a tool that can make all the difference in our struggle to be free of sinful passions, and triumphant in our goal of purity before the Lord, who loves us so." —Abbot Tryphon, All-Merciful Saviour Monastery
"Pray to Christ Our God, O Lady Mary, Queen and Theotokos, that all cities and lands be protected from our enemies, and that they will be saved who in faith venerate your most pure icon."
The miracle-working Sitka Icon of the Mother of God (July 8 ), painted in the style of the Kazan Mother of God Icon, is a “pearl of Russian ecclesiastical art of ineffable gentleness, purity and harmony.” The Sitka icon is located at the Cathedral of St Michael the Archangel in Sitka, Alaska. It is attributed to famed iconographer Vladimir Lukich Borovikovsky (1758-1826), a protégé of the Empress Catherine II who was instructed at the Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg.
The miracle-working Sitka Icon of the Mother of God (July 8 ), painted in the style of the Kazan Mother of God Icon, is a “pearl of Russian ecclesiastical art of ineffable gentleness, purity and harmony.” The Sitka icon is located at the Cathedral of St Michael the Archangel in Sitka, Alaska. It is attributed to famed iconographer Vladimir Lukich Borovikovsky (1758-1826), a protégé of the Empress Catherine II who was instructed at the Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg.
“O Mother of God, chosen from all generations to be the protectress of the Christian people; we offer you songs of thanksgiving for your wonderworking Icon that has come to Alaska. You are a fountain of mercy and help all who seek refuge in you. Defend us in all afflictions, necessities and tribulations that we may cry to you: Rejoice, zealous defender of the Orthodox faithful in America.” (Kontakion, Tone 8 )
O glorious martyr Euphemia, fair virgin of Christ,
O godly-minded Paisios, the adornment of Athos, entreat Christ God to grant us His great mercy.
During a miraculous visitation of the glorious 5th century martyr Euphemia (July 11), to Father Paisios (July 12), he said to her, “I would like you to tell me how you endured your martyrdom.”
St Euphemia replied, “Father, if I knew back then how eternal life would be and the heavenly beauty the souls enjoy by being next to God, I honestly would have asked for my martyrdom to last forever, as it was absolutely nothing compared to the gifts of grace of God!”
On Monday, July 11, 1994, on St Euphemia’s day, Father Paisios received Holy Communion for the last time, kneeling in front of his bed. On Tuesday, July 12, Elder Paisios humbly and peacefully rendered his soul to God, whom he served with his whole being since his early childhood.
O godly-minded Paisios, the adornment of Athos, entreat Christ God to grant us His great mercy.
During a miraculous visitation of the glorious 5th century martyr Euphemia (July 11), to Father Paisios (July 12), he said to her, “I would like you to tell me how you endured your martyrdom.”
St Euphemia replied, “Father, if I knew back then how eternal life would be and the heavenly beauty the souls enjoy by being next to God, I honestly would have asked for my martyrdom to last forever, as it was absolutely nothing compared to the gifts of grace of God!”
On Monday, July 11, 1994, on St Euphemia’s day, Father Paisios received Holy Communion for the last time, kneeling in front of his bed. On Tuesday, July 12, Elder Paisios humbly and peacefully rendered his soul to God, whom he served with his whole being since his early childhood.
Rejoice, for thou didst make thyself a precious follower of the saints of Cappadocia!
Rejoice, sweetest food, who fillest the souls that are starved of right teaching!
Rejoice, Blessed Father Paisius, enlightener of the latter times!
On July 12 we commemorate our Venerable and God-bearing Father Paisios of Mount Athos.
Rejoice, sweetest food, who fillest the souls that are starved of right teaching!
Rejoice, Blessed Father Paisius, enlightener of the latter times!
On July 12 we commemorate our Venerable and God-bearing Father Paisios of Mount Athos.
The holy clairvoyant elder and hieroconfessor Fr. Arsenie Boca (reposed Nov 28, 1989) is now officially a Saint.
The feared dictator Nicolae Ceausescu reportedly once came to Fr. Arsenie (presumably in mockery) and asked him to foretell his future. Fr. Arsenie, so the story goes, told the dictator that he would be shot on a great feast day. Not long after Fr. Arsenie’s repose, Ceausescu and his wife were executed by firing squad, Christmas Day, 1989.
Along with Fr. Arsenie, 15 other modern day Romanian saints were recently canonized by the Romanian Orthodox Church.
The feared dictator Nicolae Ceausescu reportedly once came to Fr. Arsenie (presumably in mockery) and asked him to foretell his future. Fr. Arsenie, so the story goes, told the dictator that he would be shot on a great feast day. Not long after Fr. Arsenie’s repose, Ceausescu and his wife were executed by firing squad, Christmas Day, 1989.
Along with Fr. Arsenie, 15 other modern day Romanian saints were recently canonized by the Romanian Orthodox Church.
"O Lord, show Your mercy to me and gladden my heart. I am like the man on the way to Jericho who was overtaken by robbers, wounded and left for dead. O Good Samaritan, come to my aid. I am like the sheep that went astray. O Good Shepherd, seek me out and bring me home in accord with Your will. Let me dwell in Your house all the days of my life and praise You for ever and ever with those who are there. Amen."
✝️ St Jerome
✝️ St Jerome