Honoured as a successor to the throne of the apostles, the Hieromartyr St Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna (Feb 6),
greeted his arresting soldiers warmly, immediately ordered a feast to be prepared for them, invited them to enjoy as much as they desired, and then asked for one hour to pray by himself before being led away to his martyrdom.
“He stood and prayed, full of grace, for two hours, so that his captors repented that they had come against so venerable a man” (Eccl. Hist., Book IV, ch. 14,15).
St. Polycarp declared at his martyrdom: "You threaten me with a fire that burns for a short time and then goes out, while you know nothing of the fire of the judgment to come and of the everlasting torment awaiting the wicked. Why wait any longer? Do what you will!"
O Hieromartyr Polycarp. Intercede with Christ our God that our souls be saved.
greeted his arresting soldiers warmly, immediately ordered a feast to be prepared for them, invited them to enjoy as much as they desired, and then asked for one hour to pray by himself before being led away to his martyrdom.
“He stood and prayed, full of grace, for two hours, so that his captors repented that they had come against so venerable a man” (Eccl. Hist., Book IV, ch. 14,15).
St. Polycarp declared at his martyrdom: "You threaten me with a fire that burns for a short time and then goes out, while you know nothing of the fire of the judgment to come and of the everlasting torment awaiting the wicked. Why wait any longer? Do what you will!"
O Hieromartyr Polycarp. Intercede with Christ our God that our souls be saved.
“Faithfulness shall spring from the earth and justice look down from heaven. (Psalm 84 [85]:12)”
The Venerable Head of the Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John was first found on the Mount of Olives, where it had been hidden by Joanna, wife of Chusa, after the Saint's beheading. The second finding was at the city of Emesia during a time of unrest at Constantinople. The first and second findings are commemorated on February 24.
The third finding came during a period of iconoclastic persecution. In around the year 850, after the veneration of icons was restored, Patriarch Ignatius saw in a vision the place at Komana where the head was buried in the ground. He revealed his vision to the emperor, who sent a delegation to Komana. There the head was found and transferred to Constantinople on May 25/ June 7.
"As a divine treasure hidden in the ground was your head revealed to us by Christ, O prophet and Forerunner."
The Venerable Head of the Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John was first found on the Mount of Olives, where it had been hidden by Joanna, wife of Chusa, after the Saint's beheading. The second finding was at the city of Emesia during a time of unrest at Constantinople. The first and second findings are commemorated on February 24.
The third finding came during a period of iconoclastic persecution. In around the year 850, after the veneration of icons was restored, Patriarch Ignatius saw in a vision the place at Komana where the head was buried in the ground. He revealed his vision to the emperor, who sent a delegation to Komana. There the head was found and transferred to Constantinople on May 25/ June 7.
"As a divine treasure hidden in the ground was your head revealed to us by Christ, O prophet and Forerunner."
On the 1st Sunday of Great Lent, the Sunday of Orthodoxy, we commemorate the “Triumph of Orthodoxy,” the restoration of the holy icons in the reign of the holy Empress Theodora.
St John of Damascus on Holy Images: "I do not worship matter, I worship the God of matter, who became matter for my sake, and deigned to inhabit matter, who worked out my salvation through matter. I will not cease from honouring that matter which works my salvation."
St John of Damascus on Holy Images: "I do not worship matter, I worship the God of matter, who became matter for my sake, and deigned to inhabit matter, who worked out my salvation through matter. I will not cease from honouring that matter which works my salvation."
"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."
+ St Gregory Palamas, defender of Hesychasm, 2nd Sunday of Great Lent #JesusPrayer
+ St Gregory Palamas, defender of Hesychasm, 2nd Sunday of Great Lent #JesusPrayer
The Finding of the Precious Cross of Christ (Mar 6) commemorates the finding of the true cross and nails by Saint Helen, the pious mother of the Emperor Constantine in 326 AD.
