tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38396050261110734582024-03-13T17:34:48.468-04:00St. John the ForerunnerAgapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.comBlogger825125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839605026111073458.post-56655135108795371132021-07-19T09:20:00.006-04:002021-07-19T09:24:07.012-04:00 Day trip to the Monastery of Saint John the Forerunner at Serres, Greece<div class="separator"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NlhEvOJofkM/YPV86WSJPCI/AAAAAAAAqy4/eTwsTnfSwKgkXQMjndagYZCGp4vNF1CtwCLcBGAsYHQ/s800/%25CE%2599%25CE%25B5%25CF%2581%25CE%25AC%2B%25CE%259C%25CE%25BF%25CE%25BD%25CE%25AE%2B%25CF%2584%25CE%25BF%25CF%2585%2B%25CE%25A4%25CE%25B9%25CE%25BC%25CE%25AF%25CE%25BF%25CF%2585%2B%25CE%25A0%25CF%2581%25CE%25BF%25CE%25B4%25CF%2581%25CF%258C%25CE%25BC%25CE%25BF%25CF%2585%2B%25CE%25A3%25CE%25B5%25CF%2581%25CF%2581%25CF%258E%25CE%25BD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NlhEvOJofkM/YPV86WSJPCI/AAAAAAAAqy4/eTwsTnfSwKgkXQMjndagYZCGp4vNF1CtwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/%25CE%2599%25CE%25B5%25CF%2581%25CE%25AC%2B%25CE%259C%25CE%25BF%25CE%25BD%25CE%25AE%2B%25CF%2584%25CE%25BF%25CF%2585%2B%25CE%25A4%25CE%25B9%25CE%25BC%25CE%25AF%25CE%25BF%25CF%2585%2B%25CE%25A0%25CF%2581%25CE%25BF%25CE%25B4%25CF%2581%25CF%258C%25CE%25BC%25CE%25BF%25CF%2585%2B%25CE%25A3%25CE%25B5%25CF%2581%25CF%2581%25CF%258E%25CE%25BD.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><img height="310" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.1&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ_MqtS1VV0rrzyJmG3T44lkqUu74_U4IfRrd3Wk5OS3R8FIwpcp-DUjNayj7HMfPau3oLx2qekCuPkbwQuu3z26IXSNJE4YmLEQYUHpmGPxqO4LK3b8Mbc9Rd4&sz=w1280-h1280&ats=1626699740191&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" width="310" /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Monastery of Saint John the Forerunner is 7 miles away from the city of Serres, in Northern Greece. The monastery was founded by Saint Ioannikios, an athonite monk, at the end of the 13th Century.<br /><br />A photo gallery of a day of blessed fellowship at the Timios Prodromos Monastery together with friends, who were spiritual children of + Elder Eusebios Vittis . Memory Eternal <br /></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <img border="0" height="401" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.2&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ8BlG-DrdsOk6o0GKxZt3JqBZZVD1Rb1a2vYpsWzxjwCFoqCqHTJNu7y3goSQntLHgcxJqpQ2G-Cn5CHpJwMBF0fZNtBwfxx-qELJM_J_LBw6Jn4YJvnfdcDF8&sz=w1280-h1280&ats=1626699740191&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" width="401" /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Serbian armies partially destroyed the monastery in 1345.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <img border="0" height="223" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.3&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ_dOxEbEWCaoCsce1zDxP9U-ik6s3n0nKlqjegHSfU7y0-bfX2VjhjjTEAsL6LK-YHpZ_x9uAlSBNKpAY4lydsnPqKjzsABbicpr4unDJi1nPJIHLcVYoKrSAs&sz=w1280-h708&ats=1626699740191&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" width="404" /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Saint Gennadius Scholarius, Patriarch of Constantinople, retired here between 1457 and 1462. The school of the Monastery was famous and the library was so rich in manuscripts that the monastery was called “of the Grammarians”.<br /><br /><img border="0" height="240" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.4&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ-c4SvT5BtEUOExOAf97BQg-9JEbHtXnfxWIiGujEyzm3XwoLCeOOHY2Fpm2if_AYpOKblvn0Heo0kmHQ6CwDRy1pLYSIZcKZzC-6uG_mdBn7Xwg7-8baE5UA8&sz=w1280-h842&ats=1626699740192&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" width="365" /><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">In 1917, the Bulgarian Army pillaged the monastery, stealing over 200 manuscripts, 1800 old printed books and other treasures, now found in museums all over Europe.</span><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <img border="0" height="392" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.5&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ8q16s2G_aB_fYK1bAKPFdzSUGrp4Rpb5L9ydpIruP5BSlMfxQ0ZaKK7Pldbf3AAowu_ws_MkbaTgKg3MT5Aa3q09CcyknqJDBtDJ-7mwFVB_fhWRtxTtQFKa0&sz=w1280-h1426&ats=1626699740192&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" width="351" /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">After the Second World War, the monastery became deserted. It got repopulated by nuns in 1986. In 2010, part of it burned to the ground. The reconstruction work still continues to day.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <img border="0" height="411" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.6&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ8JsBqFEUJy86jyDh2DE6dLYVfoHo6GqaQDYtIWp8L4PlF_kzbp2kF6PQaGj04i-3i38xKXUyddvslecbntORLwlyyOdlL2V0PUB67WQhwqKLy1zEU5tmTIKc8&sz=w1280-h1280&ats=1626699740192&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" width="411" /><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Pavilion with old fountain with holy water, now serving as flowerpot<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <img border="0" height="287" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.7&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ-4Q5-7Z6SMLIV_jKKJCgMho3tsXQRKpCY1k2ALemBjqMqYxjP2oxAFPJ3-eTpAqnG7-4yYXafhst90P54Mr13y_EwKf3WYsUxH8dR9bMh9GxJ4qPSfxg8M4hk&sz=w1280-h1280&ats=1626699740192&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" width="287" /><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Old inscription<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <img border="0" height="321" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.8&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ-8FbK25monYXCx24Yg39gSNhd1DHPG_-mbEigkj1Cbk7arqgjL4XuI-PmXWAkQ3QsorAR1cg2AIsvgUdy2sCh_1qIQYNzfgTuiScSnewYLp9DdN0CRQfxpjeQ&sz=w1280-h1280&ats=1626699740192&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" width="321" /><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Old relief<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <img border="0" height="297" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.9&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ_v8PYd1EZwWsPFzpu-oU1XYtCVdPuwcphrAiHypT3g1ECsFn3fiqdIy_OsLFa6M3QbPM8xwV1WPKgYXgkQpY2hIRLLTDZKE_xou1VM-y1YFIAuwbMD1BMe6ok&sz=w1280-h988&ats=1626699740193&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" width="385" /><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">There are many springs redirected to the monastery courtyard<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <img border="0" height="386" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.10&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ_MbTuIyV3DMws2yfUZylOHIl6G4g_tdGt7Te1pxxZrxjcPbCqSciVOdyBCIVH2dzyVx-MMNTiFONgBhZGTLWW3lsy_vTG6fz2U32v_sXQ4IqG4heZYo-PYi4c&sz=w1280-h1280&ats=1626699740193&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" width="386" /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Twelve kilometres northeast of Serres, to the west of a deep ravine Mountain Menikiou, is located the Monastery of St. John the Baptist, one of the historical monasteries and most beautiful monasteries in Macedonia, Greece and one of the major centres of Orthodox monasticism in the Balkans. The natural beauty surrounding the monastery is just breathtaking. The Holy Monastery of Timios Prodromos of Serres is a pilgrimage of stunning beauty.<br /><br />The establishment of the Monastery in 1270 and its long history testifies the culture, tradition and the rich spirituality of Byzantium, and is an astonishing monument of Byzantine art.<br /><br />The monastery was built in 1270 AC by Ioannikios, who served as bishop os Ezeve (Dafni). Afterwards, his nephew, Joakim Metropolite of Zihni, during the year 1300 surrounded the nunnery with high, solid walls and endowed it with royal donations (monastery dependency and land).<br /><br />In 1345 AC the land belonging to the nunnery was almost destroyed by the invasion of the Serbs. Only due to Helen wife of the Serbian Krali Stefanos Dousan, the area wasn’t destroyed.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <img border="0" height="356" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.11&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ8MBeHw_FCeZlBvbmcQkF78pYajtnNcpQZyq2Aa9ffoO4tNQ6NrELSpjvLjadvY1RzFXtYTXIqEwPS2NpAGrQbrTtbsOi9os40Y3YnCNSRADYN50Gyey44J-I8&sz=w1280-h1536&ats=1626699740193&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" width="297" /><br /><br /> <img border="0" height="403" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.12&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ9Pg202fPjEYssqFVxds5zYeCA_uEtSREzqtGYVKi_AnowVibGanWvpzweVF-FJJeej_HQEiPeZIUh5QC8O5-fFM-NJLDmg1CFzq4GjWB4gZLwyYiEUipX0p-w&sz=w1266-h1800&ats=1626699740193&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" width="284" /><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The main church (the katholikon) is devoted to Saint John the Forerunner<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">During the Turkish domination, the nunnery had the great honour of welcoming the first Patriarch Gennadios Scholarios after the fall of Constantinople. According to history, Gennadios was Patriarch for three years, from 1453 to 1457 and then he resigned and came to the Nunnery. In 1462 he was invited to the Patriarchal throne for the second time, which lasted only for one year. In 1464 he returned to the Patriarchal throne for the third time, but he was replaced by Joasaph the 1st, not having even completed one year and as a result, he returned to the Nunnery, where he died in 1472. According to tradition, Gennadios grave was in the middle part of the Catholic church of the Nunnery, close to the graves of the founders. The removal of his relics took place in May of 1854 and now are placed in a box. Close to the tomb there is a marble sign, engraved with an honourable epigram by the poet Helias Tantalidis, which was sent by the Patriarchate of Constantinople, at the time of the removal of the wise Patriarch’s relics.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The nunnery has been the centre of a constant painting movement. There are icons of the 14th century, some of the most interesting in our country and also beautiful wall paintings from the year 1630. There is also an incredible icon screen made out of walnut wood and very artistically engraved in 1804.<br /><br />In the square ancient tower of the nunnery, that was converted into a library, there were 100 hand-written volumes in vellum, 200 hand-written volumes in paper, 1500 volumes of different kinds of books, 4 golden bulls of Byzantine emperors, in vellum, 5 patriarchal sigils, 4 old codes and many other religious articles that were stolen by the Bulgarians during 1913 and 1917.<br /><br />Since the early years of its establishment enjoyed the favour of the Byzantine emperors. With donations and the grants acquired considerable wealth and quickly developed into an essential monastic centre.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <img border="0" height="232" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.13&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ-gSQQouJownBNBGBHevUF3WGLczU_TpBDnPQkIqsyLp7ftG43pGvjwlcCYJpCSvOkC1dqR9P1YhJPaS7JnKJFc8eqVCDiK395Hxt-OO6qVuQQV-QdLuHN0H6Y&sz=w1280-h850&ats=1626699740194&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" width="349" /><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The narthex of the katholikon<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <img border="0" height="224" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.14&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ9kC-0sMvp3uEhrczpcx0m_wT-IpeO8EOU0088xoOTeidradYqF1EeKDMpHF_y4XgsNKBBqxWdq_hylxftjKnUOlmfyTN9RvZ-BFee37E_WtEKPvDW3elt4E7s&sz=w1280-h852&ats=1626699740194&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" width="336" /><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The narthex of the katholikon. Carved detail.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <img border="0" height="279" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.15&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ-4OUOgZS7YyTXNRie4e1rDIeR6cAkA_QfpTpboVE0lGyNU131qIGLqpVe7yMrHSCXspdMjud3jmyqVokYhvRpNqVada3ZuGpCBdIkR-RGjTVNyAVE6QvFgau4&sz=w1280-h992&ats=1626699740194&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" width="360" /><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The narthex<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <img border="0" height="317" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.16&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ-Ivi9W4R6idLES8naRw3M1Yu_YQYwA7TPpDOAdJn8cHmAmvM7KCrtxjJt8RiD-qNzMNRK6ZuUZjthhfDzh3u3LyPH95xaad_c-Py8sMBqy9wVjc9FVXEYuIWA&sz=w1280-h1280&ats=1626699740194&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" width="317" /><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Postbyzantine fresco from the narthex: The Life giving Spring<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <img border="0" height="282" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.17&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ9dhtByAVDqqSsDRK5og4BvekXUdnZUtSX4Nc2Hmsjgj4KcA-oQ7KxIZPAjFLVR_ZvKGF3wUnEK_kpUZ8SpOA6AkpZWrjw-xdh_B1FQgwi3COHvCETRm_XM-5Y&sz=w1150-h862&ats=1626699740194&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" width="376" /><br /><br /> <img border="0" height="318" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.18&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ9KMYS5i9na4BYU0pKXi32H5uYJFSeuEjTXETWtQd2x-OPOC2PLRhpMys7DXuYxa8xI6q_UZ2q4mmM5lRNuQQXozIp3XYHWZ34u-ej9U7QS0JHqACggwyGq6E0&sz=w1280-h1100&ats=1626699740195&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" width="371" /><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Postbyzantine fresco: The Last Judgement<br /><br />The main temple is stone built, and there are many Byzantine frescoes. The iconostasis is carved and dates back to 1804. In the cathedral, magnificent frescoes are preserved belonging to different chronological phases and in various stylistic trends from the 14th century onwards — a living museum of Byzantine and post-Byzantine art.<br /><br />The Cathedral is a monument of Byzantine hagiography, whose frescoes are attributed to Macedonian hagiographer M. Panselinos. Along with the surviving pictures, heirlooms, manuscripts and other objects of miniaturisation, they all give a complete picture of the artistic and intellectual radiation experienced by the monastery since its inception to date.<br /><br />The operation of a Greek school since 1825 and a Seminary from 1869 confirmed the name rightly won as a “Monastery of Literature”.<br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <img border="0" height="341" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.19&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ-2FH5Le8giX7GgvaPJOidhsugjRyDfJZGZY_Ho_o1MRmNqhj2CK19G9CEEn5jYW31-Nw2BRtAGXMO_C3CvtAdNNVU19Ape-kemqriTu8awUZx3jAXUCA5Cpfg&sz=w1266-h1600&ats=1626699740195&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" width="270" /><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The entrance to the nave<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <img border="0" height="148" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.20&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ8zYKuw9H5dK-4A_pbxPeb66qf2CrA5kIwaeqmNBKAl80LdeIB5uf_cP5GxdTVuJNqp5fwAsC6ULyphR5HwGNBpWemncDmBdUeTbkesRLhbY0Yt8QRqD9b8LH0&sz=w1280-h632&ats=1626699740195&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" width="299" /><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Inside the main church<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <img border="0" height="463" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.21&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ-xkHPP88_dMPJE8IeZJtIogRl5u3a0T7CsMBH_ZMB5u6n_gYWilv5JKHB2ZO6ya36hVHCsT9si9XmLoaK2lmFbpfUhmQmF2_-RQ9Jp7GO3rZMuXCOusNXrdWs&sz=w1180-h1644&ats=1626699740195&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" width="332" /><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Jesus Christ the Saviour, icon fom the iconostasis<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <img border="0" height="446" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.22&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ_tPzHXK3eADoqaxkSHx7ZiNn8MOE0jE0pGVgxEpdy0jVgfMCLyqF1BNqqChIGUbinNOviF1hi3dG74TKDnbDdIph2uAV0FanGaqWEolTLk0rPCy-8YHsLAhtM&sz=w1180-h1462&ats=1626699740195&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" width="359" /><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Mother of God, icon fom the iconostasis<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <img border="0" height="298" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.23&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ-t4Yy9oDfi1ZTY-IwCNc3s3xZMsiqpYQuSJHXoND0Qaciq-vsr9lkrzOc4XT1a_T8CBkaEyJAcj8wTNVhnvI-HqLIH5IwjeowLjc-iPWdTgBVXtcgt7ioP3Ak&sz=w1280-h1158&ats=1626699740196&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" width="329" /><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Fresco from the main church<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <img border="0" height="304" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.24&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ8GHaQkEHg9r_PZh2c3rMfBX0tYg8PKuMUAXIldGThPh5xKDG8CXFrOipnYEdh0XY4BjC3TA6IxRA2ZkZNw2pS3TrCChDxI1JIB-ciyZU2EWVT1KbIaEnUBkzU&sz=w1280-h1034&ats=1626699740196&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" width="377" /><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Christ before Pontius Pilate, fresco from the main church<br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <img border="0" height="323" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.25&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ_leTsw4T_mFXbxbmTdN0nt4REFqIuQ9F7Q3u0ICE6ObZci-Gl9yhvkPDFQmZeCQw8HYxh3sz7hlJr8CFBg5p0Alblmb1-yTXM_otwaYJVhFB_RaKCNZXNyWfQ&sz=w1280-h1048&ats=1626699740196&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" width="395" /><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Burial of Christ, fresco from the main church<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The age of the monastery, the permanent residence of thirty nuns and the large turnout of believers led to the need for reconstruction of the new Catholic, built in the architectural standards of the Byzantine monasteries.<br /><br />Since 1986, there have been nuns in the Monastery, mostly university graduates who chose poverty, chastity and obedience over careers, relationships and motherhood, who came from the Monastery of Panagia Odigitria of Volos and are under the obedience of Elder Efraim of Arizona. The life of nuns is dedicated to worship, reading, and working in the monastery. In addition to their attendance at church, the sisters spent several hours in private prayer and meditation. Often people struggle with the idea of a young woman, even a college graduate, entering religious life: “It seems so different to be readily accepted by others. For several years my parents didn’t recognise it… However, it was a conscious choice through internal need” (Νun Iosephia).<br /><br />The monastic community is engaged with various daily work and chores: cooking, raising the necessary supplies of vegetables and fruits, producing wine, oil and honey, embroidery, iconography and so many others.<br /><br />The fraternity under the guidance of Αbbess Fevronia makes every effort to reconstitute the complex with remarkable results. The old distillery of Monastery wine now forms a small cosy museum. On December 13, 2010, the monastery was hit by a fire that destroyed the hospice, the old showroom, the guest room and other buildings. The 30 nuns are trying hard to reconstruct the building complex of the Monastery which was ruined in 1986. Since then, the monastic community in cooperation with the Authority of Byzantine Antiquities in Kavala has undertaken the work of conservation and restoration of the monastery.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> <img border="0" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=54bf14d2d1&view=fimg&th=17abc1659622f1f2&attid=0.26&disp=emb&attbid=ANGjdJ_nxzYTzhCfHhuyLOFZH3fcz0Zk2IQdJo8sU9qFtwauGLrZsNy-goWQJYbz2yfD14tLHP359o-CnN1lwTzDyDnqUC63mBz_vdZD2g-th5ePyaxWA4ehsh6JxUQ&sz=w690-h1178&ats=1626699740197&rm=17abc1659622f1f2&zw&atsh=1" /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Saints Archangels Michael and Gabriel, old tempera on wood<br /><br />A Brief History of the Timios Prodromos Monastery<br /><br />The katholicon (main church) was built in the 14th century and belongs to the single-aisled domed type with lite, narthex, exonarthex and an oblong roofed portico on the south side (Makrynariki)<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">On the north side are two chapels and the belfry. The rest of the buildings are organized around the katholicon: cells, abbot’s quarters, school, refectory, library, hostel. The wall paintings of the katholicon were executed in 1300-1333 and were continued in several periods, by various artists.<br /><br />The monastery was founded in 1275-1278 by Monk Ioannikios from Serres and a few years later it was renovated by his nephew, Ioakeim, bishop of Zichne. It soon developed to an important monastic centre with great financial prosperity, because it was favoured by the Byzantine emperors. Patriarch George Scholarios (Gennadios) died here and was buried in the katholicon.<br /><br />As the spiritual centre of Hellenism in eastern Macedonia, during the Balkan wars the monastery of Timios Prodromos (Saint John the Baptist) provoked the fury of the Bulgarians, who took pains to strip it of its historic treasures. Greek historical documents and in particular the monastic library were carried off to Sofia in their entirety in 1912. The quest for these invaluable sources of Macedonian history has since occupied, as it continues to occupy, much scholarly research.<br /><br />The monastery, still functioning today, acquired its final form with the addition of many buildings during the Turkish occupation.<br /><br />In the years between 1972 and 1986 the roofs of several buildings were repaired. Since 1986 restoration has been carried out at the cells of the east wing and at the north wing.<br /><br />This is the most important monastery of Serres (Serrhai).</span></div>Agapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839605026111073458.post-61836719104033257322021-07-02T16:01:00.003-04:002021-07-02T16:03:21.394-04:00You missed my call this morning .........<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="207" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NNS5s9xoFTw/YN9w9m7E28I/AAAAAAAAqyA/bqVUQmSXiAsSB0foj4l4ScUZERxhWAXIQCLcBGAsYHQ/w375-h207/christ%2Band%2Btears.jpg" width="375" /></div>I was looking at you when you woke up this morning. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I was expecting you to tell me one or two things, thanking me for everything that was happening to you, asking for my assistance for whatever you were about to do today.<br /><br /> I realized that you were very busy trying to find what to wear for work. I was hoping that you would find a few moments to tell me ‘good morning’!<br /><br /> But you were very busy. To help you see that I was near you, I had created the colorful sky and the songs of the birds. What a pity! You didn’t even notice my presence, not even then.<br /><br /> I was looking at you being in a hurry for work and was again waiting for you. I suspected that because you were busy you didn’t have time to say a few words to Me, even then.