“Prayer in church is important. The best thoughts and feelings come in church, yes, and the enemy attacks more violently in church, but with the sign of the Cross and the Jesus Prayer, you drive him away. It is good to stand in some dark corner in church and to pray to God. “Let us lift up our hearts!” the priest exclaims, but our mind often creeps along the ground, thinking about indecent things. Fight against this.”
From “Living Without Hypocrisy: Spiritual Counsels
of the Holy Elders of Optina”
From “Living Without Hypocrisy: Spiritual Counsels
of the Holy Elders of Optina”
As a commander in the Roman army, the Holy and Glorious Greatmartyr Demetrius the Myrrh-gusher (Oct 26/Nov 7) earned the crown of martyrdom by refusing Emperor Maximian's orders to persecute Christians. Demetrius openly confessed and preached Christ at Thessalonica. He became for Thessalonika "a second Apostle Paul" in the same city where St Paul founded the first community of believers (1 Thes., 2 Thes.).
In the early 4th century, emperor Galerius Maximian gave orders to "put to death anyone who calls on the name of the Crucified." Demetrius, proconsul of Thessalonika, disobeyed. Instead of executing Christians, Demetrius instead openly confessed and taught the Christian faith. At dawn on October 26, 306 soldiers appeared in the Saint's underground prison and ran him through with lances.
In the early 4th century, emperor Galerius Maximian gave orders to "put to death anyone who calls on the name of the Crucified." Demetrius, proconsul of Thessalonika, disobeyed. Instead of executing Christians, Demetrius instead openly confessed and taught the Christian faith. At dawn on October 26, 306 soldiers appeared in the Saint's underground prison and ran him through with lances.
During the reign of Saint Constantine (306-337), a church was built over the grave of St Demetrius. A hundred years later, during the construction of a majestic new church on the old spot, the incorrupt relics of the holy martyr were uncovered. Since the seventh century, there has been a miraculous flow of fragrant myrrh beneath the crypt of the Great Martyr This gave St Demetrius the epithet Μυροβλήτης, or "Myrrh-streamer."
St Demetrius, the first recognized patron and protector of Thessalonica, has many times saved the city from calamity. St Demetrius is held in great honour in both the Hellenic and Slavic worlds and is also venerated as the protector of Siberia.
Holy Demetrius, entreat Christ God to grant us great mercy!
St Demetrius, the first recognized patron and protector of Thessalonica, has many times saved the city from calamity. St Demetrius is held in great honour in both the Hellenic and Slavic worlds and is also venerated as the protector of Siberia.
Holy Demetrius, entreat Christ God to grant us great mercy!
“Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22
“Should we hesitate for a moment that, ‘it is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God?’ No, there is no basis nor justification for doubt. Can sheep live among the wolves and not be attacked by them? Can a candle burn in the midst of cross winds and not sway back and forth? Can a good fruit-bearing tree grow along side the road and not be disturbed by passersby? Thus, the Church of pious souls cannot but be persecuted and be persecuted by heathens, by idolaters, by heretics, by apostates, from passions and vices, from sin and transgressions, from the world and by demons.
“Should we hesitate for a moment that, ‘it is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God?’ No, there is no basis nor justification for doubt. Can sheep live among the wolves and not be attacked by them? Can a candle burn in the midst of cross winds and not sway back and forth? Can a good fruit-bearing tree grow along side the road and not be disturbed by passersby? Thus, the Church of pious souls cannot but be persecuted and be persecuted by heathens, by idolaters, by heretics, by apostates, from passions and vices, from sin and transgressions, from the world and by demons.
So it is that not one devout soul can remain without persecution, be it externally or internally, until it is separated from the body and the world. Someone might oppose this and prove it otherwise according to his calculation and according to his logic. But, in this case, neither the mind nor the logic of one man is of any avail. Thousands who were crucified speak otherwise, thousands burned alive cry out otherwise, thousands who were beheaded prove otherwise and thousands who were drowned witness otherwise. O my brethren, the Christian Faith is mighty not only when it agrees with sensory reasoning and sensory logic but when, and especially when, it contradicts sensory reasoning and sensory logic.
Those who want to live a godly-life will be persecuted. This the apostle prophesied at the beginning of the Christian era and twenty Christian centuries render a multi-voiced echo to confirm the truth of the prophecy.
O resurrected Lord, grant us light that we may be pious to the end and give us the strength to endure persecution to the end.
To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.
+Saint Nikolai Velimirovič
Those who want to live a godly-life will be persecuted. This the apostle prophesied at the beginning of the Christian era and twenty Christian centuries render a multi-voiced echo to confirm the truth of the prophecy.
O resurrected Lord, grant us light that we may be pious to the end and give us the strength to endure persecution to the end.
To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.
+Saint Nikolai Velimirovič
The ‘Tenderness’ Icon of the Mother of God of Lokot is the only icon in the world with an image of the Mother of God Not Made by Hands and the Turin Shroud image of the Saviour that miraculously appeared on it.
Both the front and the reverse side of the icon are in a metal mounting in the shape of the foot of the Mother of God.
