It is not possible for us to understand with our mind and to express the mystery of the Virgin Mary, but it is possible to praise her. Another father says that after the word is born in our mind, the soul breaks into song, which means that man’s attempt to contemplate the Mother of God cannot succeed unless that endeavor is transformed into a song of praise to the Birthgiver. We cannot talk about the Virgin, we can only hymn her. We cannot explain through words, we can only witness her mystery in praises.
Song brings us to thanksgiving, and the joy of thanksgiving becomes a new song, says a hymnologist of Mount Athos. And in this élan of song and thanksgiving we discover Christ, her Son, for where the Mother is, there is also the Son: heavenly delight and joy beyond this world is the moment in which man grasps the mystery of the economy of the Incarnation through the mediation of the Most Holy Virgin. Mary with Jesus, Jesus with Mary, these two names most pure and most sweet—this is Paradise, says Athanasius the Iberian.”
—from Romanian Metropolitan Nicolae’s Meditation for the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos
—from Romanian Metropolitan Nicolae’s Meditation for the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos
St. Gregory the Theologian wrote lovingly of his mother, St Nonna (Aug 5/ Aug 18): “What time and place of prayer ever eluded her? She was drawn to this each day before anything else, and she had complete faith that her prayers would be answered.” Through his mother’s wonder-working prayers, St Nonna’s pagan husband Gregory the elder had a dream vision in his sleep, in which, says the younger Gregory, “it seemed as though he was singing the following verse of David: I was glad when they said of me, let us go into the house of the Lord (Ps. 121: 1).” In the singing of the psalm was itself was was the actual desire to do so!” St Gregory’s conversion was no doubt the result of St Nonna’s fervent prayers.
The elder Gregory went to the First Council at Nicea, where he made known his conversion to Christ and was ordained presbyter and then bishop of Nazianzus and devoted himself totally to the Church.
The elder Gregory went to the First Council at Nicea, where he made known his conversion to Christ and was ordained presbyter and then bishop of Nazianzus and devoted himself totally to the Church.
After the elder Bishop Gregory reposed at age one hundred, Saint Nonna almost never emerged from the church, departing this life while at prayer in the temple in 374.
Now we worry about a piece of bread, about a roof over our heads, about our social conditions. And it seems to us that the meaning of life consists of this. But the Church says, Look at the pussy willows: leaves will sprout and later flowers and fruit. So it is even in a Christian soul.
Archbishop Andrei (Rymarenko ☦️1893-1978)
Archbishop Andrei (Rymarenko ☦️1893-1978)
The Righteous Samuel (Aug 20/ Sept 2) was a Prophet of God from childhood. He was the fruit of his mother Hannah’s many tearful years of supplication to God for deliverance from a barren womb. Therefore, she called him Samuel, that is, "heard by God." As soon as Hannah had weaned Samuel she brought him to the city of Silom (Shiloh), where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. There she consecrated him to the service of God. Samuel was the last judge of the Israelite people. His judgements were filled with holiness and righteousness.
When Samuel was old, the people asked him for a king, but he was displeased with this, knowing that God Himself was their King. When the people persisted, the Lord commanded him to anoint them a king, saying, "They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected Me from reigning over them.”
When Samuel was old, the people asked him for a king, but he was displeased with this, knowing that God Himself was their King. When the people persisted, the Lord commanded him to anoint them a king, saying, "They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected Me from reigning over them.”
Samuel anointed Israel’s first king, Saul. But Saul transgressed the command of God repeatedly, so Samuel anointed David. Yet Samuel grieved Saul’s lost kingship so much that the Lord said to him, "How long wilt thou mourn for Saul?" (I Kings 16:1).
Having lived blamelessly some ninety-eight years as a living example of a God-pleasing life, the holy Prophet reposed in the 11th century before Christ.
Having lived blamelessly some ninety-eight years as a living example of a God-pleasing life, the holy Prophet reposed in the 11th century before Christ.
Angry pagans once forced the Holy Apostle Matthias (Aug 9/ Aug 22) to drink poison. It not only failed to harm him but he went about healing others who had been blinded by the potion.
One of the 70 Apostles, St. Matthias was chosen by lot to replace Judas Iscariot of the 12 Apostles.
Using the prophecies of the Old Testament, the Apostle Matthias demonstrated that Jesus Christ is the True God, the long-awaited Messiah. This declaration ensured his martyrdom. The Apostle Matthias received the martyr’s crown after being stoned in the year 63.
One of the 70 Apostles, St. Matthias was chosen by lot to replace Judas Iscariot of the 12 Apostles.
Using the prophecies of the Old Testament, the Apostle Matthias demonstrated that Jesus Christ is the True God, the long-awaited Messiah. This declaration ensured his martyrdom. The Apostle Matthias received the martyr’s crown after being stoned in the year 63.
Salvation is nothing less than the Sonship and Theosis (Divinization) of mankind. This is the message of St Irenaeus (130-202) (Aug 23), Bishop of Lugdunum. St Irenaeus is the third link in an unbroken chain of the grace of succession which links, in backward order, to Saint Polycarp of Smyrna, to the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, to the Original Pastor, our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Thus, he received his schooling from the best.
Through the Incarnation of God, creation becomes co-imaged and co-bodied to the Son of God.
Saint Gregory of Tours credits the preaching of St Irenaeus (130-202) (Aug 23), Bishop of Lugdunum, for transforming all of Lugdunum (Lyons) into a Christian city.
Through the Incarnation of God, creation becomes co-imaged and co-bodied to the Son of God.
Saint Gregory of Tours credits the preaching of St Irenaeus (130-202) (Aug 23), Bishop of Lugdunum, for transforming all of Lugdunum (Lyons) into a Christian city.
By sharing in the ways of the Apostles,
you became a successor to their throne.
Through the practice of virtue, you found the way to divine contemplation, O inspired one of God;
by teaching the word of truth without error,
you defended the Faith, even to the shedding of your blood.
Hieromartyr Irenaeus, entreat Christ God to save our souls."
you became a successor to their throne.
Through the practice of virtue, you found the way to divine contemplation, O inspired one of God;
by teaching the word of truth without error,
you defended the Faith, even to the shedding of your blood.
Hieromartyr Irenaeus, entreat Christ God to save our souls."