<br /><br /> When you returned from work, I saw how tired you were and how stressed and sent you some rain to relieve you from the day’s stress. I thought that by making this favor to you, you would remember Me.<br /><br /> Instead, being tired, you swore at Me. I so much wished that you would have wanted to talk to Me.<br /><br /> Still the day was not over yet. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">You switched on the TV and watched your favorite program. I was waiting. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Then you had dinner with your loved ones and once again you didn’t remember Me.<br /><br /> Seeing you so exhausted, I understood your need for silence and turned off the sky’s brilliance so you could get some rest, but I didn’t turn the sky into a dark pitch. I turned on innumerable stars for you. They were so beautiful… it’s a pity you didn’t see them… never mind!<br /><br /> Do you really realize that I am here for you; I have more patience that you can ever imagine. I want to demonstrate this, so that you tell those around you.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I love you so much that I am putting up with you.<br /><br /> Any moment now, you will wake up again. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">All I can do is to love you and hope that today at least you will give me some of your time…<br /><br /> Your loving Father<br /><br />The Lord of Infinite Love.</span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span>Agapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839605026111073458.post-35055438304969686392021-06-07T08:27:00.004-04:002021-06-07T08:27:35.777-04:00Akathist Hymn to Apostle Peter and Apostle Paul<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dtLRDuEbZeA/YL4QoD_hKYI/AAAAAAAAqww/idH2AbAhsQ0yi6Bwyjj_TcoCOwb45JhVgCLcBGAsYHQ/s600/apostoloi_petros_paulos_7487.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="600" height="233" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dtLRDuEbZeA/YL4QoD_hKYI/AAAAAAAAqww/idH2AbAhsQ0yi6Bwyjj_TcoCOwb45JhVgCLcBGAsYHQ/w359-h233/apostoloi_petros_paulos_7487.jpg" width="359" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;"><u><b>Kontakion 1 </b></u></span><br /><br />Our Lord said of Himself: I am the Good Shepherd. To you the Chief Apostle Peter, He said: If you love Me, feed My sheep. And Peter said: Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. I am Jesus, He said to you, O Paul the Chief Apostle, and of you, our Lord said: This is My chosen instrument to carry My Name before the Gentiles. Jesus instructed those who were your fellow disciples as well as His apostles: As My Father sent Me, so have I sent you, go and make disciples of all nations. Since you have the same grace from your Master, as after our Lord the Great Pastor of all, shepherd us to salvation that we may call to you: <br /><br />Rejoice, Saints Peter and Paul together with all the holy apostles. <br /><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><u><b>Ikos 1 </b></u></span><br /><br />Blessed are you Simon, son of Jonah, for Christ the Son of the Living God said to you, O Apostle Peter: You are worthy of glory. How may we be worthy of your blessedness, O blessed one of God? Truly, because of our loving duty, we may come to you in faith and now we sing to you: <br /><br />Rejoice, Apostle Peter, first after Christ among the apostles and foundation of the Holy Church. <br /><br />Rejoice, powerful pillar of the Orthodox Faith and Its confirmation. <br /><br />Rejoice, zealous lover of the teachings of Christ. <br /><br />Rejoice, first-seated of the Apostolic College. <br /><br />Rejoice, good gatekeeper of the Kingdom of Heaven. <br /><br />Rejoice, renowned physician of those who repent of their sins. <br /><br />Rejoice, rejecter of worldly vanity and lover of the spiritual life. <br /><br />Rejoice, renouncer of material nets and fisherman of the universe with imperishable nets. <br /><br />Rejoice, Peter and Paul, who enlighten like two golden luminaries. <br /><br />Rejoice, twins yoked together by God, and His chariots bearing the light of knowledge. <br /><br />Rejoice, all you holy apostles, seers of God, for you are lights of the world. <br /><br />Rejoice, for through you, through Christ, everywhere the Faith that saves us shines forth. <br /><br />Rejoice, Saints Peter and Paul together with all the holy apostles. <br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><u><b>Kontakion 2 </b></u></span><br /><br />You believed, having accepted the miraculous call from above, O teacher of nations, when Jesus said to you: Saul, why do you persecute Me Who cannot be comprehended by doubt? But from now on, you will believe because the boldness of the adversary is overcome. You have been chosen as witness of My destiny before kings and nations and before the sons of Israel. Hereafter, you understood, Apostle Paul chosen by God, for you cried out: Alleluia. <br /><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><u><b>Ikos 2 </b></u></span><br /><br />Saul heard the voice from Heaven and after that he could not see for he had persecuted the incomprehensible One, and for zeal of the Law he exchanged his sight. However, he was led to the font and received Baptism by faith, and in immersion he gained sight in both his physical and spiritual eyes. Awed by your wondrous calling, we gratefully cry out to you: <br /><br />Rejoice, Apostle Paul, called by God, for you were sent to preach to all nations. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you flow with sweet faith in Christ toward all men. <br /><br />Rejoice, eyewitness illumined by the Divine Light from above. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you were enlightened above others by grace after the shadow of the Law. <br /><br />Rejoice, converser with the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on earth. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you were strengthened by Him Whom you denounced with daring faithlessness. <br /><br />Rejoice, enlightener of the entire world by your divinely inspired writings. <br /><br />Rejoice, laborer above others, after Christ, for the salvation of mankind. <br /><br />Rejoice, Peter and Paul, for you are like two cherubim covering the ark of the Holy Church. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you are like two seraphim standing before the Throne of the Most Holy. <br /><br />Rejoice, stars who crown the Church, the Bride of Christ. <br /><br />Rejoice, all you holy apostles, for you are proclaimers of the glory of God in Heaven. <br /><br />Rejoice, Saints Peter and Paul together with all the holy apostles. <br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><u><b>Kontakion 3 </b></u></span><br /><br />You were filled with wondrous fear, holy Apostle Peter, when you saw the sheet being lowered from above and in it was a parable of God’s love of mankind. All the animals, even the unclean, symbolized that it is not right to turn away those of other nations who desire to believe in Christ Jesus. Peter, having understood this mystery, cried out: Alleluia. <br /><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><u><b>Ikos 3 </b></u></span><br /><br />The defiled nurture of the evil and impious generation has never entered my mouth, you said, most blessed Apostle Peter. Notwithstanding, the Divine Wisdom answered you with a voice from Heaven: What God has cleansed, you must not call common. By this was signified that the Savior did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. This which was revealed to you, we have understood and now we may sing: <br /><br />Rejoice, Apostle Peter, for you mercifully reveal the Kingdom of Heaven. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you regard not the exterior but the deeds of all nations. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you cover with your love our many sins. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you fulfill with your mercy our meager repentance. <br /><br />Rejoice, quick helper of those who call to you in time of spiritual trouble. <br /><br />Rejoice, honorable uplifter of the dead in spirit and body by your prayers. <br /><br />Rejoice, by the Holy Spirit you strengthen the faithful who hear your words. <br /><br />Rejoice, for your words are like darts which strike the faithless. <br /><br />Rejoice, Peter and Paul, two eyes of the Church who see divine things. <br /><br />Rejoice, righteous protectors of the New Israel. <br /><br />Rejoice, all you holy apostles who stand as vigilant guards on the walls of Jerusalem. <br /><br />Rejoice, our instructors who are concerned for all Christian souls. <br /><br />Rejoice, Saints Peter and Paul together with all the holy apostles. <br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><u><b>Kontakion 4 </b></u></span><br /><br />You began your preaching to the Jews dwelling in Damascus, O divinely inspired Apostle Paul, calling them to believe in Christ Jesus the Son of God. You wondrously led them into belief, for you yourself came to believe in the Name of Jesus Christ whose followers you had persecuted. When others conspired to kill you, and you saw their plan and the hardness of their hearts, you handed them over to their own blindness and faithlessness. Then, by the faithful, you were lowered to safety over the wall in a basket and you cried out to God: Alleluia. <br /><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><u><b>Ikos 4 </b></u></span><br /><br />Apostle Paul, you preached with mighty zeal the renunciation of past services to the ancient Law and circumcision. You called all to approach the font of divine Baptism. You preached not only to the Hebrews, but also to the Gentiles of whom you became a most beloved teacher. For this cause we truly call to you: <br /><br />Rejoice, Apostle Paul, preacher sent by God to proclaim repentance to sinners. <br /><br />Rejoice, evangelizer of virtue and denouncer of evil. <br /><br />Rejoice, merciful greeter to faith in Christ of those lost Gentiles who have found the Way. <br /><br />Rejoice, true instructor of the True Way. <br /><br />Rejoice, saving-vessel of those drowning in their sins. <br /><br />Rejoice, pilot who guides us into the harbor of pleasing God. <br /><br />Rejoice, comforter who comes quickly to the aid of those who suffer. <br /><br />Rejoice, unmercenary healer of those who suffer physical and spiritual weaknesses. <br /><br />Rejoice, Peter and Paul, two wings of the Church given by Christ the Great Eagle. <br /><br />Rejoice, two wings of the dove given by the Holy Spirit. <br /><br />Rejoice, all you holy apostles, pure like doves and soaring on wings like eagles. <br /><br />Rejoice, those who were assembled together when Christ was in the flesh. <br /><br />Rejoice, Saints Peter and Paul together with all the holy apostles. <br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><u><b>Kontakion 5 </b></u></span><br /><br />Holy Apostle Peter, you were a fisherman laboring by the sweat of your brow when you were called to be an apostle. You believed in Christ who nourishes wholly and who fed five thousand from five loaves of bread. Following Him in search of the imperishable food which is for eternal life, you cried to God: Alleluia. <br /><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><u><b>Ikos 5 </b></u></span><br /><br />You were barred by the high priests and elders of Judea to teach in the Name of the Lord Jesus, O blessed Apostle Peter. You then armored yourself with the assurance of the Faith saying that, above all, one must submit to God rather than to men. For this you suffered imprisonment and wounds. Yet, you left rejoicing after you appeared before the Council, and for the Name of the Lord you were counted worthy to bear persecution. We now come to you rejoicing and say: <br /><br />Rejoice, Apostle Peter, victor over the gathering of Jews, with the writings of the prophets concerning Christ. <br /><br />Rejoice, destroyer of the spider’s web of arguments of the Pharisees and Sadducees. <br /><br />Rejoice, worker of many miracles by the grace of the Holy Spirit. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you give mobility to the crippled and sight to the blind. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you raised from the bed of illness by your shadow. <br /><br />Rejoice, healer of many who suffered from evil spirits. <br /><br />Rejoice, fisherman who calls us to miraculous fishing. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you attract unbelievers to true belief by your evangelical eloquence. <br /><br />Rejoice, Peter and Paul, two sources of nourishment of the Church our Mother and the Bride of Christ. <br /><br />Rejoice, two vines of grapes who nourish us and make us rejoice. <br /><br />Rejoice, all you holy apostles, for you are true branches of the True Vine. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you are good laborers in the vineyard of Christ. <br /><br />Rejoice, Saints Peter and Paul together with all the holy apostles. <br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><u><b>Kontakion 6 </b></u></span><br /><br />Saint Paul, you were an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin according to the Law of the Pharisees — who in zeal persecuted the Church of God when you were called to be an apostle. This you did conceal, but then revealed your former zeal when you punished the unfaithful of Jesus Christ. Even as you greatly persecuted the Church of God, so now is She gloriously adorned by you, and by your wondrous writings She is firmly established and cries out to God: Alleluia. <br /><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><u><b>Ikos 6 </b></u></span><br /><br />What shall separate us from the love of God — sorrow, or anguish, or persecution or any other thing? O God-loving preacher Apostle Paul, you spoke this and brought together all those who believed in Christ through your sincerity in His love. For the sake of God you suffered courageously, and with thanksgiving we lovingly call to you thus: <br /><br />Rejoice, Apostle Paul, for zealous in the Law you were called Saul. <br /><br />Rejoice, for as perfect lover of Christ you were named Paul. <br /><br />Rejoice, for in the light of Divine Wisdom you enlightened those in the shadow of ignorance. <br /><br />Rejoice, guiding-star who guides those lost in the depths of lawlessness. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you betrothed the souls of the faithful to Christ, calling them to the heavenly mansions. <br /><br />Rejoice, for having yourself suffered many sorrows, you encouraged others to be patient in their suffering. <br /><br />Rejoice, by your hands the power of God was made manifest. <br /><br />Rejoice, by your handkerchief the infirm were healed. <br /><br />Rejoice, Peter and Paul, two lofty pillars of the Church, asserted by the heavenly Solomon. <br /><br />Rejoice, two pure lilies on the pillars of the Church who beautify the Holy Place of God. <br /><br />Rejoice, all you holy apostles who are like flowers exuding perfume for all the world. <br /><br />Rejoice, by your sweet-smelling fragrance you ward off evil-smelling unrighteousness. <br /><br />Rejoice, Saints Peter and Paul together with all the holy apostles. <br /><span style="color: red;"><u><b><br />Kontakion 7 </b></u></span><br /></span></div> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Saint Peter, you arrived in Lydda where Aeneas had been bedridden for eight years with paralysis, and all the people marveled when you raised him up to walk in the Name of Jesus Christ. By prayer you restored the dead Tabitha to life in Joppa. When you were called to Caeserea, you enlightened the centurion Cornelius — baptizing him together with those of his household, and for his sake we all now call out in one spirit: Alleluia. <br /><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><u><b>Ikos 7 </b></u></span><br /><br />Simon the Magician thought that he could acquire the grace of the Holy Spirit with silver, and the blessed Apostle Peter denounced him as the inheritor of damnation along with his silver. This avaricious attitude of simony is like stealing holy things and this you strictly prohibited, and so we rightfully call to you in this manner: <br /><br />Rejoice, Apostle Peter, enricher of the Church of Christ with spiritual grace. <br /><br />Rejoice, forbidder of the acceptance of payment for the sacred in the Church. <br /><br />Rejoice, you by whom the love of silver as the root of all evil was severed from spiritual grace. <br /><br />Rejoice, you by whom evil bribery, even as idolatry, was rejected from the Holy Church. <br /><br />Rejoice, teacher for the sake of Christ of the unmercenary life of non-acquisition. <br /><br />Rejoice, good fulfiller of Christ’s commandment that one cannot serve God and mammon. <br /><br />Rejoice, punisher with harsh death the robbery of the sacred by Ananias. <br /><br />Rejoice, punisher also of Sapphira who conspired with her husband. <br /><br />Rejoice, Peter and Paul, two olive trees who bear mercy. <br /><br />Rejoice, two candles who illuminate with wisdom. <br /><br />Rejoice, all you holy apostles who are like fruitful olive trees. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you are all brightly burning candles in the House of God. <br /><br />Rejoice, Saints Peter and Paul together with all the holy apostles. <br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><u><b>Kontakion 8 </b></u></span><br /><br />Holy Apostle Paul, blessed by God, you attained to the third heaven because of your physical and spiritual holiness, and God enriched you with ineffable gifts when you descended from the third heaven. You revealed wise and divinely inspired teachings to all. You amazed all people, both Jews and Gentiles, who were believers in Christ. Now, together with them and with all the faithful, we are learners of heavenly teachings and we cry out: Alleluia. <br /><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><u><b>Ikos 8 </b></u></span><br /><br />You were an example of faith, O Apostle Paul, bearing many wounds from the sword and on your flesh the marks of stoning which you bore joyously for the sake of the Sweet Jesus. You heard the call of God and were delivered over to punishment for your belief in Christ Jesus — as it is right indeed to bear all sorrows with thankfulness. We therefore come to you in lowliness and cry to you: <br /><br />Rejoice, Apostle Paul, for you bore joyously in your body the wounds of the Lord Jesus. <br /><br />Rejoice, precious stone, strong in soul and body, who deeply suffered all sorrows. <br /><br />Rejoice, worshipper of the True God, for you heeded the call to follow Christ and serve the Church. <br /><br />Rejoice, incomparable witness of Christ before peoples and kings. <br /><br />Rejoice, unconquerable teacher before the teachers of the Law of Israel. <br /><br />Rejoice, light-giving ray which shone forth on the earth below from the third heaven above. <br /><br />Rejoice, fruitful branch which springs forth from Paradise with ripe spiritual food. <br /><br />Rejoice, for the benefits of your labors, like the sweetest fruit in all the earth, nourished the faithful. <br /><br />Rejoice, for your teachings, like a never-waning light, illumined all the earth under the heavens. <br /><br />Rejoice, Peter and Paul, two fig trees planted in the midst of Paradise — the Church. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you brought forth the fruit of life and good understanding. <br /><br />Rejoice, all you holy apostles who are like bountiful fig trees and cedars of contemplation. <br /><br />Rejoice, Saints Peter and Paul together with all the holy apostles. <br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><u><b>Kontakion 9 </b></u></span><br /><br />You were concerned about all, O blessed Apostle Peter, including those coming into the Christian Faith — in which the heart and mind must act in harmony. Therefore, to meet their needs you presented them with virtuous Stephen as a servant together with six deacons. You and the other apostles then diligently applied yourselves by prayer and the words of teaching, instructing all believers who call in one spirit to God: Alleluia. <br /><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><u><b>Ikos 9 </b></u></span><br /><br />You were inflamed with zeal for your Lord when you cut off the ear of Malchus who was unwilling to listen to the testimony of the prophets about Jesus Christ. However, you were restrained by your Master, O holy Apostle Peter, and you were grateful for His reprimand and for all the hostile actions which you suffered with patience. Remembering your zeal, we call to you in unity: <br /><br />Rejoice, Apostle Peter, for you surpassed in your zeal the other disciples. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you were a courageous warrior of Christ in the garden. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you followed Jesus in His Passion to the house of Caiaphas. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you were ready to suffer imprisonment and even death for your Lord. <br /><br />Rejoice, for your bitter tears healed your weakness which had led to denial of Christ. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you were called to the first rank after the Resurrection of our Lord. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you have given an image of repentance for others who have likewise sinned. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you counseled repeated forgiveness of the weaknesses of repentant sinners. <br /><br />Rejoice, Peter and Paul, two tablets of the Commandments of the Lord. <br /><br />Rejoice, teachers of the love of God and of our neighbor. <br /><br />Rejoice, all you holy apostles, for you preserved in totality all the Commandments of our Lord. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you left all and walked in the footsteps of Christ and found Him to be all in all. <br /><br />Rejoice, Saints Peter and Paul together with all the holy apostles. <br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><u><b>Kontakion 10 </b></u></span><br /><br />Apostle Paul, called by God, you were a powerful witness who proclaimed from the writings of the prophets concerning Christ before the leaders of Judea — at the trial before Festus and before King Agrippa. Before both, you were falsely charged, as many books have also written, and in fury you were sentenced to be sent to Rome. All this you suffered in thanksgiving and you cried out together with the faithful people of God: Alleluia. <br /><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><u><b>Ikos 10 </b></u></span><br /><br />Apostle Paul, you proclaimed the life-giving Trinity as you had been taught in the third heaven. O pre-ordained vessel of the wondrous divine mysteries, you evangelized nations, judges and kings –promising salvation to all who willed to believe in Jesus Christ and who accepted holy Baptism in the Name of the Trinity. For that reason, all who believe in divine hope of salvation sing to you thus: <br /><br />Rejoice, Apostle Paul, most wise interpreter of the mysteries of revelation of our Lord. <br /><br />Rejoice, confessor of One God in Three Persons. <br /><br />Rejoice, preacher of Christ — the only foundation of the faithful. <br /><br />Rejoice, establisher of that confession of all righteous believers. <br /><br />Rejoice, sufferer of unjust accusations and uncommon abuse from the unbelieving Festus. <br /><br />Rejoice, witness before Festus of the Word of truth and virtue. <br /><br />Rejoice, vivid narrator of the heavenly vision before King Agrippa. <br /><br />Rejoice, open-denouncer of King Agrippa’s evil cunning turned against the faith in Christ. <br /><br />Rejoice, Peter and Paul, for you are like two silver trumpets of Moses. