The first Sunday of Lent is the Sunday of Orthodoxy. In many parishes, the faithful bring icons from home and carry them in a procession around the church.
On the veneration of icons:
"I worship the God who has saved me, who became material for my sake. And I do not cease to venerate the matter through which I have been saved and which is filled with divine grace".
☦️St. John Damascene
On the veneration of icons:
"I worship the God who has saved me, who became material for my sake. And I do not cease to venerate the matter through which I have been saved and which is filled with divine grace".
☦️St. John Damascene
[1/2] heard a beautiful story last week. True story. A parish priest had a man come to him, wanting to join the parish. He had been a criminal and spent time in prison, but was repentant and determined to redeem the remainder of his life.
But he had a hard time keeping a prayer rule. The priest kept reducing it: “Can you say fifty Jesus Prayers?" (the ancient prayer that goes "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.") "Well, can you at least say Twenty-five? How about ten?”
Then the man came down with cancer, and the priest visited him in the hospital in his closing days. He asked him, “Well, were you able to say those ten Jesus Prayers?”
The man looked sad and said, “No, Father, I didn’t.”
“Did you say five?”
“No, not even five.”
“Well, did you at least say one?”
“No, Father.”
“Why not?”
“I can’t get past ‘Jesus.’”
But he had a hard time keeping a prayer rule. The priest kept reducing it: “Can you say fifty Jesus Prayers?" (the ancient prayer that goes "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.") "Well, can you at least say Twenty-five? How about ten?”
Then the man came down with cancer, and the priest visited him in the hospital in his closing days. He asked him, “Well, were you able to say those ten Jesus Prayers?”
The man looked sad and said, “No, Father, I didn’t.”
“Did you say five?”
“No, not even five.”
“Well, did you at least say one?”
“No, Father.”
“Why not?”
“I can’t get past ‘Jesus.’”
The man said that, when he began with “Lord,” he was overwhelmed with the majesty and glory of God, how he created all the universe, from the largest star to the smallest detail. Then, when he said “Jesus,” he was again seized with wonder, to think that this Lord of Creation became a human being, a man with the name “Jesus.”
And those two words were enough to ponder for a lifetime. He just couldn’t get any further.
—Presvetera Frederica Mathewes-Green
And those two words were enough to ponder for a lifetime. He just couldn’t get any further.
—Presvetera Frederica Mathewes-Green
[1/2] Come and see!
At that time Jesus was about to leave for Galilee, and he found Philip. And Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found the one of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets wrote, Jesus the son of Joseph of Nazareth.” And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him and said of him, “Look, a true Israelite in whom there is no guile!” Nathanael said to him, “Where do you know me from?” Jesus answered him and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered him and said,
At that time Jesus was about to leave for Galilee, and he found Philip. And Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found the one of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets wrote, Jesus the son of Joseph of Nazareth.” And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him and said of him, “Look, a true Israelite in whom there is no guile!” Nathanael said to him, “Where do you know me from?” Jesus answered him and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered him and said,
[1/2] “Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are King of Israel.” Answering, Jesus said to him, “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, you believe. Greater things than these shall you see.” And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you shall see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”
✝️John 1:43-51, Gospel reading for the Sunday of Orthodoxy, first Sunday of Lent
Photo: Sunday of Orthodoxy 2017, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Orlando, Florida
✝️John 1:43-51, Gospel reading for the Sunday of Orthodoxy, first Sunday of Lent
Photo: Sunday of Orthodoxy 2017, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Orlando, Florida
On the first Sunday of Great Lent, the Orthodox Church celebrates the triumph of Truth over the darkness of heresies, in an explosion of divine light that pierces the veil of history. The Sunday of Orthodoxy is an open window to eternity, through which we contemplate the victory of the true faith over human errors.
This holy day commemorates the Church’s victory over iconoclasm and all heresies, reaffirming that “the light of true faith has spread to all,” dispelling pagan error like a cloud. Through the decision of the Synod of 843, the cult of holy icons was reestablished, anathematizing all heretics, from Simon Magus to the iconoclasts.
…
On this holy day, we are called to delve into the mystery of icons, to penetrate beyond their material surface and contemplate the spiritual reality they reveal. Let us allow their light to transfigure our being, leading us to mystical union with God. [1/2]
This holy day commemorates the Church’s victory over iconoclasm and all heresies, reaffirming that “the light of true faith has spread to all,” dispelling pagan error like a cloud. Through the decision of the Synod of 843, the cult of holy icons was reestablished, anathematizing all heretics, from Simon Magus to the iconoclasts.
