Let us be attentive!

An icon of St. Admiral Feodor Ushakov In St. Petersburg has reportedly begun streaming myrrh.

St Feodor (or Theodore) Ushakov (1745-1817) was the chief commander of the Russian naval fleet. St Theodore is the only admiral who was glorified as the holy and righteous warrior. He never lost a single battle, nor even lose a single ship. What is more, none of his subordinates ever became a prisoner of war.

St Admiral Feodor’s victories completely ousted the Turkish fleet from the Black Sea.

St Feodor spent almost all his fortune on charity. During the last years of his life, St Feodor would spend Great Lent living in a monastic cell, praying with the monks and attending the services.

St Feodor, pray for us!

Not all sanctions are bad news.

"Western culture has fallen. Those nations still resisting like Poland and Hungary are being punished by international organizations and, of course, Greece has been despoiled. But Christians have lived in pagan and atheistic cultures before. The Russian people gave to God millions of martyrs under the Communists. The Saints of the Early Church faced all kinds of savage brutality. So, be of good cheer, do not be afraid. Resist the slide into evil. Organize your life so that it serves your longing for God. Use your time wisely. We are witnessing Satan's hand at play, but we will also witness Christ's victory."

—Fr. Spyridon Bailey

"Heavenly Father, eternal salvation of our souls and bodies: grant Your heavenly blessing to my child(ren) (names). In all the changes and chances of this fleeting world, extend Your mighty hand over them to shield them from all physical and spiritual danger and adversity."

Full prayer for children at since33.org/familyprayers2.html

Purity of heart in a digital world Video at https://mewe.com/join/orthodoxfaith

"We are on Facebook then we go to WhatsApp then to Instagram. When we finish from Instagram we go to Snapchat and when we finish it, there are new messages on WhatsApp … The devil fears that human sits this one minute with himself. Because when human sits with himself he will remember what he has lost. Where he was and where he is now." --Archimandrite Athanasios Kakish, from a lecture on on deification (theosis)

Video with English and Romanian subtitles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRkgQAAq730

English transcript: https://otelders.org/theology-and-spirituality/purity-of-heart-in-a-digital-world-sunday-of-st-gregory-palamas-theosis-deification/

Almighty God controls the world, and everything that is done in it is either by the grace of God or by the loss of God.

+St Seraphim Vyritsky

When you have an important message to deliver, run.

The Archangel Gabriel appears with his feet apart, as if running. This, combined with the posture of his body "captures the urgency and great joy of his message" depicted on the icon of the Annunciation of the Most-Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary (March 25).

A video with a detailed explanation on this holy icon can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIDNxjgSlbQ

“Wash yourselves and ye shall be clean; put away the wicked ways from your souls before Mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well. Seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, consider the fatherless, and plead for the widow. Come then, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: Though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow; and though they be red like crimson, I will make them white as wool.” —Isaiah 1:16-18

The Annunciation to the Most-Holy Theotokos (Mar 25) "is the beginning of our salvation, the revelation of the eternal mystery! The Son of God becomes the Son of the Virgin as Gabriel announces the coming of Grace. Together with him let us cry to the Theotokos: Rejoice, O Full of Grace, the Lord is with you!" (Troparion of the Feast, Tone 4).

“For with God nothing will be impossible.” +St Luke 1:37

—from the Gospel reading for the Annunciation of our Most Holy Lady, Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary (Mar 25)

The Archangel Gabriel (Synaxsis Mar 26) was chosen by the Lord to announce the Incarnation of the Son of God to the Virgin Mary.

"Gabriel, commander of the heavenly hosts, we who are unworthy beseech you, by your prayers encompass us beneath the wings of your immaterial glory, and faithfully preserve us who fall down and cry to you: 'Deliver us from all harm, for you are the commander of the powers on high!'" -- Troparion Tone 4

A prince of the angels was sent from heaven to say to the Theotokos, “Rejoice!” And as, at his bodiless voice, he saw You, Lord, embodied, he was astounded and stood still, crying out to her like this:

Rejoice, you through whom joy will shine out,
Rejoice, you through whom the curse will cease.
Rejoice, recalling of fallen Adam,
Rejoice, redemption of the tears of Eve.
Rejoice, height hard to climb for human thoughts,
Rejoice, depth hard to scan even for angels’ eyes.
Rejoice, for you are a throne for the King,
Rejoice, for you carry the One who carries all.
Rejoice, star that makes visible the Sun,
Rejoice, womb of divine incarnation.
Rejoice, you through whom creation is renewed.
Rejoice, you through whom the Creator becomes a babe.
Rejoice, Bride without bridegroom!
But the holy Virgin, seeing herself pure, says boldly to Gabriel, “The strangeness of you words seems hard for my soul to accept.
For from a conception without seed you foretell pregnancy, as you cry: Alleluia!”
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Pay attention to the details of Holy Scripture, learn from Holy Tradition, and don’t let Satan win! Fr. Kosta Kaltsidis brings rich detail to the meaning-filled history of the wood of the Holy and Life-giving Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ-- and how it came to be placed at Golgotha.
https://youtu.be/RB5epXVED2Q

Prayer against demonic snares

Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, having struck down the ancient serpent and bound him by bonds of darkness, protect me from his snares. Through the prayers of our Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-virgin Mary, of the Holy Archangel Michael and all the Heavenly hosts, of the Holy Prophet and Baptist John, of the holy Evangelist John the Theologian, of the holy Martyr Cyprian and the Martyr Justinia, of St. Nicholas the wonderworker, of St. Nikita of Novgorod, of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, the wonderworker …

and of all the saints, by the power of the life-giving Cross and by the intercession of my Guardian Angel, deliver me from evil spirits, from cunning people, from sorcery, curses, the evil eye, and from any slanders of the enemy. By Thine almighty power preserve me from evil, so that I, enlightened by Thy light, may safely reach the quiet anchorage of the Heavenly Kingdom and there eternally thank Thee, my Savior, together with Thine unoriginate Father and Thy Most Holy and Life-giving Spirit. Amen. ve me from evil, so that I, enlightened by Thy light, may safely reach the quiet anchorage of the Heavenly Kingdom and there eternally thank Thee, my Savior, together with Thine unoriginate Father and Thy Most Holy and Life-giving Spirit. Amen.