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you assembled in the battle against evil under earth and Heaven. <br /><br />Rejoice, all you holy apostles who suffered wickedness as Christ’s warriors. <br /><br />Rejoice, by faith you conquered the kingdoms of the earth and received the heavenly. <br /><br />Rejoice, Saints Peter and Paul together with all the holy apostles. <br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><u><b>Kontakion 11 </b></u></span><br /><br />Herod, having put to death James the son of Zebedee, contrived to seize you, Apostle Peter, blessed by God, and he threw you into prison. He placed you under heavy guard for execution, while the sincere prayer of the Church was made for you. Then the angel of the Lord, having freed you from your chains, led you through the gates which opened of themselves. You thought you were dreaming, but the angel departed and you revived and realized that indeed you had been freed by the power of God. Hence, in gratitude you cried out to Him: Alleluia. <br /><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><u><b>Ikos 11 </b></u></span><br /><br />Philip asked, “O Lord, show us the Father,” and the blessed Apostle Peter saw on Mount Tabor the Lord Who was transfigured, and saw His face gloriously shining. And you, Apostle Paul, heard the voice of God the Father from Heaven say of Him, “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” Accordingly, to you who were worthy of such an appearance, we reverently cry out: <br /><br />Rejoice, Apostle Peter, faithful witness of Christ’s Transfiguration. <br /><br />Rejoice, well-known hearer of the voice of the Divine Father from Heaven. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you saw the face of the Son of God which was like the light of the shining sun. <br /><br />Rejoice, receiver of the over-shadowing of the Holy Spirit in a bright cloud of light. <br /><br />Rejoice, you to whom was opened the most holy mystery on the holy mountain. <br /><br />Rejoice, you to whom the glory of the Holy Trinity appeared. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you heard that the exodus of Christ was to take place in Jerusalem. <br /><br />Rejoice, for your own exodus came to its end, after Christ, on a cross in Rome. <br /><br />Rejoice, Peter and Paul, like the two mountains Tabor and Hebron, mounts of reason. <br /><br />Rejoice, from the East and the West, the Promised Land appears in Heaven. <br /><br />Rejoice, all you holy apostles who are mountains of Zion. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you bring forth the sweetness of salvation for us. <br /><br />Rejoice, Saints Peter and Paul together with all the holy apostles. <br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><u><b>Kontakion 12 </b></u></span><br /><br />You are of equal standing to the cherubim and we praise you, blessed Apostle Paul, enlightened by the Divine Wisdom in the third heaven. You heard words there which cannot be told, which man may not utter, and with these you covered the world by teaching others to believe in the Crucified Christ, the Son of God, and to Him as True God we unceasingly sing: Alleluia. <br /></span></div></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><u><b>Ikos 12 </b></u></span><br /><br />Chosen vessel of Christ, most wise Apostle Paul, you were filled with many revelations of the divine mysteries. In a manner well known, you bore the Name of God who appeared in the flesh, and you believed in Him as Savior, converting to Him people of many nations. You labored well in the spiritual effort, and you fulfilled your most glorious journey in the Name of the Lord in the city of Rome. Finally, you received there the crown of truth, and we sing to you thus: <br /><br />Rejoice, Apostle Paul, great lover of the Name of Christ for which you suffered much. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you witnessed to His Name, and of worship in His Name in Heaven and on earth and below the earth. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you witnessed well of the Lord in Jerusalem. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you also witnessed of Him willingly in Rome. <br /><br />Rejoice, for you rebuked Emperor Nero and coveted his wife for the Christian Faith. <br /><br />Rejoice, for in the same Rome where Peter was crucified head down, you bowed your own head under the sword. <br /><br />Rejoice, from your severed head flowed forth pure milk. <br /><br />Rejoice, with this wondrous miracle were brought many warriors who witnessed it to the Faith. <br /><br />Rejoice, Paul and Peter, two streams of living water from the flowing-forth of the Holy Spirit. <br /><br />Rejoice, for your words were manifested like the unity of the two rivers, Dan and Leddan, which flow into the Jordan. <br /><br />Rejoice, all you holy apostles who are rivers flowing with joy to the City of the Church of God. <br /><br />Rejoice, rivers of sweetness which satisfy the faithful with the Cup of Salvation. <br /><br />Rejoice, Saints Peter and Paul together with all the holy apostles. <br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><u><b>Kontakion 13 </b></u></span><br /><br />Most glorious and praiseworthy disciples of the Lord, Chief Apostles Peter and Paul and all the apostles who reign as equals, you enlightened all the world with the Holy Faith, and with Christ you are destined to judge the entire universe. Glory and praise are due to you most properly not on earth but in Heaven, and though we are unworthy we pray that you accept the prayers we offer to you here and now. From all our troubles we ask you to save us by your worthy intercessions. Intercede before the righteous Judge Christ to be merciful to us at the Judgment Seat — that we may be saved, and thankfully praise our Savior God: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. <br /><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><u><b>(Repeat Kontakion 13 three times.) </b></u></span><br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><u><b>Kontakion 1 (repeated) </b></u></span><br /><br />Our Lord said of Himself: I am the Good Shepherd. To you the Chief Apostle Peter, He said: If you love Me, feed My sheep. And Peter said: Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. I am Jesus, He said to you, O Paul the Chief Apostle, and of you, our Lord said: This is My chosen instrument to carry My Name before the Gentiles. Jesus instructed those who were your fellow disciples as well as His apostles: As My Father sent Me, so have I sent you, go and make disciples of all nations. Since you have the same grace from your Master, as after our Lord the Great Pastor of all, shepherd us to salvation that we may call to you: <br /><br />Rejoice, Saints Peter and Paul together with all the holy apostles. <br /><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><u><b>Ikos 1 (repeated) </b></u></span><br /><br />Blessed are you Simon, son of Jonah, for Christ the Son of the Living God said to you, O Apostle Peter: You are worthy of glory. How may we be worthy of your blessedness, O blessed one of God? Truly, because of our loving duty, we may come to you in faith and now we sing to you: <br /><br />Rejoice, Apostle Peter, first after Christ among the apostles and foundation of the Holy Church. <br /><br />Rejoice, powerful pillar of the Orthodox Faith and Its confirmation. <br /><br />Rejoice, zealous lover of the teachings of Christ. <br /><br />Rejoice, first-seated of the Apostolic College. <br /><br />Rejoice, good gatekeeper of the Kingdom of Heaven. <br /><br />Rejoice, renowned physician of those who repent of their sins. <br /><br />Rejoice, rejecter of worldly vanity and lover of the spiritual life. <br /><br />Rejoice, renouncer of material nets and fisherman of the universe with imperishable nets. <br /><br />Rejoice, Peter and Paul, who enlighten like two golden luminaries. <br /><br />Rejoice, twins yoked together by God, and His chariots bearing the light of knowledge. <br /><br />Rejoice, all you holy apostles, seers of God, for you are lights of the world. <br /><br />Rejoice, for through you, through Christ, everywhere the Faith that saves us shines forth. <br /><br />Rejoice, Saints Peter and Paul together with all the holy apostles. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Amen.</span><br /><br /></span></div>Agapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839605026111073458.post-1683492068094299362021-05-15T19:30:00.003-04:002021-05-15T19:35:10.364-04:00Saint Paisios on Icons<div class="separator"><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yyHlfPFtPmo/YKBanVl149I/AAAAAAAAqjc/dr8HwH9xgp8RRzcXzt3YtMlDyA0-8026QCLcBGAsYHQ/s601/image001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="601" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yyHlfPFtPmo/YKBanVl149I/AAAAAAAAqjc/dr8HwH9xgp8RRzcXzt3YtMlDyA0-8026QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/image001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Saint Paisios of Mount Athos Answers the Questions of his Young Visitor<br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><b>The Orthodox Church uses the icons in prayer. </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Is this the right thing to do? </b></span><br /><br />The Lord says: “I am the Lord your God. You shall not make for yourself a carved image nor any likeness of anything. You shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God”. The Orthodox Church worships icons. Is this the right thing to do?<br /><br /> The saint responded. A mother whose child is fighting in a war, fears for his life, day and night. She is constantly in anguish and always anxious. Suddenly, she gets a letter from her child with his photograph inside. When she sees the photograph, what does she do? She takes it into her hands and she kisses it, and afterwards she brings it up to her chest so that it always touches her heart. Well, what do you think? </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Do you think that this mother with such burning desire for her child believes that she is kissing a photograph? She, of course, thinks that she is kissing her very own child! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The situation is the same for the faithful people who have a burning respect and passion for the All Holy Theotokos and the Saints. We don’t venerate the icons but rather we venerate the holy persons they depict. And we venerate these holy persons not because they are the faces on the icons, but because they fought and many times they died for Christ. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">God is jealous, that is the truth, though He is not jealous of us venerating His own children (the saints). He is jealous when we venerate the devil and the devil’s children. The father isn’t jealous of his own children. Do not worry, the Lord is proud and happy when He sees you respecting and loving His Mother and the Saints.<br /><br />From the article “A conversation with Saint Paisios” published in the journal “Osios Gregorios” a publication of the Holy Monastery of Osios Gregorios of Mount Athos 20th edition (1995),</span></div> Agapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839605026111073458.post-13983453129164163332021-04-18T20:23:00.009-04:002021-04-18T20:23:49.350-04:00 A Prayer Rule ( St. Theophan the Recluse )<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4b3922fEiSI/VQrLA4FoVdI/AAAAAAAAQ8s/hgaAGNmuyHo/s1600/nun-praying.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4b3922fEiSI/VQrLA4FoVdI/AAAAAAAAQ8s/hgaAGNmuyHo/s1600/nun-praying.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">A prayer rule for one who is on the path of a God-pleasing life. Memorizing the Psalms. Replacing long prayers with short ones. The prayer rope. <br /><br />You ask about a prayer rule. Yes, it is good to have a prayer rule on account of our weakness so that on the one hand we do not give in to laziness, and on the other hand we restrain our enthusiasm to its proper measure. The greatest practitioners of prayer kept a prayer rule. They would always begin with established prayers, and if during the course of these a prayer started on its own, they would put aside the others and pray that prayer. If this is what the great practitioners of prayer did, all the more reason for us to do so. Without established prayers, we would not know how to pray at all. Without them, we would be left entirely without prayer. <br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">However, one does not have to do many prayers. It is better to perform a small number of prayers properly than to hurry through a large number of prayers, because it is difficult to maintain the heat of prayerful zeal when they are performed to excess. <br /><br />I would consider the morning and evening prayers as set out in the prayer books to be entirely sufficient for you. Just try each time to carry them out with full attention and corresponding feelings. To be more successful at this, spend a little of your free time at reading over all the prayers separately. Think them over and feel them, so that when you recite them at your prayer rule, you will know the holy thoughts and feelings that are contained in them. Prayer does not mean that we just recite prayers, but that we assimilate their content within ourselves, and pronounce them as if they came from our minds and hearts. <br /><br />After you have considered and felt the prayers, work at memorizing them. Then you will not have to fumble about for your prayer book and light when it is time to pray; neither will you be distracted by anything you see while you are performing your prayers, but can more easily maintain thoughtful petition toward God. You will see for yourself what a great help this is. The fact that you will have your prayer book with you at all times and in all places is of great significance. <br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Being thus prepared, when you stand at prayer be careful to keep your mind from drifting and your feeling from coldness and indifference, exerting yourself in every way to keep your attention and to spark warmth of feeling. After you have recited each prayer, make prostrations, as many as you like, accompanied by a prayer for any necessity that you feel, or by the usual short prayer. This will lengthen your prayer time a little, but its power will be increased. You should pray a little longer on your own especially at the end of your prayers, asking forgiveness for unintentional straying of the mind, and placing yourself in God's hands for the entire day. <br /><br />You must also maintain prayerful attention toward God throughout the day. For this, as we have already mentioned more than once, there is remembrance of God; and for remembrance of God, there are short prayers. It is good, very good, to memorize several psalms and recite them while you are working or between tasks, doing this instead of short prayers sometimes, with concentration. This is one of the most ancient Christian customs, mentioned by and included in the rules of St. Pachomius and St. Anthony. <br /><br />After spending the day in this manner, you must pray more diligently and with more concentration in the evening. Increase your prostrations and petitions to God, and after you have placed yourself in Divine hands once again, go to bed with a short prayer on your lips and fall asleep with it or recite some psalm. <br /><br />Which psalms should you memorize? Memorize the ones that strike your heart as you are reading them. Each person will find different psalms to be more effective for himself. Begin with Have mercy on me, O God (Psalm 50); then Bless the Lord, O my soul (Psalm 102); and Praise the Lord, O my Soul (Psalm 145). These latter two are the antiphon hymns in the Liturgy. There are also the psalms in the Canon for Divine Communion: The Lord is my shepherd (Psalm 22); The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof (Psalm 23); I believed, wherefore I spake (Psalm 115); and the first psalm of the evening vigil, O God, be attentive unto helping me (Psalm 69). There are the psalms of the hours, and the like. Read the Psalter and select. <br /><br />After you have memorized all of these, you will always be fully armed with prayer. When some disturbing thought occurs, rush to fall down before the Lord with either a short prayer or one of the psalms, especially O God, be attentive unto helping me, and the disturbing cloud will immediately disperse. <br /><br />There you are; everything on the subject of a prayer rule. I will, however, mention once again that you should remember that all these are aids, and the most important thing is standing before God with the mind in the heart with devotion and heartfelt prostration to Him. <br /><br />I thought of something else to tell you! You may limit the entire prayer rule just to prostrations with short prayers and prayer in your own words. Stand and make prostrations, saying Lord have mercy, or some other prayer, expressing your need or giving praise and thanks to God. You should establish either a number of prayers, or a time-limit for prayer, or do both, so that you do not become lazy. <br /><br />This is necessary, because there is a certain incomprehensible peculiarity about us. When, for example, we go about some outward activity, hours pass as if they were a minute. When we stand at prayer, however, hardly have a few minutes gone by, and it seems that we have been praying for an extremely long time. This thought does not cause harm when we perform prayer according to an established rule; but when somebody prays and is just making prostrations with short prayers, it presents a great temptation. This can put a halt to prayer that has barely begun, leaving the false assurance that it has been done properly. Thus, the good practitioners of prayer came up with prayer ropes so that they would not be subject to this self-deception. Prayer ropes are suggested for use by those who desire to pray using their own prayers, not prayers from a prayer book. They are used as follows: Say Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner, and move one bead between your fingers. Repeat the prayer again and move another bead, and so on. Make a prostration during each repetition of the prayer, either a partial one from the waist or a full one to the ground, as you prefer; or, for small beads, make a prostration from the waist, and for large ones, a full one to the ground. The rule in all of this consists in having a definite number of prayer repetitions with prostrations to which are added other prayers in your own words. When deciding on the number of prostrations and prayers, establish a time limit, so that you do not deceive yourself as to haste when you perform them. If haste creeps in, you can fill up the time by making more prostrations. <br /><br />How many prostrations should be done for each prayer is set down at the end of the Psalter with sequences in two categories, one for diligent people and the other for lazy or busy people. The elders now living among us in sketes or special kellia in places such as Valaam or Solovki serve the entire service according to this. If you would like to, now or some other time, you can perform your own prayer rule in this manner. Before you do this, however, get used to performing it in the manner prescribed for you. Perhaps you will not need a new rule. In any case, I am sending you a prayer rope. Try it! Note how much time you spend at morning and evening prayer, then sit down and say your short prayers with the prayer rope, and see how many times you go around the rope during the time usually required for your prayer. Let this quantity be the measure of your rule. Do this not during your usual prayer time, but at some other time, although do it with the same sort of attentiveness. The prayer rule, then, is carried out in this way, standing and making bows. <br /><br />After reading this, do not think I am driving you into a monastery. I first heard about praying with a prayer rope from a lay person, not a monk. Many lay people and monastics pray in this way. It should be suitable for you, too. When you are praying with prayers that you have memorized and they do not move you, you may pray that day using the prayer rope, and do the memorized prayers another day. Thus, things will go better. <br /><br />I will repeat once again that the essence of prayer is the lifting of the mind and heart to God; these little rules are an aid. We cannot get by without them because of our weakness. May the Lord bless you!</span></div>Agapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839605026111073458.post-6945183128070498372021-04-10T08:44:00.003-04:002021-04-10T08:44:25.940-04:00 The Woman who Dwelt in a Cave... <div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2UpqUYctFpk/Uu-y-iC-ArI/AAAAAAAAOF0/CnJZP-qVxEQ/s1600/gerontissa+edited.jpg"><img border="0" height="323" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2UpqUYctFpk/Uu-y-iC-ArI/AAAAAAAAOF0/CnJZP-qVxEQ/w536-h323/gerontissa+edited.jpg" width="536" /></a></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> A saintly hermit told the brothers the following story: <br />One day, as I was sitting in the desert, I began to feel worried and sad. A thought came to me: “Get up and go for a walk in the desert”. So I walked and came to a water-course and gazing into the distance in the moonlight- night had fallen already- I saw something hirsute sitting on a rock. At first I thought it was a lion and stopped walking in that direction. But then I thought it over and realized that, even if it were a lion, I shouldn’t be afraid, but rather should take courage and believe in the grace of Christ. So I started off again, heading towards the rock. Near the rock there was a small hole. No sooner did the figure see me approaching in the distance than it sprang up and disappeared into the cave. <br /><br />When I got to the rock, I found a basket with some beans and a pitcher full of water, so I realized that the figure must have been a person, rather than a lion. So I went up to the opening of the cave and shouted: “Servant of God, please, do me a favour and come out and bless me”. No answer. I insisted that whoever it was should come out and give me a blessing, but the reply came: “Forgive me, Elder, but I can’t come out”. When I asked why, I received the answer: “Forgive me, but I’m a woman and quite naked”. When I heard this, I immediately took off the cloak I was wearing, wrapped it up and threw it into the cave. “Take this clothing, put it on and come out, please”. She did so. As soon as she came out, we said the usual prayer and sat down. Then I implored her: “Do me the favour, mother Elder, of telling me how you came to this place, how you spend your time here and how you found this cave”.<br /><br /> Then she began to tell me her life story:<br /><br /> “I was a ‘canonical’, she said [that is a woman dedicated to the Church but not tonsured as a nun], ‘and had dedicated my life to the church of the Resurrection of Christ. But where I used to perform this duty, there was a monk, who had his cell near the gate. This monk started to become familiar and seemed very pleased to be in my company or to speak with me. On one occasion I overheard him weeping and confessing this sinful inclination to God. I knocked on the door, and, when he realized it was me, he didn’t open it. Instead, he continued weeping and confessing to God. When I saw this, I said to myself: ‘Here’s this man repenting his own sin, but I’m unrepentant. He’s repenting and bewailing his transgression, so how can I remain like this, without the attire of mourning within me’.