At the place where the cross was buried, lay a flowering basil plant, which St Helen named “Vasiliko”, meaning “of the King.” The story also goes that when the Empress looked under the basil, she found two other crosses-- the ones used in the crucifixion of the two thieves on either side of Christ. In order to determine which cross was the true Cross of Christ, a sick woman was brought to kiss each of the three crosses. When she kissed the True Cross, she was made well immediately.
Fragments of the True Cross are kept at several churches, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
At the place where the cross was buried, lay a flowering basil plant, which St Helen named “Vasiliko”, meaning “of the King.” The story also goes that when the Empress looked under the basil, she found two other crosses-- the ones used in the crucifixion of the two thieves on either side of Christ. In order to determine which cross was the true Cross of Christ, a sick woman was brought to kiss each of the three crosses. When she kissed the True Cross, she was made well immediately.
Fragments of the True Cross are kept at several churches, including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
The Panagia tou Harou (The Holy Virgin of Death) is a miracle-working icon in the Church of St. John the Theologian at Leipsoi, Greece.
A bouquet of lilies, originally placed with the icon in the 1940s by a woman expressing her gratitude for many answered prayers, blooms fresh every year on its Feast Day (Aug 23).
A bouquet of lilies, originally placed with the icon in the 1940s by a woman expressing her gratitude for many answered prayers, blooms fresh every year on its Feast Day (Aug 23).
“Only children and those who are innocent like children are able to rejoice with others. For a child, there is no such thing as other people's joy. A child shares anyone’s smile, even a mockery is a smile for them. No one on Earth is more like unto God than an innocent child.”
☦️ St Nikolai (Velimirovich)
☦️ St Nikolai (Velimirovich)
The Sunday of the Veneration of the Holy Cross cross marks the halfway point of Great Lent. The church reminds us of where we are journeying—to the cross and ultimately the Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
We cannot think of the Cross without remembering of Resurrection. We cannot imagine the death and the passions of Christ without having in mind the empty tomb radiating hope. Christ’s death has no meaning without His Resurrection.
We cannot think of the Cross without remembering of Resurrection. We cannot imagine the death and the passions of Christ without having in mind the empty tomb radiating hope. Christ’s death has no meaning without His Resurrection.
In 5th-century Ireland, Saint Patrick (Mar 17) took up the unfinished fight against paganism. He did so with the missionary zeal of one who before conversion, was in his words “like a stone lying in deep mire” until “He that is mighty came and in His mercy raised me up and, indeed, lifted me high up and placed me on top of the wall. And from there I ought to shout out in gratitude to the Lord for His great favours in this world and forever, that the mind of man cannot measure.”
✝️ Holy Enlightener of Ireland, pray for us! ✝️
✝️ Holy Enlightener of Ireland, pray for us! ✝️
Abba Macarius of Egypt said there is no need to waste time with words [in prayer]. It is enough to hold out your hands and say, “Lord, according to your desire and your wisdom, have mercy.”
If pressed in the struggle, say, “Lord, save me!” or say, “Lord.” He knows what is best for us, and will have mercy upon us.
If pressed in the struggle, say, “Lord, save me!” or say, “Lord.” He knows what is best for us, and will have mercy upon us.
St. John Climacus thought himself unworthy to compose a guide to the monastic life. However, in obedience to his abbot, St. John (4th Sunday of Great Lent) did so, drawing inspiration from the story of Jacob's ladder in the Old Testament (Gen. 28:12). St. John called his work The Ladder, for the book is “a fixed ladder leading from earthly things to the Holy of Holies." The thirty steps of spiritual perfection correspond to the Lord's age at the beginning of His ministry.
In the book, the fourth step of the ladder is obedience— a word so many people misunderstand. It is not “giving up one's will and losing one's freedom. Christian obedience … is the proper exercise of our freedom, freely offered to God and to our neighbor. As St. John Climacus teaches us, this type of obedience - true obedience- is an act of love.”
In the book, the fourth step of the ladder is obedience— a word so many people misunderstand. It is not “giving up one's will and losing one's freedom. Christian obedience … is the proper exercise of our freedom, freely offered to God and to our neighbor. As St. John Climacus teaches us, this type of obedience - true obedience- is an act of love.”