…
On this holy day, we are called to delve into the mystery of icons, to penetrate beyond their material surface and contemplate the spiritual reality they reveal. Let us allow their light to transfigure our being, leading us to mystical union with God. [1/2]
[2/2] The Sunday of Orthodoxy is thus a “spiritual spring,” a renewal of our soul on the journey to Resurrection, a call to renew our faith and deepen in prayer, letting the grace of truth shine through the Orthodoxy professed by the ecumenical councils.
—Fr. Christopher, Romania
—Fr. Christopher, Romania
“The light emanating from Christ’s icon and the icons of the saints directs us toward the unending light of divine glory in the Heavenly Kingdom, and the holiness of the icon also calls us to the sanctification of our lives.”
Pastoral Letter of Patriarch Daniel and the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church for the Sunday of Orthodoxy 2025
Pastoral Letter of Patriarch Daniel and the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church for the Sunday of Orthodoxy 2025
"Together let us honour the holy company united by faith, those noble warriors of the Master of all."
The holy martyrs of Sebaste (Mar 9) were 40 devout Christian soldiers "who wielded equally well the sword of battle and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God (Eph. 6:17)" who would come to endure many tortures and finally martyrdom for their faith.
The Armenian town of Sebaste is located in what is now eastern Turkey. There, the Forty Holy Martyrs, a group of Roman soldiers were tortured and thrown into the frozen waters of lake of Sebastea.
All remained steadfast except one. Seeing the radiant crowns of holiness over the heads of the martyrs, one of the guards proclaimed publicly confessed his faith in Christ and entered the lake with the remaining thirty-nine, thus receiving his own martyr’s crown.
The holy martyrs of Sebaste (Mar 9) were 40 devout Christian soldiers "who wielded equally well the sword of battle and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God (Eph. 6:17)" who would come to endure many tortures and finally martyrdom for their faith.
The Armenian town of Sebaste is located in what is now eastern Turkey. There, the Forty Holy Martyrs, a group of Roman soldiers were tortured and thrown into the frozen waters of lake of Sebastea.
All remained steadfast except one. Seeing the radiant crowns of holiness over the heads of the martyrs, one of the guards proclaimed publicly confessed his faith in Christ and entered the lake with the remaining thirty-nine, thus receiving his own martyr’s crown.
"Bow down Your ear, O Lord, hear me; For I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am holy; You are my God; Save Your servant who trusts in You! Be merciful to me, O Lord, For I cry to You all day long. Rejoice the soul of Your servant, For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; And attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, For You will answer me. "
+ from Psalm 85 (86)
+ from Psalm 85 (86)
The practice of hesychasm is a faithful response to Christ's injunction in the Gospel of Matthew to "go into your closet to pray." Hesychasm calls us to move beyond our senses and withdraw inwards to pray. Hesychasm often includes repeating the Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner".
An ardent defender of the hesychastic life was St Gregory Palamas, commemorated the
2nd Sunday of Great Lent.
Before hesychasm would gain wide acceptance, St Gregory paid for his defense of it with a "life on the run," and jail time. Yet he who suffered much would come to perform many miracles of healing later in life. On the eve of St Gregory's repose, St John Chrysostom appeared to him in a vision with the words “To the heights! To the heights!”
"O wonder-working Gregory, glory of Thessalonica and preacher of grace, always intercede before the Lord that our souls may be saved."
An ardent defender of the hesychastic life was St Gregory Palamas, commemorated the
2nd Sunday of Great Lent.
Before hesychasm would gain wide acceptance, St Gregory paid for his defense of it with a "life on the run," and jail time. Yet he who suffered much would come to perform many miracles of healing later in life. On the eve of St Gregory's repose, St John Chrysostom appeared to him in a vision with the words “To the heights! To the heights!”
"O wonder-working Gregory, glory of Thessalonica and preacher of grace, always intercede before the Lord that our souls may be saved."
Lord have mercy! Radical Islamists have in recent days murdered thousands of Christians in Syria and the rampage continues. Despite the danger, many are marching in the streets in brave protest against the violence aimed at Christians and other minority religious groups.
Thousands of Syrian Christians have fled to a Russian airbase where they are being protected by Russian Soldiers. #PrayforSyria
Thousands of Syrian Christians have fled to a Russian airbase where they are being protected by Russian Soldiers. #PrayforSyria