<br /><br />So I immediately took the decision. I went back to my cell, put on an old and worn piece of clothing, filled my basket with beans and my jar with water. I went into the church of the Resurrection and made a prayer: ‘You, Lord, Who are our great and wonderful God, you Who came to earth to save the lost and raise the fallen, You who hearken to all those who sincerely ask Your assistance, show Your compassion and mercy to me, too, sinner that I am. And if it’s your good pleasure to accept my return and the repentance of my soul, bless these beans and this water, so that they’ll suffice for all the years of my life, so that I won’t be distracted- with the excuse of seeing to the needs of the flesh and the body- from continuous worship’.<br /><br />Then I went to Golgotha and made the same prayer. I embraced the holy rock and the sacred vessels and again called upon the holy name of God. Then, in total secrecy, I left and, with complete confidence, gave myself into the hands of God. I went down to Jerusalem, crossed the Jordan and took the road that led to the bank of the Dead Sea. I’d never seen the sea-level so high. So I went up into the mountains and wandered in the desert until I came to this water-course. I climbed up onto the rock and found this cave. Since then I’ve come to love this place very much. I like to think that God gave it to me so that I could truly repent. I’ve lived here for thirty years and have never set eyes on another person, apart from you today.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">And the beans in my basket and the water in my jar have never run out to this day, even though I’ve eaten and drunk as much as necessary. Of course, as time passed, my first clothes wore out and fell to pieces, but as my hair grew and got longer, I covered myself with it as if it were clothing. And so, by the grace of Christ, neither the cold nor the heat, even the furnace of the summer, do me any harm’.<br /><br />She finished her story here and invited to me to eat some of the beans she had in her basket, because she’d been told “from the outside”, that I was very hungry. We ate and drank until I was full. But I saw that both the basket and the pitcher were still full, so I gave glory to God.<br /><br />When it was time for me to go, I wanted to leave her my outer raso [habit], but she wouldn’t take it and said: “Bring me new clothes when you next come”.<br /><br />I was filled with joy when she said this and begged her to wait for me and to welcome me again. We prayed again, I bade her farewell and left, imprinting the location on my mind so that I’d be sure to find it next time I came. I left and went to the church in the neighbouring village and told the priest what I’d seen and heard. He gathered the faithful and in a speech he made to them said: “Not far from our church, there are some saintly hermits whose clothes have fallen apart and they’re going about the desert completely naked. Anyone who’s got clothes to spare, bring them here and we’ll hand them out”.<br /><br />Immediately, the Christians brought in a good many clothes. I took what I needed and, full of joy, started out again, hoping to see once more the blessed face of this spiritual mother, in the cave. I went back to the place, and tired myself out looking, but I couldn’t find the cave. When eventually I did find it, the God-bearing woman wasn’t there any more, and that upset me.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I went away, saddened. A few days later, some hermits came to visit me and two of them said: “We two were wandering around the desert on the other side of the sea when we suddenly saw, at night, sitting on a rock, a hermit with long hair. When we quickened our steps to meet up with him and take his blessing, he avoided us and went into the entrance of a nearby cave. We wanted to go in ourselves, but as we approached the doorway, a voice came from out of the depths of the cave, saying: ‘Servants of God, please don’t disturb me. On the rock next to you there’s a basket of beans and a pitcher of water. If you want, you can eat and drink’.<br /><br />The voice gave us its blessing and we went to the rock as we’d been told to do. There on the rock were the basket of beans and the jar of water. We ate and drank and rested for the remainder of the night.<br /><br />When we woke up in the morning we went to get the blessing of the cave-dwelling hermit, but saw that the person had already fallen asleep in the Lord. We wanted to prepare him for burial, but realized that it was a woman, covered with her own very long hair. We blessed ourselves with her holy relics and rolled a large rock across the entrance to the cave. Once we’d prayed, we started out on the road back”.<br /><br />I then realized that it was the same ‘canonical’ who had lived as a hermit and had become a holy mother. So I told them what I had heard from her mouth and, all together we glorified God, to Whom, indeed, glory is due unto the ages of ages. Amen.</span></div></div>Agapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839605026111073458.post-37870073000757054962021-03-27T08:10:00.005-04:002021-03-27T08:10:22.000-04:00A visit with St. Ephraim Katounakiotis ( Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol )<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qpE5hNwi618/TLYd0frtwVI/AAAAAAAAKhQ/g3MtTv_ISJA/s1600/athanasios_mitropolitis_lemesou.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qpE5hNwi618/TLYd0frtwVI/AAAAAAAAKhQ/g3MtTv_ISJA/s640/athanasios_mitropolitis_lemesou.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">By Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol<br /><br />Many years ago when I was at Katounakia [a rugged area in the southeast of the Athonite peninsula] I would often spend time with that great contemporary holy elder Father Ephraim [Katounakiotis], Papa Ephraim, as he was popularly called. I am not sure whether our century will give birth to another great elder like him, a man of continuous prayer who radiated the abundance of God's grace.<br /><br />When a group of us visited him at his hermitage one day, he complained that he was tired of Katounakia and expressed a wish to go live at Monoxylites for awhile. That's an area near the borders of Mount Athos. It is a valley between two mountains filled with pine-tree forests, vineyards and olive groves. It is a very beautiful area with abundant running waters, an earthly paradise. He said, "I want to go there and rest. Here at Katounakia there is nothing except rocks and prayer, prayer and rocks, day in and day out. I am really tired. I need a change."<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I was shocked when I heard him say that. I wondered how it was possible for a great saint like him to have a desire to change his environment, to go to Monoxylites? I could see young monks like ourselves having needs of this sort. But how is it possible that this great saint in whose life God is always present has such needs? It was then that I realized that even saints are human beings subject to the law of alterations.<br /><br />I heard later that Joseph the Hesychast [d. 1959], the great elder of Papa Ephraim, expressed similar needs during his life. Elder Ephraim himself told us once that his elder underwent a period of deep sorrow and was subjected to many temptations. One day he asked his then disciple Ephraim, "Papa Ephraim, go and bring Pseudo Vasili here to amuse us." Pseudo Vasili was a layman who lived and worked near the Skete of Saint Anna. He was a simple man who was reputed for his outrageous lies. In his presence it was impossible not to roar with laughter. As in my case, Papa Ephraim was scandalized. "How is it possible," he reasoned, "that the elder has a need for a jester like Pseudo Vasili to amuse him? Why can't he do something else, like more prayer?" As you can see, even great saints occasionally have such needs by virtue of their being human.<br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qpE5hNwi618/TLYd6TwhZDI/AAAAAAAAKhY/YE4k15MArGQ/s1600/ephraim+1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qpE5hNwi618/TLYd6TwhZDI/AAAAAAAAKhY/YE4k15MArGQ/s640/ephraim+1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> By Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol<br /><br /> Source: Kyriacos C. Markides, Gifts of the Desert: The Forgotten Path of Christian Spirituality, pp. 116-117.</span></div> </div>Agapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839605026111073458.post-6289903088200675142021-03-12T19:11:00.000-05:002021-03-12T19:11:01.681-05:00Carrying your cross ( St. Ephraim of Katounakia )<div><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="620" height="192" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T-WXDYdZJZk/YEwC8WG9xjI/AAAAAAAAqe4/UTMe1pctQ5kfttZsTKuCxFV9uhsmhhogQCLcBGAsYHQ/w366-h192/argy%2Baris-2.jpg" width="366" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-large;">Everyone has a cross to carry. Why? </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Since the leader of our faith endured the cross, we will also endure it. On one hand, the cross is sweet and light, but, on the other, it can also be bitter and heavy. <br /><br /> It depends on our will. If you bear Christ’s cross with love then it will be very light; like a sponge or a cork. But if you have a negative attitude, it becomes heavy; too heavy to lift.<br /><br /> - Taken from the book: Elder Ephraim of Katounakia</span></div> Agapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839605026111073458.post-75589351221024023682021-02-24T19:27:00.006-05:002021-02-24T19:28:30.371-05:00The Canonization of Saints ( St. John Maximovich )<div><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="500" height="192" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g6RPqXM3HL4/YDbu3EbqUyI/AAAAAAAAqdU/o5rRX068Cucb8IFNh4rEPbeHvVZ-HrqKwCLcBGAsYHQ/w406-h192/white%2Bback-165.jpg" width="406" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Holiness is not simply righteousness, for which the righteous merit the enjoyment of blessedness in the Kingdom of God, but rather such a height of righteousness that men are filled with the Grace of God to such an extent, that it flows from them, upon those who associate with them. Great is their blessedness, which proceeds from personal experience of the Glory of God. Being filled also with love for men, which proceeds from love of God, they are responsive to men's needs and upon their supplication, they also appear as intercessors and defenders before God. <br /><br /> At the time of the high spiritual fervor in the first centuries of persecutions against Christians, such were the "martyrs also. The martyr's death became a door to the higher Mansions, and Christians at once began to invoke them as holy men pleasing to God. Miracles and signs confirmed this faith of the Christians and were a proof of their sanctity. <br /><br /> Subsequently, the great ascetics likewise, began to be revered. No one decreed the veneration as saints such as Anthony the Great, Macarius the Great, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, Nicholas the Wonder-worker, and many others like them, but East and West equally revered them. Their sanctity can be denied only by those who do not believe in sanctity. <br /><br /> The choir of saints pleasing to God grew unceasingly; in every place, where Christians were, its own new ascetics appeared, also. However, the general life of Christians began to decline; the spiritual burning began to grow faint. There no longer was a clear sense of what Divine righteousness was. So the general consciousness of the faithful could not always distinguish who was a righteous man and pleasing to God. In some places, there appeared dubious persons who by false ascetic exploits attracted a part of the flock. For this reason, the Church authority began to keep watch over the veneration of saints, showing concern to guard the flocks from superstition.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> The life of ascetics revered by the faithful began to be investigated, and the accounts of their miracles to be verified. Towards the time of the baptism of Russia, it had already been established that the acknowledgement of a new saint was to be performed by the Church authority. The decree of the Church authority, of course, was disseminated to the region within its jurisdiction; but other places, too, usually acknowledged a canonization performed elsewhere, even though they did not enter it into their own calendars. After all, the Church authority only testified of sanctity.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Righteous men became saints not by the decree of the earthly Church authority, but by the mercy and grace of God. The Church showed approval by the praising in church and the invocation in prayer of a new saint. <br /><br /> <span style="color: red;"><b>Which authority should and could do this was not precisely determined; in any case it was an episcopal authority. </b></span><br /><br /> There have been canonizations performed by the higher Church authority of an entire Local Church, and the names of the newly canonized were then entered into the Church calendar of that entire Church. Others were canonized in one or another locality and their veneration gradually spread to other places. Ordinarily, the canonization was performed in the place where the righteous one lived or suffered. But it also happened in other ways. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thus, the youth George from the city of Kratov (Serbia), who suffered at the hands of the Turks in Sofia (Sredets) (Bulgaria) in 1515, was canonized within fourteen years in Novgorod. Notwithstanding the fact that his fellow-countrymen also revered him as a new martyr, and that a Church service to him was compiled by his spiritual father, they did not dare to show this openly, fearing the Turks. Therefore, in Novgorod, which had trading connections with these places, by order of the Archbishop a service was compiled and the memory of the martyr George the New began to be revered, and from there it was spread to all of Russia. Later when Serbia and Bulgaria were freed from Turkish slavery, they began to use the Service compiled in Russia, and the Service compiled originally in Sofia remains to this day on a library shelf. <br /><br /> In the last two centuries, when Russia lived in glory and prosperity, the canonization of new saints was usually performed quite solemnly by the decree of the Higher Authority. Sometimes (but not always) taking place throughout the whole of Russia, especially in the place where the wonderworking relics were obtained. However, this does not alter the general order in the Church. If the Russian people under the godless yoke of power today cannot openly praise and invoke a Saint of God, glorified by God, it is the duty of the part of the Russian Church that is free, to universally revere and invoke a Wonderworker like St. Nicholas, who is revered in the whole world, to pray to St. John the Righteous one [of Kronstadt] for the correction of our life and the cessation of calamities which (according to prophecy) have befallen our Fatherland. <br /><br /> May the Lord grant, that that longed-for day come, when from the Carpathians to the Pacific Ocean will thunder out: "We magnify thee, O righteous Father John, and we venerate thy holy memory, for thou dost pray for us to Christ our God!"<br /><br />St. John Maximovich </span></div> Agapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839605026111073458.post-8782918880102933192021-02-10T18:06:00.004-05:002021-02-10T18:06:20.885-05:00 How often our church life is just a matter of habit! ( Father Seraphim Rose ) <div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="800" height="273" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D-gUCvuRwUw/YCRm1mbuzaI/AAAAAAAAqcA/5uEHWB6cJYkHaKNsU-oHt2SkUWOyoD8CACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h273/Father%2BSeraphim%2BRose12.jpg" width="400" /></div>Every Orthodox Christian is placed between two worlds: this fallen world where we try to work out our salvation, and the other world, heaven, the homeland towards which we are striving and which, if we are leading a true Christian life, gives us the inspiration to live from day to day in Christian virtue and love.<br /><br /> But the world is too much with us. We often, and in fact nowadays we usually forget the heavenly world. The pressure of worldliness is so strong today that we often lose track of what our life as a Christian is all about.<br /><br /> Even if we may be attending church services frequently and consider ourselves “active” church members, how often our churchliness is only something external, bound up with beautiful services and the whole richness of our Orthodox tradition of worship, but lacking in real inner conviction that Orthodoxy is the faith that can save our soul for eternity, lacking in real love for and commitment to Christ, the incarnate God and Founder of our faith.<br /><br /> How often our church life is just a matter of habit, something we go through outwardly but which does not change us inwardly, does not make us grow spiritually and lead us to eternal life in God.<br /><br />Father Seraphim Rose</span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span>Agapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839605026111073458.post-12397787896445907192021-01-31T12:41:00.003-05:002021-01-31T12:41:46.782-05:00What is an Orthodox Man?<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vRDwnmK2u4o/U2pG027aaFI/AAAAAAAAPJE/oCUWP_gAxms/s1600/profitis_iob_dikaios_105+edited.jpg"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vRDwnmK2u4o/U2pG027aaFI/AAAAAAAAPJE/oCUWP_gAxms/s1600/profitis_iob_dikaios_105+edited.jpg" /></a> <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Holy Prophet Job <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Happy is the man who becomes wise – who comes to have understanding (Proverbs 3:13). <br /></span> <span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> We live today in a society where husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, have been torn from their roots, ripped from time-honored and theologically-sanctioned values about what it is to be a man, a woman, a family. The old values and roles, so easily nurtured in a largely agrarian and patriarchal society, now seem almost impossible to live in our industrialized cities. The healthy psychological bonding that used to occur naturally between mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, is now a rare experience. <br /> As if this were not a difficult enough burden for the spiritually-minded to bear, we are also now inundated by strange and sometimes aberrant notions about sexuality and role models. We live in a culture of increasing “unisex,” perversion, and immorality – on the job, at home, and sometimes even in the church. <br /> The “women’s liberation movement” was originally an understandable reaction to irresponsible, heavy-handed, arrogant and insensitive men; but instead of raising the conscience and morality of men to the traditional nurturing and moral level of women, it had the effect of bringing women down to the more animal level of men’s behavior, while at the same time shattering the “male myth” without giving in its place a proper sense of what it is to be a man – or, for our purposes, what it is to be an Orthodox Christian man. <br /> An extraordinarily relevant model for the Orthodox man today is the Holy Prophet Job in the Old Testament. Indeed, here was a man “after God’s own heart.” His life gives evidence of certain manly characteristics by which the Orthodox man can, and should, measure himself today – providing a program of spiritual growth and struggle that is without equal. <br /> We think of St. Job primarily in the context of his trial of faith and the afflictions of his life, for which reason the Orthodox call him “The Much-suffering.” We forget that he persevered to the end and found victory over his troubles. We seldom realize that in order to obtain this victory, he needed certain qualities of character and soul – the qualities of a true and godly man. <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> What are those qualities? <br /> He was a man who did not forget God and God’s loving care for him, no matter how terrible the present affliction: God was always with me and the friendship of God protected my home (Job 29:3-4). <br /> The Orthodox man strives never to forget God and His blessings whether in the past or in the present, and he gives this same example to his wife and children, especially in times of trial. <br /> The Prophet loved his children and missed them sorely when he was in exile. He did not see them as an irritating intrusion into his own “lifestyle.” He rose early to pray and make sacrifice for them, in order to purify them in case they had sinned. The Orthodox man prays ardently for his children – both for wisdom in guiding them aright, and for God’s blessing and grace on them. This is also a model for a priest, who has many spiritual children. <br /> St. Job was just and fair, both with his children and with those for whom he had responsibility outside his family. In the same way, an Orthodox man is a model of justice and even-handedness for his own children, tempering justice with mercy. <br /> The Prophet Job received respect from old and young. Orthodox men show respect to their elders, both in the family and at work, but especially in the Church, and they earn the respect of their wives and children, doing nothing to kill this respect or to scandalize them. <br /> The Saint was stable, like a tree whose roots always have water. An Orthodox man consciously strives to avoid the restlessness of our mobile society, recognizing the need for children to have a secure sense of place and stability in their lives. <br /> St. Job was a seeker after God and wisdom: The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away; blessed be the name of the Lord. An Orthodox man also strives to serenely rest in God’s providence, keeping lively his commitment to the Orthodox Faith, and modeling this for his family according to his strength. <br /> Because of all these spiritual characteristics, St. Job was able to endure terrible suffering and affliction, as a result of which the Lord blessed the last part of Job’s life even more than he had blessed the first. Here, then, is a real example for today’s men, who are often tempted to retreat into passive self-centeredness in the face of difficulty and temptation, who are too ready (and encouraged by society to do so) to jettison job, wife, and children at the slightest whim or difficulty. Here, then, is a Saint who can inspire in contemporary man a real manhood rather than a fake masculinity. <br /></span> <span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> Always obey the Lord and you will be happy. If you are stubborn, you will be ruined (Proverbs 28:14). <br /></span> <span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> Father Alexey Young</span></p>Agapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839605026111073458.post-46294232413273042572021-01-17T07:57:00.005-05:002021-01-26T16:10:07.791-05:00The Cross Preserves the Universe ( St. John Maximovitch )<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yM4-SQ8hjCE/YAQ0Ou0Yx7I/AAAAAAAAqYM/u-VGxlQwDn431JUw-78kmgX1jcW3I-rgQCLcBGAsYHQ/s615/%25CE%25A3%25CF%2584%25CE%25B1%25CF%2585%25CF%2581%25CF%258C%2B%25CF%2584%25CE%25BF%25CF%2585%2B%25CE%259A%25CF%2585%25CF%2581%25CE%25AF%25CE%25BF%25CF%2585-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="615" height="234" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yM4-SQ8hjCE/YAQ0Ou0Yx7I/AAAAAAAAqYM/u-VGxlQwDn431JUw-78kmgX1jcW3I-rgQCLcBGAsYHQ/w390-h234/%25CE%25A3%25CF%2584%25CE%25B1%25CF%2585%25CF%2581%25CF%258C%2B%25CF%2584%25CE%25BF%25CF%2585%2B%25CE%259A%25CF%2585%25CF%2581%25CE%25AF%25CE%25BF%25CF%2585-2.jpg" width="390" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">In