In 1994, a certain woman, Natalia, from the village of Lokot (Bryansk region, Russia) saw on a store counter a calendar with a print of the ‘Tenderness’ icon of the Most Holy Theotokos lying in disregard.
Both the front and the reverse side of the icon are in a metal mounting in the shape of the foot of the Mother of God.
In 1994, a certain woman, Natalia, from the village of Lokot (Bryansk region, Russia) saw on a store counter a calendar with a print of the ‘Tenderness’ icon of the Most Holy Theotokos lying in disregard.
The calendar was outdated and the sales assistant was going to throw it away. The woman bought the calendar to prevent the image of the Mother of God from being defiled. Natalia took the calendar home, cut the print of the icon out of it and put the icon on the wall.
Soon the icon began to stream myrrh with an incredible fragrance emanating from it.
This miracle was reported to the then presiding bishop, Vladyka Melchizedek of Bryansk and Sevsk.
When the woman took the icon off the wall to put it in a frame, she saw that the second - laterally inverted - image of the Mother of God appeared on the back side of the icon. When Vladyka arrived and took the icon in his arms, its myrrh streamed down his hands. He said: “I’ve been to Mount Athos, and to Jerusalem many times, but nowhere have I seen such miracles.”
The ‘Tenderness’ icon of the Mother of God of Lokot has been glorified by many healings and other miracles.
The icon has streamed blood and shed tears several times. During Moleben services with the blessing of waters, the water acquired an unusual smell and taste. The same has also happened during the blessing of springs.
Soon the icon began to stream myrrh with an incredible fragrance emanating from it.
This miracle was reported to the then presiding bishop, Vladyka Melchizedek of Bryansk and Sevsk.
When the woman took the icon off the wall to put it in a frame, she saw that the second - laterally inverted - image of the Mother of God appeared on the back side of the icon. When Vladyka arrived and took the icon in his arms, its myrrh streamed down his hands. He said: “I’ve been to Mount Athos, and to Jerusalem many times, but nowhere have I seen such miracles.”
The ‘Tenderness’ icon of the Mother of God of Lokot has been glorified by many healings and other miracles.
The icon has streamed blood and shed tears several times. During Moleben services with the blessing of waters, the water acquired an unusual smell and taste. The same has also happened during the blessing of springs.
Vouves, Crete. This olive tree, with a trunk 15 feet in diameter, is at least 2,000 years old, and likely 2,900 years old, based on the graveyard found nearby. This tree likely lived through the golden age of Athens, the rise of the Roman Empire, and the birth of Christ – and has continued to live throughout the 2,000 year history of the Church.
“This present life without Christ is death.”
When the Hieromartyr Zenobius (Oct 30/ Nov 12) was brought to trial before the governor Licius in the year 285, Licius gave the saint a clear choice: life if he would worship the pagan gods, or death if he chose not to offer them worship. Bishop Zenobius answered, “This present life without Christ is death. It is better that I prepare to endure the present torment for my Creator, and then with Him live eternally, than to renounce Him for the sake of the present life, and then be tormented eternally in Hades.”
Licius then had the martyr nailed to a cross and tortured. The bishop’s sister, Zenobia, bravely confessed her own faith in Christ before the governor.
After they each endured many tortures, both were beheaded.
When the Hieromartyr Zenobius (Oct 30/ Nov 12) was brought to trial before the governor Licius in the year 285, Licius gave the saint a clear choice: life if he would worship the pagan gods, or death if he chose not to offer them worship. Bishop Zenobius answered, “This present life without Christ is death. It is better that I prepare to endure the present torment for my Creator, and then with Him live eternally, than to renounce Him for the sake of the present life, and then be tormented eternally in Hades.”
Licius then had the martyr nailed to a cross and tortured. The bishop’s sister, Zenobia, bravely confessed her own faith in Christ before the governor.
After they each endured many tortures, both were beheaded.
“Let us honor with inspired hymns the two martyrs for truth: The preachers of true devotion, Zenobius and Zenobia; as brother and sister they lived and suffered together and through martyrdom received their incorruptible crowns.”
— Kontakion, Tone 8
— Kontakion, Tone 8
St John Kochurov (Oct 31) is considered the protomartyr of the Russian Revolution. At the time of his martyrdom by Bolsheviks, Fr. John had only recently returned to his homeland from America where he had ministered faithfully among poor Slavic immigrants and established numerous parishes and missions in the Chicago area. He also ministered to converts who came seeking the fullness of the apostolic Faith.
Serving at St. Catherine Cathedral in Tsarskoe Selo, just as the October Revolution was beginning, St John refused to stop leading public prayers for his people and their land. To make an example of him, the Bolsheviks publicly shot the beloved archpriest and dragged his body through town.
Holy Hieromartyr John of Chicago and Tsarskoe Selo, pray to God for us!
Serving at St. Catherine Cathedral in Tsarskoe Selo, just as the October Revolution was beginning, St John refused to stop leading public prayers for his people and their land. To make an example of him, the Bolsheviks publicly shot the beloved archpriest and dragged his body through town.
Holy Hieromartyr John of Chicago and Tsarskoe Selo, pray to God for us!