the Prophet Ezekiel (9:6), it is said that when the Angel of the Lord
was sent to punish and destroy the sinning people, it was told him not
to strike those on whom the "mark" had been made. In the original text
this mark is called "tau," the Hebrew letter corresponding to the letter
"T," which is how in ancient times the cross was made, which then was
an instrument of punishment.</span></p><span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> So, even then, it was foretold the power of the
Cross, which preserves those who venerate it. Likewise, by many other
events in the Old Testament the power of the Cross was indicated. Moses,
who held his arms raised in the form of a cross during the battle, gave
victory to the Israelites over the Amalekites. He also, dividing the
Red Sea by a blow of his rod and by a transverse blow uniting the waters
again, saved Israel from Pharaoh, who drowned in the water, while
Israel crossed over on the dry bottom (Exodus, ch. 14, 17).</span></p><span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Through the laying on of his hands in the form of a
cross on his grandsons, Jacob gave a blessing to his descendents,
foretelling at the same time their future until the coming of the
"expectation of the nations" (Genesis, ch. 48).</span></p><span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> By the Cross, the Son of God, having become man and
accomplished our salvation. He humbled Himself and became obedient unto
death, even death on the Cross (Phil. 2:8). Having stretched out His
hands upon the Cross, the Savior with them as it were embraced the
world, and by His blood shed on it, like a king with red ink, He signed
the forgiveness of the human race.</span></p><span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> The Cross of the Lord was the instrument by which He
saved the world after the fall into sin. Through the Cross, He
descended with His soul into hell, to raise up from it the souls who
were awaiting Him. By the Cross Christ opened the doors of paradise
which had been closed after our first ancestors had been banished from
it. The Cross was sanctified by the Body of Christ which was nailed to
it when He gave Himself over to torments and death for the salvation of
the world. Then it was filled with life-giving power. By the Cross on
Golgotha the prince of this world was cast out (John 12:31) and an end
was put to his authority. The weapon by which he was crushed became the
sign of Christ's victory.</span></p><span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> The demonic hosts tremble when they see the Cross,
because the kingdom of hell was destroyed by the Cross. They do not dare
to draw near to anyone who is guarded by the Cross.</span></p><span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> The whole human race, by the death of Christ on the
Cross, received deliverance from the authority of the devil, and
everyone who makes use of this saving weapon is inaccessible to the
demons.</span></p><span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> When legions of demons appeared to St. Anthony the
Great and other desert-dwellers, they guarded themselves with the sign
of the Cross, and the demons vanished.</span></p><span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> When there appeared to St. Symeon the Stylite, who
was standing on his pillar, what seemed to be a chariot to carry him to
heaven, the Saint, before mounting it, crossed himself and it
disappeared. The enemy, who had hoped to cast down the ascetic from the
height of his pillar, was put to shame.</span></p><span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> One cannot enumerate all the various incidents of
the manifestation of the power of the Cross. Invisibly and unceasingly,
Divine grace that gushes from it saves the world.</span></p><span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> The sign of the Cross is made at all the Mysteries
and prayers of the Church. With the making of the sign of the Cross over
the bread and wine, they become the Body and Blood of Christ. With the
immersion of the Cross the waters are sanctified. The sign of the Cross
looses us from sins. "When we are guarded by the Cross, we oppose the
enemy, without fearing his nets and barking." Just as the flaming sword
in the hands of the Cherubim barred the entrance into paradise of old,
so the Cross now acts invisibly in the world, guarding it from
perdition.</span></p><span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> The Cross is the unconquerable weapon of pious kings
in the battle with enemies. Through the apparition of the Cross in the
sky, the dominion of Emperor Constantine was confirmed and an end was
put to the persecution against the Church. The apparition of the Cross
in the sky in Jerusalem in the days of Constantius the Arian proclaimed
the victory of Orthodoxy. By the power of the Cross of the Lord,
Christian kings will continue to reign until Antichrist, barring his
path to power and restraining lawlessness (St. John Chrysostom,
Commentary on II Thess. 2:6-7).</span></p><span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> The "sign of the Son of Man" (Matt. 24:30), that is,
the Cross, will appear in the sky in order to proclaim the end of the
present world and the coming of the eternal Kingdom of the Son of God.
Then all the tribes of the earth shall weep, because they loved the
present age and its lusts, but all who have endured persecution for
righteousness and called on the name of the Lord shall rejoice and be
glad. The Cross then will save all who conquered temptations, from
eternal perdition by the Cross, who crucified their flesh with its
passions and lusts, and took up their cross and followed afar Christ.</span></p><span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> However, those who hated the Cross of the Lord and
did not engrave the Cross in their soul will perish forever. For "the
Cross is the preserver of the whole universe, the Cross is the beauty of
the Church, the Cross is the might of kings, the Cross is the
confirmation of the faithful, the Cross is the glory of angels and the
scourge of demons" (Octoechos: Exapostilarion, Monday Matins).</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">St. John Maximovitch <br /></span></p>Agapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839605026111073458.post-42844034006610972332021-01-04T19:43:00.000-05:002021-01-04T19:43:02.874-05:00 There is life after death ( Saint Paisios )<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="599" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-taYSZjy-hd0/X_O1_3EcBRI/AAAAAAAAqW0/ikLs54bWxT0v-jH5Bpu5cuoAG0J-sfKdQCLcBGAsYHQ/w375-h213/koliva.jpg" width="375" /></div>“As soon as I went to live at the skete,” recalls Saint Paisios,“an elderly gentleman whom everyone referred to as old Thanasis and who worked for Philotheou Monastery as a forester, found out about it and came to see me. He was a friend of mine, and he brought me some blessings, since I had just moved to the skete, and I did not have anything.I thanked him, and I told him to write down the names of his departed relatives, so that I could commemorate them. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Influenced by a certain Jehovah’s Witness, he replied, ‘When someone dies, there is nothing else,after death everything is lost.’”“Soon after that, he himself died. When I found out, I went to Philotheou Monastery and saw his grave. Every day I prayed from my heart for God to give rest to his soul. About twenty days after Mr. Thanasis passed away, I found out that someone from Philotheou was looking for me. It was one of the stewards of the monastery, and he came to me all upset. ‘Father,’ he said to me, ‘old Thanasis, the one who just died, came to me and complained that I have forgotten him and have not done anything for him.And he told me that you are the only one who helps him with your prayers. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The truth is, I have not commemorated him in my prayers. Now that I have become a steward of the monastery, I take care of the office, and I have a lot of work ... What can I do? I have also stopped doing my own prayer rule.’”This event strengthened the Elder, so that he henceforth prayed even more for the souls of all the departed.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> From the book Saint Paisios of Mount Athos</span> <br /></div>Agapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839605026111073458.post-9144191463103156992020-12-17T19:38:00.000-05:002020-12-17T19:38:01.438-05:00 On Magic and Occultism ( Elder Cleopa of Romania )<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <img border="0" height="600" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JsvCC6O7A7o/VhljBu4JDmI/AAAAAAAAXmc/WdJVjV4Ro4E/w430-h600/ec9.jpg" width="430" /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Inquirer:</b></span> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I know that many people, in pain caused by the death of their beloved relatives, take recourse to spiritualism, fortune-telling, occultism, or even aim at conversing with their dead relatives. Why doesn’t the Church allow this? <br /><br /> <span style="color: red;"><b>Elder Cleopa:</b></span> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> In both Holy Scripture and throughout the writings of the Holy Fathers there are a host of testimonies clearly showing that God punishes those that become involved with occultism and necromancy (seeking to speak with the dead). Our Saviour teaches us that “blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed” (Jn. 20:29). The Apostle Paul shows us who believe in Christ that we must seek after the power of faith and not the perception of our material eyes, saying “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). The prowling demons, however, instruct certain men not to be satisfied with the teaching of the Saviour and of His Apostle - to walk with trust in the faith of Christ - but rather to seek by every means to view with their sensible eyes that which is accessible only to the eyes of faith. The man who resorts to black magic and necromancy is an enemy of God, disobedient to His commandments, not content with the salvatory lessons God teaches him through the Scriptures, but rather, prompted by the demons in this illegitimate work, he seeks to investigate things rationally. And so, believing in these fantasies, he withdraws from God and the teaching of our Church.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Those who concern themselves with this and call upon the spirits of the dead, bring in as support the example of Saul who sought from the sorceress the invocation of the soul of Samuel (1 Sam. 28). Those who have fallen into this delusion of Saul should know from his punishment that they are culpable before God. For, because of this very transgression, Saul lost his kingdom and his life and was punished by God to be killed with his own sword. The punishment of Saul for his unlawful conversing with the dead is related in Holy Scripture thus: “So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it; and inquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse” (1 Chr. 10:13-14). <br /><br />In the Old Testament the Lord commands the following: “Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God” (Lev. 19:31). And elsewhere: “A man or also woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them” (Lev. 20:27). The invocation of the spirits of the dead is hateful before God Who has never given it sanction among His people: “ . . . there shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD” (Deut. 18:9-14). God considers this abomination one of man’s greatest revolts against His Will. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">We have no need to communicate with the dead since God has revealed to us everything He knows to be necessary and beneficial for our salvation. For example, conversing with the dead is not able to prove to us that the souls of the dead live as they once lived in this present life. This reality of the next life is not news to us since we know it from Divine Revelation and it is a matter of faith, without there being the need for research and examination with our bodily senses. Divine Revelation offers us every assurance of truth. If someone wants to inspect and feel this with their visible senses it means placing in doubt the truths which were revealed by God. Furthermore, in these spiritual discourses there is no assurance that the spirit of the dead that was called for will appear and speak, for the evil spirits, the demons, mimic the righteous spirits, as Saint Paul teaches us: “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (1 Cor. 11:14). And the Evangelist John tells us the following: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but test the spirits whether they are of God” (1 Jn. 4:1-3).<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">In addition to all of this, the Holy Fathers tells us that in the case of Saul and the witch, it was not the spirit of Samuel that appeared, but a demonic spirit that had supplanted the spirit of Samuel. Saint Gregory of Nyssa says that the spirit was so dreadful and hideous, that the sorceress was frightened by it. Likewise, we see in the case of Adam whom God had called to the height of theosis, that he was deluded by the Devil and, falling from the grace of God, hid himself with Eve. There are many examples in Scripture from which we know that by the delusion of the devil death is inherited instead of life, the lie instead of the truth, and evil instead of good. <br /><br />Due to the danger of deception from visions and dreams, some of the Holy Fathers didn’t accept any kind of dream before performing a very careful examination. Saint John of the Ladder [Abbot of St. Catherine's Monastery on Mount Sinai (6th c.) & author of The Ladder of Divine Ascent] says “Whoever does not believe in visions and dreams is a spiritual philosopher,” and also that when the demons of vainglory and pride tempt the weaker brothers with visions and dreams, they make them into “prophets.” <br /><br /> <span style="color: red;"><b>Inq.:</b></span> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> The fortune-tellers and enchanters say that Holy Scripture relates cases of the appearances of dead men and angels. They also say that since Scripture attests to our inability to communicate directly with the dead, it follows that conjuring of spirits is not foreign to Christianity, and, above all, is not something anti-Christian. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <span style="color: red;"><b>EC: </b></span> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">It is true, indeed, that Holy Scripture relates to us the appearance of Moses and Elias during the transfiguration of the Saviour (Mat. 17:3), and also that after the crucifixion of Christ many dead were raised from the tombs (Mat. 27:52-53). Scripture also attests to the appearance of angels, such as at the news of the birth of Saint John the Baptist, and birth of the Saviour Christ (Lk. 1:11-20), at the Resurrection of the Lord (Lk. 2:9-15), and also to their intervention in the service of certain of the righteous and the saints of the Old and New Testaments (Mat. 28:2-7). They communicated with men either face to face or through dreams (Mat. 1:20, 2:13). However, these appearances did not happen by the will and invocation of men, but by the command of God. These appearances certify the immortality of their souls and their power to be revealed to men in exceptional ways, however, it does not support the prerogative of man to seek out contact with the dead. <br /><br /> <span style="color: red;"><b>Inq.:</b></span> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">In the Old Testament necromancy was practiced, as is clear in the case of Saul and the sorceress and elsewhere. In the Christian Church, likewise, that which we call the supplication of saints and angels is practiced. At its base, this is nothing else but an invocation of righteous souls or a communication with the dead, with the aim of helping the living with their particular needs. On account of this, it is claimed that occultism or fortune-telling represents a scriptural teaching that in practice is recognized by the Church. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <span style="color: red;"><b>EC:</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;"><b> </b></span>The truth regarding Saul and the sorceress was clarified earlier. Concerning the entreaty of saints and angels, in no way is it the same as necromancy. In calling upon the saints and angels, we do not have the intention or pretension of speaking sensibly with them, of seeing them, hearing their voice, or of having them appear before us perceptibly in order to reveal to us mysteries which God has determined should remain hidden from man. We speak to the saints and angels in our prayer, by means of our mental (νοερός) eyes and our faith, without the need to see or hear them sensibly. <br /><br />The conjurors have the aim and the need to call upon the spirits of the dead (I believe, however, that in fact they are spirits of demons which appear in the form of the spirits of the dead) in order that they may reveal to them certain secrets that relate to the future of the dead or other curiosities forbidden by the law of God. Listen to what Holy Scripture has to say: “And when they shall say unto you, seek unto the necromancers and unto the soothsayers, who chirp and who mutter, Shall not a people seek unto their God? On behalf of the living should they seek unto the dead? To the law and the testimony! If they speak not according to this word, for them there is no daybreak” (Is. 8:19-20). <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">When the unmerciful rich man called upon Abraham to send Lazarus to the house of his father and to make known the situation in which he was found in order to bring his brothers to repentance, Abraham answered him that for the living the revelation of the Law (Moses and the Prophets) was sufficient. Indeed, in the Divine Revelation that was given to us with Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition we lack nothing in the way of knowing about our salvation, nor do we have need to seek from the dead - or better, the demons - something favourable to our salvation. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">When God sends us a prophet and it is not revealed to us immediately, this means that he does not want to make other disclosures, knowing that they won’t be profitable for us. When someone who prophesies is not from God, without a doubt he is from the Devil, as were the false-prophets referred to in Scripture. They announced false visions, vanities, and preposterous prophecies relative to the condition of their heart. When they actually do tell us the truth, we should not believe it, since they don’t say it with the aim of benefiting anyone, but rather, from deceptiveness they seek to lead us into delusion. Look at the girl with the unclean spirit of divination in the city of Philippi of Macedonia. Everything that the evil spirit said through her mouth was true, and yet the Apostle Paul admonished it to keep silent, casting out the demonic spirit. (Acts 16:16-18)<br /><br />As was suggested earlier, with the supplication of the saints and angels we are not curious as to what we will see or what we will hear from them (materially speaking), as are the magicians and fortune-tellers with their invocation of spirits. We seek from God, through the saints, that which He deigns to give us for our salvation, while the psychics and shamans seek, from the demons that appear in the semblance of dead men, that which they themselves want, and even this out of base curiosity. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">If, however, by the command of God, one of the saints or angels wanted to appear to us in a material way, there is no transgression in this, for we didn’t desire this or seek after this. Yet, even in such cases, it is necessary for us to be very careful, humble, prudent and full of the fear of God, for knowing that Satan also assumes the guise of an angel, it may well be a fantasy of the Devil (2 Cor. 11:14-15). Of course, even when the vision is from God it is better for us not to receive it. For if we do this with humility God will not be sorrowful because He knows that we are taking heed not to accept within us the wolf instead of the shepherd. We don’t, indeed, have need of seeing the saints and angels, but only to pray with faith and internal vision. Saint Neilos the Ascetic says “Blessed is that intellect which arrives at the point of worshipping God without giving shape to His form within itself.” <br /><br /> <span style="color: red;"><b>Inq.:</b></span> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The occultists and necromancers allege that, according to the teaching of Scripture, being born again or returning to life is accepted by the Scriptures, as in the case recorded of the return of Elias in the person of Saint John the Baptist. The angel said about John: “And he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias” (Lk. 1:17). And the Saviour says similar words about John: “And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, who was to come,” (Mat. 11:14) in other words, he concerning whom it was revealed by the prophets must come (Mal. 4:4). Another time the disciples asked the Lord, “’Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?’ And Jesus answered and said unto them, ‘Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you that Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist” (Jn. 17:10-13). Consequently, John the Baptist is Elias who is to come again into the world. Therefore, Jesus Christ taught that there is a re-awakening or retrieval of life. Isn’t this the case? <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <span style="color: red;"><b>EC:</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;"><b> </b></span>Truly, the Prophet Malachi did prophesy the appearance of Elias, however, this was not fulfilled prior to the birth of the Messiah. Rather, Elias will appear just before the coming of the great and illustrious day of the Lord and thereby signify the beginning of the end of the world (Mal. 3:23). <br /><br />We should understand the angel’s words, that John will come “in the spirit and power of Elias,” to mean that he will have the force of Elias in his mission to the world and in his preaching of repentance, with his zeal, deeds, toils and raiment. (2 Kg. 1:8)<br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The words of the Saviour would seem, indeed, to support the return of Elias in the person of John (Mat. 11:14,17:10-13), and that it would happen then and not at the end of the world. Nevertheless, based on the spirit of the teaching of the Saviour it is not possible for John to be identified with Elias, but only to resemble him. Lucid and unmistakable proof of this is the fact that to the question of the Jews of Jerusalem, addressed to John through the priests and Levites, as to whether he was or was not Elias, he answered them categorically “ I am not” (Jn. 1:21). It is impossible that John would contradict the Saviour and deny his identification with Elias. Furthermore, if Elias was to come in the person of John the Baptist, how was it that he appeared together with Moses on Mount Tabor during the Transfiguration of the Lord? (Mt. 17:3) <br /><br />The regeneration which the Saviour speaks of to Nicodemos (Jn. 3:3-7) is not a bodily restoration but a spiritual rebirth from above through water and the spirit, that is, through Holy Baptism. The text itself rules out any possibility of a bodily rebirth, as Nicodemos had mistakenly understood, when it stresses that it is not speaking of a second bodily or natural birth. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">And yet, neither can the prudent mind accept the possibility of identifying John with that prophet who is to come, Elias. Likewise, disagreeable is that which the spiritualists teach, namely that his return happens for the purpose of moral purification and perfection, since Elias has no need of purification and moral perfecting. According to the Christian teaching there does exist a return of the soul to the body, but only once, and that at the end of the world when all will be raised and the material body will be transfigured in order to participate in eternal life. <br /><br /> <span style="color: red;"><b>Inq.:</b></span> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">In relation to this, I found a passage in Holy Scripture difficult to understand. It is the passage which tells the story of the man born blind who washed and was healed in the pool of Siloam. The Apostles asked the Lord, saying, “Master, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (Jn. 9:2) It seems to follow from this that apparently the blind man was in a position to pay off those personal sins committed before his birth. This is what certain occultists and those who believe in reincarnation maintain. <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <span style="color: red;"><b>EC:</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;"><b> </b></span>As we said earlier, at the end of the world there will be one re-establishment of soul and body before the final judgement. This forgiveness of personal sins or of the sins of the parents of the blind man is something else entirely. The case of the man born blind is not concerned with who sinned and punished the blind man, as the Apostles mistakenly supposed. Rather, the Saviour brushed aside this opinion of theirs, saying that the man was not blind on account of his sins, but so that the “works of God should be made manifest in him,” (Jn. 9:3) or, so that His therapeutic power may be made manifest. In the teachings of Christ, nowhere does there exist, even in this life, punishment as the fruit of a just reward. The loosing and forgiveness of sins occur in this life as well. However, the definitive loosing from the shackles of sin happens after the Future Judgement, when it will be not for purification but as recompense. Redemption came from the Lord alone for the sake of all mankind and no one, by any means whatsoever, is able to forgive his own sins. <br /><br />As for the other teachings of the spiritualists, like those presented earlier they are all anti-Christian and their mask has been removed under the scrutiny of the teaching of our Orthodox Church. Our Church teaches us that: <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">1) Souls have been created directly by God. <br /><br />2) According to the teaching of our Church, under no circumstances can one speak of the pre-existence of souls. <br /><br />3) Bodies are creations of God and not of the angels. <br /><br />4) The place of punishment is Hades, in which the conditions are immutable - something certified by the words of Divine Revelation.<br /><br />5) The demons cannot be saved. <br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">6) There exists only one resurrection and return of the soul to the resurrected body, which will happen at the end of the world for the final judgement. <br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">No one among the race of men can compel a soul to leave paradise and go to hell, or vice versa, as the deluded spiritualists believe. How can such a thing happen when we know very well that the souls of the just are in the hands of God? Likewise, we also know that between the living and the dead “a great gulf is fixed” and no one from there is able to come to us here (Lk. 16:26). Do you think it possible for one among men to take a soul from the hand of God, against His Will and to request it to engage in a conversation? Can someone cross that impassable chasm referred to in the Gospel and through its invocation bring a soul from the other world to earth? And if we assume that we are benefited by such a medium how can we accept it knowing that it is hateful and an abhorrence to God? (Dt. 18:9-13)<br /><br />Someone might say that, indeed, the souls of the just are in the hands of God, however, the spiritualists in their meetings don’t call upon souls of the righteous, but of the wicked, who are not in the hands of God, but in Hades. <br /><br />Are the souls of the branded and accursed found beyond the supervision of God? Listen to what the Lord says in the Revelation of Saint John with reference to this: “Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” (Rev. 1:17-18)<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Consequently, just as the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, so too, those of the wicked in the kingdom of Hades are also under the infinite and indescribable authority of God. They are not to be found at the disposal of certain spiritualists who would like to call upon them to serve them in their lawless work. If, through the medium, spirits appear which they have called, let them know that these are not the spirits of relatives or friends. On the contrary, they are the unclean spirits of darkness which, until the last judgement, God has left free to harass men, and who reside in - according to the witness of Holy Scripture - the uppermost stratum of the atmosphere, or “high places.” (Eph. 6:12) Against these powers and principalities battle the Christians with the weapons God has given them. (Eph. 6:11, 13-17)<br /><br /> <span style="color: red;"><b>Inq.:</b></span> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Could you give us a brief summary of the teaching of those who occupy themselves with the occult, who are called variously: spiritualists, fortune-tellers, sorcerers, necromancers etc.? <br /><br /> <span style="color: red;"><b>EC: </b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: red;"><b> </b></span>The teaching of the spiritualists takes many forms, according to the testimonies of the vanguard of occultism. Here it is in general terms: <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">1) They deny the dogma of the Holy Trinity, replacing it with one supreme god and other solar-gods considered his sons or with other planets that they compare with the Holy Spirit, and all of it is organized hierarchically. <br /><br />2) Some speculate that God is not the creator of the cosmos, only its organizer.<br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">3) They say that Jesus is a higher spirit and our sun’s god who guides man but doesn’t save him. They believe that the true revelation comes from the spirits that appear to man by means of the medium. <br /><br />4) They believe that man is made of flesh and encircled with the spirit; that the soul of man has a casing or husk, can leave the visible world and after death communicate with those of the living that are worthy and believing. <br /><br />5) They say that salvation is accomplished with the evolution toward the good and with reincarnation. They accept an infinite god having under his authority other, lesser, gods which govern particular planets and areas of heaven, assisted by the angels. Spirits of planets, animals and sentient beings inhabit the universe. The body of man is destroyed, but the shell and spirit is immortal. Human beings that are good have within them the good spirit, while the evil pass over into another body until they also, themselves, become good and so on.<br /></span> <span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /> Ch. 19. from The Truth of Our Faith:: A Discourse from Holy Scripture on the Teachings of True Christianity, By Elder Cleopa of Romania </span></div>Agapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839605026111073458.post-55485750905986386832020-12-09T19:48:00.008-05:002020-12-09T20:43:18.551-05:00 You have a rock upon which you can stand ( Metropolitan Avgoustinos Kaniotis of Florina )<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fPVaPcqHmyA/X9FwQqMYWNI/AAAAAAAAqTY/y4KnHMgNQ7wXuOo6KgmjNZcKUU7aOEnUACLcBGAsYHQ/s796/Metropolitan%2BAvgoustinos%2BKaniotis%2Bof%2BFlorina.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="796" data-original-width="637" height="485" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fPVaPcqHmyA/X9FwQqMYWNI/AAAAAAAAqTY/y4KnHMgNQ7wXuOo6KgmjNZcKUU7aOEnUACLcBGAsYHQ/w365-h485/Metropolitan%2BAvgoustinos%2BKaniotis%2Bof%2BFlorina.jpg" width="365" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">“Faithful souls, whenever earthquakes topple our world and whenever you see the ruins left behind by the faithlessness and corruption of our times, do not be disturbed. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">You have a rock upon which you can stand and an anchor upon which you can depend...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">You have the sun that rose out of the tomb, Jesus, crucified and resurrected from the dead.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Why are you afraid? </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">What is there to fear? </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Come, let us worship and bow down to Him, Christ, the Victor over Death, the King of the Ages.”</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">+ Metropolitan Avgoustinos Kaniotis of Florina </span></div></div>Agapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839605026111073458.post-36689161864449720792020-11-25T09:58:00.000-05:002020-11-25T09:58:02.772-05:00 To the devil, we don’t need to give explanations … ( Elder Arsenie Papacioc of Romania )<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="250" height="277" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EQEpmwHUr04/X75w1DQOTHI/AAAAAAAAqQk/ZmjqplPzVQcvxbyD91IyedmBgpyebHiDQCLcBGAsYHQ/w388-h277/elder_arsenie_papacioc.jpg" width="388" /></div>To the devil, we don’t need to give explanations … If you want to drive him away, say: </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">“Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me”, and speak to God. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The power of His Name will rid him. It suits the devil to enter into a dialogue for it means that you acknowledge him. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thus through prayer, we ignore him.<br /><br />Elder Arsenie Papacioc of Romania </span><br /></div> Agapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839605026111073458.post-51476299757222851432020-11-17T19:42:00.004-05:002020-11-17T19:42:58.596-05:00The Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Mother of God <div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--c4jMdMLC00/WhMOlYrR9MI/AAAAAAAAi7I/8Q31dz8i6rEqrCs5RAkNwCuttlqISG9hwCLcBGAs/s1600/Entry%2Bof%2Bthe%2BMost%2BHoly%2BTheotokos%2Binto%2Bthe%2BTemple.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--c4jMdMLC00/WhMOlYrR9MI/AAAAAAAAi7I/8Q31dz8i6rEqrCs5RAkNwCuttlqISG9hwCLcBGAs/s640/Entry%2Bof%2Bthe%2BMost%2BHoly%2BTheotokos%2Binto%2Bthe%2BTemple.jpg" /></a> According to Holy Tradition, the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple took place in the following manner. The parents of the Virgin Mary, Sts. Joachim and Anna, praying for an end to their childlessness, vowed that if a child were born to them, they would dedicate it to the service of God.</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> When the Most Holy Virgin reached the age of three, the holy parents decided to fulfill their vow. They gathered together their relatives and acquaintances, and dressed the All-Pure Virgin in Her finest clothes. Singing sacred songs and with lighted candles in their hands, virgins escorted Her to the Temple (Ps. 44/45:14-15). There the High Priest and several priests met the handmaiden of God. In the Temple, fifteen high steps led to the sanctuary, which only the priests and High Priest could enter. (Because they recited a Psalm on each step, Psalms 119/120-133/134 are called "Psalms of Ascent.") The child Mary, so it seemed, could not make it up this stairway. But just as they placed Her on the first step, strengthened by the power of God, She quickly went up the remaining steps and ascended to the highest one. Then the High Priest, through inspiration from above, led the Most Holy Virgin into the Holy of Holies, where only the High Priest entered once a year to offer a purifying sacrifice of blood. Therefore, all those present in the Temple were astonished at this most unusual occurrence.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> After entrusting their child to the Heavenly Father, Joachim and Anna returned home. The All-Holy Virgin remained in the quarters for virgins near the Temple. According to the testimony of Holy Scripture (Exodus 38; 1 Kings 1: 28; Luke 2: 37), and also the historian Josephus Flavius, there were many living quarters around the Temple, in which those who were dedicated to the service of God dwelt.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> The earthly life of the Most Holy Theotokos from Her infancy until She was taken up to Heaven is shrouded in deep mystery. Her life at the Jerusalem Temple was also a secret. "If anyone were to ask me," said St Jerome, "how the Most Holy Virgin spent the time of Her youth, I would answer that that is known to God Himself and the Archangel Gabriel, Her constant guardian."<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> But there are accounts in Church Tradition, that during the All-Pure Virgin's stay at the Temple, She grew up in a community of pious virgins, diligently read the Holy Scripture, occupied Herself with handicrafts, prayed constantly, and grew in love for God. From ancient times, the Church has celebrated the Feast of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple. Indications that the Feast was observed in the first centuries of Christianity are found in the traditions of Palestinian Christians, which say that the holy Empress Helen (May 21) built a church in honor of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> St Gregory of Nyssa, in the fourth century, also mentions this Feast. In the eighth century Sts Germanus and Tarasius, Patriarchs of Constantinople, delivered sermons on the Feast of the Entry.<br /> <br /> The Feast of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple foretells God's blessing for the human race, the preaching of salvation, the promise of the coming of Christ.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> DISCOURSE ON THE FEAST OF THE ENTRY OF OUR MOST PURE LADY THEOTOKOS INTO THE HOLY OF HOLIES by Saint Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> If a tree is known by its fruit, and a good tree bears good fruit (Mt. 7:17; Luke 6:44), then is not the Mother of Goodness Itself, She who bore the Eternal Beauty, incomparably more excellent than every good, whether in this world or the world above? Therefore, the co-eternal and identical Image of goodness, Pre-eternal, transcending all being, He Who is the preexisting and good Word of the Father, moved by His unutterable love for mankind and compassion for us, put on our image, that He might reclaim for Himself our nature which had been dragged down to uttermost Hades, so as to renew this corrupted nature and raise it to the heights of Heaven. For this purpose, He had to assume a flesh that was both new and ours, that He might refashion us from out of ourselves. Now He finds a Handmaiden perfectly suited to these needs, the supplier of Her own unsullied nature, the Ever-Virgin now hymned by us, and Whose miraculous Entrance into the Temple, into the Holy of Holies, we now celebrate. God predestined Her before the ages for the salvation and reclaiming of our kind. She was chosen, not just from the crowd, but from the ranks of the chosen of all ages, renowned for piety and understanding, and for their God-pleasing words and deeds.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> In the beginning, there was one who rose up against us: the author of evil, the serpent, who dragged us into the abyss. Many reasons impelled him to rise up against us, and there are many ways by which he enslaved our nature: envy, rivalry, hatred, injustice, treachery, slyness, etc. In addition to all this, he also has within him the power of bringing death, which he himself engendered, being the first to fall away from true life.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> The author of evil was jealous of Adam, when he saw him being led from earth to Heaven, from which he was justly cast down. Filled with envy, he pounced upon Adam with a terrible ferocity, and even wished to clothe him with the garb of death. Envy is not only the begetter of hatred, but also of murder, which this truly man-hating serpent brought about in us. For he wanted to be master over the earth-born for the ruin of that which was created in the image and likeness of God. Since he was not bold enough to make a face to face attack, he resorted to cunning and deceit. This truly terrible and malicious plotter pretended to be a friend and useful adviser by assuming the physical form of a serpent, and stealthily took their position. By his God-opposing advice, he instills in man his own death-bearing power, like a venomous poison.<br /> <br /> If Adam had been sufficiently strong to keep the divine commandment, then he would have shown himself the vanquisher of his enemy, and withstood his deathly attack. But since he voluntarily gave in to sin, he was defeated and was made a sinner. Since he is the root of our race, he has produced us as death-bearing shoots. So, it was necessary for us, if he were to fight back against his defeat and to claim victory, to rid himself of the death-bearing venomous poison in his soul and body, and to absorb life, eternal and indestructible life.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> It was necessary for us to have a new root for our race, a new Adam, not just one Who would be sinless and invincible, but one Who also would be able to forgive sins and set free from punishment those subject to it. And not only would He have life in Himself, but also the capacity to restore to life, so that He could grant to those who cleave to Him and are related to Him by race both life and the forgiveness of their sins, restoring to life not only those who came after Him, but also those who already had died before Him. Therefore, St Paul, that great trumpet of the Holy Spirit, exclaims, "the first man Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam was made a quickening spirit" (1 Cor. 15:45).<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Except for God, there is no one who is without sin, or life-creating, or able to remit sin. Therefore, the new Adam must be not only Man, but also God. He is at the same time life, wisdom, truth, love, and mercy, and every other good thing, so that He might renew the old Adam and restore him to life through mercy, wisdom and righteousness. These are the opposites of the things which the author of evil used to bring about our aging and death.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> As the slayer of mankind raised himself against us with envy and hatred, so the Source of life was lifted up [on the Cross] because of His immeasurable goodness and love for mankind. He intensely desired the salvation of His creature, i.e., that His creature would be restored by Himself. In contrast to this, the author of evil wanted to bring God's creature to ruin, and thereby put mankind under his own power, and tyrannically to afflict us. And just as he achieved the conquest and the fall of mankind by means of injustice and cunning, by deceit and his trickery, so has the Liberator brought about the defeat of the author of evil, and the restoration of His own creature with truth, justice and wisdom.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> It was a deed of perfect justice that our nature, which was voluntarily enslaved and struck down, should again enter the struggle for victory and cast off its voluntary enslavement. Therefore, God deigned to receive our nature from us, hypostatically uniting with it in a marvelous way. But it was impossible to unite that Most High Nature, Whose purity is incomprehensible for human reason, to a sinful nature before it had been purified. Therefore, for the conception and birth of the Bestower of purity, a perfectly spotless and Most Pure Virgin was required.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Today we celebrate the memory of those things that contributed, if only once, to the Incarnation. He Who is God by nature, the Co-unoriginate and Coeternal Word and Son of the Transcendent Father, becomes the Son of Man, the Son of the Ever-Virgin. "Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today, and forever" (Heb. 13:8), immutable in His divinity and blameless in His humanity, He alone, as the Prophet Isaiah prophesied, "practiced no iniquity, nor deceit with His lips" (Is. 53: 9). He alone was not brought forth in iniquity, nor was He conceived in sin, in contrast to what the Prophet David says concerning himself and every other man (Ps. 50/51: 5). Even in what He assumes, He is perfectly pure and has no need to be cleansed Himself. But for our sake, He accepted purification, suffering, death and resurrection, that He might transmit them to us.<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> God is born of the spotless and Holy Virgin, or better to say, of the Most Pure and All-Holy Virgin. She is above every fleshly defilement, and even above every impure thought. Her conceiving resulted not from fleshly lust, but by the overshadowing of the Most Holy Spirit. Such desire being utterly alien to Her, it is through prayer and spiritual readiness that She declared to the angel: "Behold the handmaiden of the Lord; be it unto Me according to thy word" (Luke 1:38), and that She conceived and gave birth. So, in order to render the Virgin worthy of this sublime purpose, God marked this ever-virgin Daughter now praised by us, from before the ages, and from eternity, choosing Her from out of His elect.</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Turn your attention then, to where this choice began. From the sons of Adam God chose the wondrous Seth, who showed himself a living heaven through his becoming behavior, and through the beauty of his virtues. That is why he was chosen, and from whom the Virgin would blossom as the divinely fitting chariot of God. She was needed to give birth and to summon the earth-born to heavenly sonship. For this reason also all the lineage of Seth were called "sons of God," because from this lineage a son of man would be born the Son of God. The name Seth signifies a rising or resurrection, or more specifically, it signifies the Lord, Who promises and gives immortal life to all who believe in Him.</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> And how precisely exact is this parallel! Seth was born of Eve, as she herself said, in place of Abel, whom Cain killed through jealousy (Gen. 4:25); and Christ, the Son of the Virgin, was born for us in place of Adam, whom the author of evil also killed through jealousy. But Seth did not resurrect Abel, since he was only a type of the resurrection. But our Lord Jesus Christ resurrected Adam, since He is the very Life and the Resurrection of the earth-born, for whose sake the descendents of Seth are granted divine adoption through hope, and are called the children of God. It was because of this hope that they were called sons of God, as is evident from the one who was first called so, the successor in the choice. This was Enos, the son of Seth, who as Moses wrote, first hoped to call on the Name of the Lord (Gen. 4:26).</span><br /></div></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> In this manner, the choice of the future Mother of God, beginning with the very sons of Adam and proceeding through all the generations of time, through the Providence of God, passes to the Prophet-king David and the successors of his kingdom and lineage. When the chosen time had come, then from the house and posterity of David, Joachim and Anna are chosen by God. Though they were childless, they were by their virtuous life and good disposition the finest of all those descended from the line of David. And when in prayer they besought God to deliver them from their childlessness, and promised to dedicate their child to God from its infancy. By God Himself, the Mother of God was proclaimed and given to them as a child, so that from such virtuous parents the all-virtuous child would be raised. So in this manner, chastity joined with prayer came to fruition by producing the Mother of virginity, giving birth in the flesh to Him Who was born of God the Father before the ages.<br /> <br /> Now, when Righteous Joachim and Anna saw that they had been granted their wish, and that the divine promise to them was realized in fact, then they on their part, as true lovers of God, hastened to fulfill their vow given to God as soon as the child had been weaned from milk. They have now led this truly sanctified child of God, now the Mother of God, this Virgin into the Temple of God. And She, being filled with Divine gifts even at such a tender age, ... She, rather than others, determined what was being done over Her. In Her manner She showed that She was not so much presented into the Temple, but that She Herself entered into the service of God of her own accord, as if she had wings, striving towards this sacred and divine love. She considered it desirable and fitting that she should enter into the Temple and dwell in the Holy of Holies.<br /> <br /> Therefore, the High Priest, seeing that this child, more than anyone else, had divine grace within Her, wished to set Her within the Holy of Holies. He convinced everyone present to welcome this, since God had advanced it and approved it. Through His angel, God assisted the Virgin and sent Her mystical food, with which She was strengthened in nature, while in body She was brought to maturity and was made purer and more exalted than the angels, having the Heavenly spirits as servants. She was led into the Holy of Holies not just once, but was accepted by God to dwell there with Him during Her youth, so that through Her, the Heavenly Abodes might be opened and given for an eternal habitation to those who believe in Her miraculous birthgiving.<br /> <br /> So it is, and this is why She, from the beginning of time, was chosen from among the chosen. She Who is manifest as the Holy of Holies, Who has a body even purer than the spirits purified by virtue, is capable of receiving ... the Hypostatic Word of the Unoriginate Father. Today the Ever-Virgin Mary, like a Treasure of God, is stored in the Holy of Holies, so that in due time, (as it later came to pass) She would serve for the enrichment of, and an ornament for, all the world. Therefore, Christ God also glorifies His Mother, both before, and also after His birth.<br /> <br /> We who understand the salvation begun for our sake through the Most Holy Virgin, give Her thanks and praise according to our ability. And truly, if the grateful woman (of whom the Gospel tells us), after hearing the saving words of the Lord, blessed and thanked His Mother, raising her voice above the din of the crowd and saying to Christ, "Blessed is the womb that bore Thee, and the paps Thou hast sucked" (Luke 11:27), then we who have the words of eternal life written out for us, and not only the words, but also the miracles and the Passion, and the raising of our nature from death, and its ascent from earth to Heaven, and the promise of immortal life and unfailing salvation, then how shall we not unceasingly hymn and bless the Mother of the Author of our Salvation and the Giver of Life, celebrating Her conception and birth, and now Her Entry into the Holy of Holies?<br /> <br /> Now, brethren, let us remove ourselves from earthly to celestial things. Let us change our path from the flesh to the spirit. Let us change our desire from temporal things to those that endure. Let us scorn fleshly delights, which serve as allurements for the soul and soon pass away. Let us desire spiritual gifts, which remain undiminished. Let us turn our reason and our attention from earthly concerns and raise them to the inaccessible places of Heaven, to the Holy of Holies, where the Mother of God now resides.<br /> <br /> Therefore, in such manner our songs and prayers to Her will gain entry, and thus through her mediation, we shall be heirs of the everlasting blessings to come, through the grace and love for mankind of Him Who was born of Her for our sake, our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory, honor and worship, together with His Unoriginate Father and His Coeternal and Life-Creating Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.<br /> <br /> <br /> <span style="color: red;"><u><b>Troparion - Tone 4</b></u></span><br /> <br /> Today with the most revered of all cities<br /> we fittingly celebrate your honored translation to heaven,<br /> Father of Fathers, wise Proclus.<br /> <br /> <span style="color: red;"><u><b>Kontakion - Tone 4</b></u></span><br /> <br /> The most pure Temple of the Savior;<br /> the precious Chamber and Virgin;<br /> the sacred Treasure of the glory of God,<br /> is presented today to the house of the Lord.<br /> She brings with her the grace of the Spirit,<br /> therefore, the angels of God praise her:<br /> "Truly this woman is the abode of heaven."</span></div>Agapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839605026111073458.post-86698720813314105312020-10-19T19:00:00.003-04:002020-10-19T19:00:31.462-04:00Simple guide for the Jesus Prayer ( St. Paisios )<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h7g8BrVMkRo/VYAwCaNRDkI/AAAAAAAATu4/awWVHmsC5nI/s1600/St%2BPaisios14.jpg"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h7g8BrVMkRo/VYAwCaNRDkI/AAAAAAAATu4/awWVHmsC5nI/s1600/St%2BPaisios14.jpg" /></a><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">A simple way for ceaseless prayer, if you want to you can use it too, which probably helps simple people who cannot get the true meaning of the neptic Holy Fathers, and run the risk of delusion. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Some (unfortunately) do not set the goal of putting off the old man (repentance, humility, and asceticism as a way of helping the sanctification of the soul) with a deep sense of their sinfulness. Then, they would naturally feel the need for God's mercy, saying "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me," often. This with pain in their heart and then the feeling of the sweetness of divine comfort of the most Sweet Christ within their heart. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">But unfortunately some people (as I mentioned) start off with a dry ascetic practice and seek after divine pleasure and lights and continually multiply their prayer-ropes and are sanctified by their calculation, reaching that conclusion (about their sanctity) from the mathematical reckoning of the greater amount of prayer-ropes they say. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> They also (naturally) make footstools to the exact inch and all the other things, the bending of the head towards the heart. They regulate their breath and whatever else the watchful Saint Kallistuses and Gregorys of the Philokalia say. Then they create the false sensation that they are somewhere near the measure of those Saints. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> From the moment they believe that thought, the tangalaki (the demon) immediately appears and sets up a television for them (with their fantasies) and devilish prophecies etc. of delusion follow. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> For this reason, only certainty is repentance and let every spiritual edifice be built upon it and let us continually seek repentance from God and nothing else except that. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">We should not ask for lights or miracles, or prophecies, or gifts of the Spirit, only for repentance. Repentance brings humility; humility will bring grace from God, because grace always goes to the humble, of necessity. Therefore, repentance is necessary for our salvation and when we have it, the grace of God will come and it will teach us what we need to do for salvation even of our fellows too, if it is necessary. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">In this way, which I mentioned (feeling the great need for God's mercy), we will say the Jesus Prayer many times with our whole heart and we will feel, as I mentioned, the sweetness of divine comfort of the most sweet Jesus within our heart. The heart will (then) have our nous in tight embrace, as well as our whole being. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Then, and only then, will prayer not be tiring, but rather it will give rest, because we have grasped the true meaning of it. Only then do we pray without putting pressure on ourselves, but we are pressurised by our sense of honour and dignity (philotimo) , which gives rise to all our spiritual upstanding generosity (leventia) . This produces the fluttering of the heart. Then the heart (however stony it may be) breaks and tears burst forth from their ducts (without an effort being made to weep during the time of prayer). </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">You feel the need for this prayer like a hungry baby who opens its little mouth and runs into the arms of its mother to be suckled and at the same time feels very secure in its mother's loving care. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Nobody doubts that the enemy will try to war against us and to disperse our thoughts. However, when preceded by a little bit of Patristic study (e.g. The Sayings of the Fathers) a lid is put on all our cares, great and small, and on the day's temptations. So, it is transformed into another atmosphere, a spiritual one and you pray with concentration. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">If the enemy wages war with blasphemous thoughts (from his usual wickedness and envy) do not get upset. Instead, use the demon as your worker in the following way, by not getting upset, but by saying to the enemy: "It's a good thing that you brought me those thoughts so that I can say the Jesus Prayer, because otherwise I forget to pray without ceasing." The enemy will then depart immediately, because he is only used to doing evil. I mentioned that because the enemy brings blasphemous thoughts to sensitive people (usually) to make them even more sensitive, to upset them and to cut them down. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">The same applies to some that struggle in vigil over and above their strength, and with pride. When they slacken, and they do not have the strength to banish the thoughts of the enemy. They think that those blasphemous thoughts are their own, and so they suffer without reason, while the thoughts are not their own, but those of the enemy. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> That is why young people should struggle in the matter of prayer with humility and discernment. They should prepare for the night. This, by not being distracted, by study and through moderate and simple food, which helps. As far as possible it should not be savoury, to avoid drinking plenty of water, because that, too, is an obstacle, with the bloating that it causes. In this way, the person is helped with prayer. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">It helps a great deal if the light evening meal, however light it may be, takes place at around 4 o'clock (European time), after study, fathers and so on, or else 3 hours after the main meal. Small and great prostrations beforehand, and in between each prayer-rope, help a great deal, unfreezing the machine's oil. Later, after getting quite tired, he should sit down and say the Jesus Prayer, since he brings to mind his wretchedness and the great favours of God that our good God has done for him. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Then the nous is collected (as I mentioned, in the heart, on its own) and seeks God's mercy with all his heart, with all his soul and with all his mind, without making a great effort. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">The three hours after sunset help a lot (having read patristic books before sunset), as well as after midnight until sunrise. For young people it is good for them to sleep one hour after sunset, with less prayer, and to get up after midnight, in order to avoid scandalous sleep of the morning. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Naturally, discernment is required and guidance from their spiritual father, who is a requirement." </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">St. Paisios </span></div>Agapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839605026111073458.post-88575504658391828692020-10-07T20:33:00.003-04:002020-10-07T20:33:13.589-04:00 Joy burns in our hearts from His truth, love, resurrection, and from the Church and His saints. ( St. Justin Popovich )<div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="297" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UDpd3DD7uHc/X35eMIvuSrI/AAAAAAAAqFk/EddNy8gjr90dqCPtwLH-KNRVC0Y8fmaUACLcBGAsYHQ/w406-h297/candle%2Band%2Blivani-12.jpg" width="406" /></div>Christians, always rejoice, for evil, death, sin, the devil and hell have been conquered by Christ. But when all of this is conquered, is there anyone in the world who can bring our joy to naught? You are the lord of this eternal rejoicing as long as you do not give in to sin. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Joy burns in our hearts from His truth, love, resurrection, and from the Church and His saints. Joy burns in our hearts all because of sufferings for Him, mockings for Him, and death for Him, insofar as these sufferings write our names in heaven.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> There is no true joy on earth without the victory over death, but the victory over death does not exist without the Resurrection, and the Resurrection does not exist without Christ. The risen God-Man Christ, the founder of the Church, constantly pours out this joy into the hearts of His followers through the Holy Mysteries and good deeds.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Our faith is fulfilled in this eternal joy, insofar as the joy of faith in Christ is the only true joy for human nature. </span><br /></div><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> St. Justin Popovich</span></div>Agapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839605026111073458.post-30373902805049557982020-10-04T09:26:00.001-04:002020-10-04T09:26:26.552-04:00St. Paisios, When Sick, Was Attended To By Angels and Saints For A Week<div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <img border="0" height="594" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y1VM1Og3s4I/TV_7fPb5MMI/AAAAAAAAN8Y/RFWJpbErOOY/w639-h594/pasios%2Bcell1.jpg" width="639" /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">St. Paisios told a spiritual child of a wondrous event, recorded below, which occurred in his life:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Once, when I was at Holy Cross [Hermitage], I became seriously ill. It was a harsh winter, and snow had fallen so that no tree looked like a tree. Everything was smothered in white, the trails were gone, the birds were quiet, clouds and fog obscured Athos. I had no contact with the Monastery of Stavronikita, and I could not live more than a few days since because of the illness I was completely paralyzed. I was expecting the Lord to take my soul and lead it to the mercy of His compassion. I could not even make one cup of tea, nor light the stove, no did I have water to drink. My life was at the mercy of God. I said: "Behold Lord, in Your mercy I hope. Do not forsake me!"</span><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d8OT2n2Cj_E/TV_7iBuUFlI/AAAAAAAAN8g/4jIhzd4KcWY/s1600/pasios%2Bcell2"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d8OT2n2Cj_E/TV_7iBuUFlI/AAAAAAAAN8g/4jIhzd4KcWY/s640/pasios%2Bcell2" /></a><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">After a few prayers which I mumbled with great effort, I saw appear in my cell angels and saints, sent by God. The grace of God had visited quickly. I thanked and glorified my Savior. I cried. One of the angels took care of the stove, another was preparing warm food, they were also bringing fragrant breads. I was in Paradise. What else did I want.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2AjAFbho610/TV_7klZV_PI/AAAAAAAAN8o/3PF8TlbPUrU/s1600/pasios%2Bcell3"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2AjAFbho610/TV_7klZV_PI/AAAAAAAAN8o/3PF8TlbPUrU/s640/pasios%2Bcell3" /></a><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The saints began to encourage me with words of consolation and prayers. And only their vision gave me rest, empowering me and giving me hope. They stayed with me until I was well and able to take care of myself. Then they left. They stayed with me for a week. When after a time I arose and went outside my cell I looked around at nature with different eyes. Everything was illumined with the uncreated light of the Holy Spirit. I was not worthy, but the infinite goodness of God and his love manifested in this way.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3du0yxNrgjU/TV_7m-peqzI/AAAAAAAAN8w/ahH9ieOIhh4/s1600/pasios%2Bcell4"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3du0yxNrgjU/TV_7m-peqzI/AAAAAAAAN8w/ahH9ieOIhh4/s640/pasios%2Bcell4" /></a><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">In all I felt such grace filling me within that I would say: "Enough Lord. I cannot take anymore. I will burst. Either take me with You or dwindle the grace You have given me. If You give me so much grace now, imagine what is given in Paradise."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />St. Paisios </span></div>Agapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839605026111073458.post-91074354040943171552020-10-01T10:41:00.006-04:002020-10-01T10:41:59.304-04:00 Our life depends on the kind of thoughts we nurture. ( Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica )<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="303" data-original-width="400" height="330" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LLx7sL54j88/X3XqlUh2YsI/AAAAAAAAqEE/HqA6yWOpW9orNuAvxsPaWOn3vyj7S9ZMACLcBGAsYHQ/w398-h330/Elder%2BThaddeus%2Bof%2BVitovnica.jpg" width="398" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Our life depends on the kind of thoughts we nurture. If our thoughts are peaceful, calm, meek, and kind, then that is what our life is like. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">If our attention is turned to the circumstances in which we live, we are drawn into a whirlpool of thoughts and can have neither peace nor tranquility.</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives: The Life and Teachings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica</b></span></span></div>Agapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839605026111073458.post-61710357162326748652020-09-20T17:59:00.002-04:002020-09-20T17:59:12.993-04:00The brick and the wheelchair<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="800" height="251" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MggGGtjYLLg/X2fQB4f4T0I/AAAAAAAAqBw/51kXsgu5uVkv-Ip7k9OF2mRvQPo0b7gzQCLcBGAsYHQ/w543-h251/beige-book-the-economy-is-still-growing-76.jpg" width="543" /></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><span style="font-size: x-large;">A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and drove the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown. The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car, shouting, </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">"What was that all about and who are you?</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Just what the heck are you doing? </span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money.</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Why did you do it?"</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> The young boy was apologetic. "Please mister ... please, I'm sorry... I didn't know what else to do," he pleaded.</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> "I threw the brick because no one else would stop..."</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car.</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> "It's my brother," he said.</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up." </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me."</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out his fancy handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">"Thank you and may God bless you," the grateful child told the stranger.</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the little boy push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home. It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message: Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention! </span><br /><br /><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at us. </span></b></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">It's our choice: Listen to the whisper ... or wait for the brick! </span></b></span></div>Agapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839605026111073458.post-4680074274308642922020-09-13T15:46:00.005-04:002020-09-13T17:18:19.638-04:00Explanation of dreams ( Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos )<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jog7kbdLG74/VNDNvVH2WXI/AAAAAAAAPvA/ltyiQt88mw0/s1600/dreams%2B2.jpg"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jog7kbdLG74/VNDNvVH2WXI/AAAAAAAAPvA/ltyiQt88mw0/s1600/dreams%2B2.jpg" /></a> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><u><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">What are Dreams? </span></b></u></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">St John Climacus gives a definition of dreams: “A dream is a movement of the nous while the body is at rest.” When the body is immobilised by sleep at night, the nous – not the rational faculty – continues working. This activity of the nous is what we refer to as dreams. Whereas dreams are an activity of the nous while the body is at rest, fantasy and imagination are an illusion of the eyes “when the mind is asleep. Fantasy is ecstasy of the nous, when the body is awake. Fantasy is the vision of something which does not exist in reality.” In other words, imagination is active while a person is awake, whereas dreams come into action during sleep. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">There is a distinction between dreams and visions. “A vision is something seen more or less consciously when awake. A dream is something imagined during sleep” (St John Climacus). A person perceives visions by means of his senses, but he sees dreams through the action of his nous when his body is asleep. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">In addition, the saints distinguish between dreams, visions and revelations occurring during sleep. According to St Nikitas Stithatos, we can see dreams, visions and revelations while asleep, and he examines the difference between them. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Dreams are images that do not remain unchanged in the imaginative faculty of the nous. They present a confused picture with constantly-altering scenes and forms. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Visions remain constant. They do not change, “but remain imprinted on the nous unforgettably for many years.” They benefit the soul by bringing compunction and revealing fearful wonders. As a result they keep the beholder reflective and in awe. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Revelations are theorias granted to the purified and illumined soul, “in a way that transcends normal sense perception”. They reveal the mysteries of God. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">St Nikitas Stithatos goes on to explain that dreams are seen by “materialistic and sensually-minded people”, whose nous is darkened by passions and whose imagination is mocked by the demons. Visions are associated with “those well advanced on the spiritual path, who have cleansed the soul’s organs of perception.” Those who purify the soul’s senses and have progressed to a high level behold visions. Revelations are for perfect Christians, “who are activated by the Holy Spirit, and whose soul is united to God through theology.” </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">I think these clarifications are essential in order to make a distinction between dreams and theorias of God. We shall look at this issue in the next section, when we set out the factors that distinguish dreams coming from the devil from visions and revelations sent by God during sleep. It needs to be stressed at this point that dreams mainly affect man’s imagination. They are an action of the nous while the body is asleep, and most of them are the work of demons. </span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <span style="color: red;"><u><b>Types of Dreams </b></u></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">As we saw above, the Fathers make a distinction between dreams, on the one hand, and visions and revelations on the other. There are, however, many Fathers who speak about dreams in general. When we study their writings we realise that the dreams we see at night, while our body and senses are inactive, have many causes. Some dreams are the result of our natural physical state and impressions made on us during the day. Others are due to passions, in other words, to unnatural impulses of the soul. Some are clearly the work of demons. There are, however, dreams that come from God and are revelations bestowed by God, or the angels as God’s messengers. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">The first category encompasses those dreams which are the result of the thoughts, reflections and impressions of the day. St Basil the Great, in response to the question, “Where do shameful nocturnal fantasies originate?”, teaches that, “They result from alien movements of the soul during the day.” These alien impulses of the soul and the impressions of the day are stored in our memory and create dreams. Many dreams also originate from physical reactions. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">The second category includes dreams that arise from passions, which are actions of the soul contrary to nature. When the soul’s powers are corrupted and are motivated by the impressions provided by the senses, they provoke this type of dream. We can therefore see from our dreams which passions dominate us. More will be said on this subject in the next section.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> The third category of dreams, so-called demonic dreams, is horrendous. Although the devil can also exploit the other two categories of dreams, he sometimes acts independently of them. St Diadokos of Photiki states succinctly that for the most part dreams are nothing more than “images reflecting our wandering thoughts or…the mockery of demons.” The demons trick those whom they have in their power. When they gain control of someone they appear to him both sleeping and waking in the form of angels or martyrs, and grant him a revelation of purported “mysteries” and bestow supposed “spiritual gifts” on him (St John Climacos). </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">But how do the demons act? What is it that they stir up during sleep? Evagrios Pontikos observes that the demons “make an imprint on the nous by arousing the memory, while the activity of our bodily senses is suspended during sleep.” The demons act mostly through our memory to provoke dreams. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">We know from the patristic tradition that the majority of dreams are the work of Satan and fall into the third category. The demons transform themselves into angels of light or prophets and foretell the future. However, as St John Climacus remarks, the demons know nothing about the future from foreknowledge, because if they did, they would be able to foretell our death. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">The demons attack monks more than anyone else by means of dreams, because they want to provoke them to abandon their sacred task. In particular, the demons attempt to disturb novices, who have left their homes and families, “representing to [them] that [their] relatives are either grieving or dying, or are captive for [their] sake and destitute” (St John Climacus). Of course no one should pay any attention to such dreams, because they are demonic deceptions intended to lead the monk to reject and abandon the monastic way of life. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">The fourth category of dreams is those coming from God. Such dreams are sometimes called revelations and are associated with inner purity. Many such dreams are recorded in Holy Scripture. I should mention in particular the dreams of Joseph, the Betrothed of the Most Holy Mother of God, concerning Christ’s conception, birth and protection. St Isaac the Syrian says that the holy angels take the likenesses of saints “and show themselves in these likenesses in dreams to the soul while its thoughts are drifting, for joy, preservation and delight.” </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">So there are many kinds of dream and they are due to many causes. Christians should distinguish between dreams and examine where they come from. We shall now set out some factors that indicate the origins of dreams. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">In general, as St John Climacus says, if we wake up from sleep peaceful this shows that we have been comforted by the angels unawares. If, on the other hand, we wake up troubled, “we are suffering as a result of evil dreams and visions.” A dream’s origin is indicated by whether it disturbs us or brings peace. This is not, however, absolute proof, as there is a sort of joy mingled with pride which comes from the devil. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">St Diadochos of Photiki says that dreams that originate from the devil do no keep the same shape, but change from one form to another, alarm the senses, resound with laughter or “suddenly become threatening.” The figures that appear in the dreams sent by demons shout and menace, transform themselves into soldiers and sometimes “screech at the soul.” By contrast, dreams that come from God do not change shape or provoke fear and horror, but bring inexpressible joy and gladness. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">St John Climacus teaches that demonic dreams usually show torments, judgments and separations, and make us frightened and miserable. This is a sign of delusion. It is possible, however, for us to see torment and judgment in dreams sent by God to make us repent. The difference is that in the first case such dreams bring despair, which is a sign of demonic deception, whereas in the second case, they give rise to intense prayer, repentance and a willingness to change. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Visions during sleep, according to St Nikitas Stithatos, are not all true, nor do they all leave an imprint on the nous. True visions are seen “only by those whose nous is purified, who have cleansed the soul’s organs of perception and who are advancing towards natural theoria.” Such people have purified themselves through prolonged fasting and exercise self-control in every aspect of their lives. They do not worry about day-to-day matters and are not concerned about this present life. They live like angels and “through exertion and hardship pleasing to God they have attained the sanctuary of God, the spiritual knowledge of created beings and the wisdom of the higher world.” </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">In general it should be stated that dreams that come from God (which are called visions and revelations) are as far removed from dreams that come from the devil (which have a strong imaginative element) as heaven is from earth. Just as there is no similarity between created and uncreated things, there is no similarity at all between diabolic and divine dreams. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">According to patristic teaching, satanic dreams are characterised by colour and change, whereas dreams from God have no colour and are unchanging. This is how we can tell the difference between those sent by God and those which result from physical illness or satanic energy. Anthropocentric psychoanalysis, which does not make this distinction between created and uncreated, and does not accept the existence of demons and their energy, is unable to distinguish between different types of dreams. Thus it goes seriously wrong, because it can categorise divine visions as delusions and hallucinations. Only someone completely integrated into the Orthodox Tradition, who has the mind of Christ and has tasted heavenly things, is able to make this distinction and heal the illnesses of his spiritual children.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <span style="color: red;"><u><b>Dreams and Passions </b></u></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">We saw earlier that one category of dreams originates from passions, whether of the body or the soul. This issue will now be examined more closely, because by studying our dreams we can observe which passions dominate us, in order to fight against them. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">St John Climacus writes that the heart of gluttons dreams of food and nourishment, but the heart of those who mourn dreams of judgment and condemnation. We know from the teaching of the Fathers that the human soul has three powers or aspects: the appetitive (desiring) aspect, the incensive aspect and the rational aspect. St Symeon the New Theologian writes about how we can understand from dreams which passions dominate us the most. When the soul’s appetitive aspect is stirred up by social contact, food and enjoyment, it sees the same things in dreams. When the incensive aspect of the soul is enraged against its fellows, it dreams of attacks by wild animals and reptiles, of wars and battles. When the soul’s rational faculty is elated with arrogance and pride, it imagines itself being caught up into the air, or seated on a high throne, or in command of the nation. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">St Symeon’s disciple, St Nikitas Stithatos, is more revealing. He writes that someone who has made progress in the spiritual life can see the impulses of the soul by examining dreams. If the soul loves material things and pleasure, “it dreams of acquiring possessions and having lots of money, of female figures and passionate involvements, all of which lead to the soiling and defilement of soul and body.” If someone’s soul is grasping and avaricious, “he dreams of gold everywhere, and imagines himself acquiring it, lending it out at interest and storing it up in his treasuries. And he is condemned for his callousness.” If someone is hot-tempered and vicious, “he imagines himself pursued by wild beasts and poisonous snakes and is overwhelmed with fear and cowardice.” If his soul is full of self-esteem, “he will dream of acclamation and being feted by the people, of holding positions of power and authority. ” Even when awake he imagines that what is non-existent actually exists. If someone’s soul is full of pride and arrogance “he sees himself being carried along in a splendid coach and sometimes even flying through the air on wings, while everyone trembles at his great power.” Thus we can recognise the passions in our soul from the type of dreams we have. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">We ought to note, however, that not everyone can make this distinction, only someone who has been trained in this struggle and has the precious gift of discernment. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Just as the impassioned person sees dreams that correspond to his passion, so the person who loves God and is diligent in practising virtue sees good dreams. According to St Nikitas Stithatos, if someone is sincere in his struggles for godliness, he sees in his sleep the outcome of events and awe-inspiring visions are revealed to him. He prays even when asleep and he awakes with tears on his cheeks and “words addressed to God” on his lips. When a person lives all through the day with noetic prayer and has learnt to converse with God, he does the same during sleep. His dreams and revelations are linked with God and prayer. It is possible for him to say the Jesus prayer with his lips even when asleep. He feels his heart praying continuously. His nous prays without ceasing. He wakes up aware of having prayed all night. It often happens that he is attacked by the devil. Then his nous automatically begins its converse with God (noetic prayer) and the devil vanishes. Such events do not make him afraid, in spite of the devil’s appearance, but bring him joy and gladness. All day long, even for days on end, he rejoices in God’s power and in the fact that the devil was driven off by the energy of the praying nous.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <span style="color: red;"><u><b>Dealing with Dreams </b></u></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">The holy Fathers were familiar with this sacred struggle and they describe how to deal with dreams. We shall look at some aspects of their teaching. First of all, preventive action is required. Because most dreams are connected with passions and every-day impressions, we have to struggle against the passions. The more we fight against passions, or rather, the more we strive to transform the passions and powers of the soul, the more we are freed from the dreadful state of dreaming. Our liberation from dreams is linked with dispassion and purification of the heart. St John Climacus writes that, “As a mass of dung breeds a mass of worms, so a surfeit of food breeds a surfeit of falls, and evil thoughts, and dreams.” We must therefore limit our food. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">As many dreams result from alien impulses of the soul, avoiding such impulses helps us to get rid of awful dreams. If we purify our soul through being in a state of hesychia, so that it “is continuously musing on things that are good and pleasing to God”, it will dream of such things at night (St Basil). Our nous should be occupied during the day in musing on God’s name. Then our dreams will bring joy and gladness because, as St Symeon the New Theologian says, “What occupies the soul and enters it while it is awake, still occupies its imagination and thoughts during sleep.” </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">We should also pray before going to sleep. If we fall asleep after praying, we shall have corresponding dreams. Abba Philemon exhorts, “Before going to sleep, say many prayers in your heart, and resist thoughts and the attempts of the devil to lead you where he wills…as far as you can, take care to sleep only after reciting psalms and attentive reading; and do not let your mind accept alien thoughts through negligence.” Praying before sleep and striving to cut off thoughts is a good way of dealing with bad and demonic dreams. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Then we need a good means of countering dreams after we have seen them. The most effective method of confronting dreams is to stop them abruptly. We should avoid thinking about them when we wake up. Many people examine the dreams of the previous night, which leads to many errors. The holy Fathers recommend that we reject them completely and hold them in utter contempt. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">St John Climacus describes the person who totally rejects dreams as “a wise man”, whereas he calls someone who examines them and believes in them “completely inexperienced”. The demons aim to defile us through dreams, so the same Saint advises us “never to think about the fantasies that have occurred to you during sleep.” </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">From the same standpoint, St Diadochos of Photiki says that not believing at all in dreams is sufficient to ensure our progress in virtue. “We can achieve great virtue just by never trusting our imagination.” In fact he teaches that, even if we were to reject dreams coming from God, for fear that they might be from the devil and we could be deceived, this is a good thing. God will not be angry with us in that case, because He sees that we are being careful. A servant who refuses to open the door at night to the master of the house, when he returns after a long absence, for fear that a deceiver may have the same voice as him and seize his goods, is praised by his master. The same happens when a Christian or monk does not accept dreams. God praises His servant because He knows that he acts in this way for fear of being deceived by the devil, who “transforms himself into an angel of light.” </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">We have to reject dreams and try to forget them, because by remembering them our hearts are filled with sadness, anxiety, despair and impurity. St John Climacus knows that many people, by continuously accepting dreams, have gone mad. When someone is constantly subject to the influence of the demons, the devil gains a hold over him and he becomes insane: “…so that these unfortunates are deceived and completely lose their wits.” This mainly happens in the case of demonic revelations. Many people get into such a state that, when they accept revelations and satanic dreams, they are mocked by the demons and “then they make sport of us even when we are awake.” The devil appears when we are awake and we become his servants. This results in the eternal death of the soul, as well as all sorts of other physical and psychological disorders. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">The overall conclusion is that the type of dreams we have indicates what state we are in: whether we are enslaved to the passions, servants of the devil or servants of God. Dreams disclose our health or sickness, whether or not we are ill. On the one hand, confession, repentance and epitimion are necessary to cleanse us from passions. On the other, we must put no trust at all in dreams. In this way we shall be delivered from the tyranny of the devil, who desires our eternal death and wants to distance us from God.</span></div>Agapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839605026111073458.post-57416527410927799312020-09-07T19:36:00.002-04:002020-09-07T19:36:28.054-04:00 Fear nothing when you have Christ within you ( Blessed Elder Ephraim of Arizona )<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="281" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-745mLkhull0/X1bDuSJDFEI/AAAAAAAAp_0/J0Q9LIZ771IhTqEgUXYO81UpDIH9C91dwCLcBGAsYHQ/w500-h281/Elder%2BEphraim%2BArizona%2BHoly%2BMonday.jpg" width="500" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">When Christ lives within you, fear nothing. In order for Christ to live within you, much humility is needed. Mentally fall at His immaculate feet and weep, saying: “My Jesus, Thou alone art left for me in this humble life of mine as light and life. Show me Thy spiritual beauty, so that I may be filled with divine love and run after Thy myrrh and cry out, ‘My soul has cleaved to Thee, Thy right hand has helped me.’ Oh, my Jesus, when shall I come and appear before Thy face? When, O light of my soul, shall I see Thee and be filled and say, ‘Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!’” </span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Yes, my child, love humility above all, and then you will obtain Jesus, Who is lowly in heart, as an everlasting possession in your soul. Inhale Jesus; exhale Jesus, and then you will know what Jesus is! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Christ commanded that we forgive our enemies seventy time seven every day. How much more so does He forgive, He Who is the Abyss of forgiveness! If you were able to count the drops of rain and the grains of sand, you would be able to measure only a small part of the infinite compassion of the infinite God.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Blessed Elder Ephraim of Arizona </span></div><br />Agapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3839605026111073458.post-24418738315824308872020-09-01T09:51:00.005-04:002020-09-01T09:52:05.051-04:00On watching television :The theatre lulls the Christian life to sleep ( Saint John of Kronstadt )<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iMfMm0gJ2ps/VR06XhR2SJI/AAAAAAAARiw/L-PodZocVss/s1600/kids-tv.jpg" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The theatre lulls the Christian life to sleep, destroys it, communicating to the life of Christians the character of the life of heathens. "They all slumbered and slept" (St. Matthew 25:5); this disastrous sleep is produced, amongst other things, also by the theatre. And what besides? The sciences, taught in the spirit of heathenism, worldly cares carried to excess, love of gain, ambition and sensuality. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The theatre is the school of this world, and of the Prince of this world, that is, the Devil, but sometimes he is transformed into an angel of light in order to more easily tempt people who are not far-seeing, he sometimes introduces an apparently moral play on to the stage. This is done in order that everybody should proclaim and repeat that the theatre is a most moral institution, and that it is not less worth frequenting than the church, and even, perhaps more so, because in church everything is the same, whilst in the theatre there is a variety of plays, scenery, costumes and actors. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;">Most men not only bear Satan's burden willingly in their hearts, but they become so accustomed to it that they often do not feel it, and even imperceptibly increase it. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Sometimes, however, the evil enemy increases his burden tenfold, and then they become terribly despondent and fainthearted, they murmur and blaspheme God's name. The usual means that men of our time take to drive away their anguish are, entertainments, cards, dancing, and theatres. But such means afterwards increase still more the anguish and weariness of their hearts.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"> If, happily, they turn to God, then the burden is removed from their heart, and they clearly see that previously the heaviest burden was lying on their heart, though frequently they did not feel it. O, how many men there are who have "forsaken [God] the Fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no [living] water"! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Men have very many such broken cisterns, nearly everybody has his own. The broken cisterns are our hearts, our passions....</span></div>Agapi en Xristohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00052428076187269521noreply@blogger.com0