The Sunday of Orthodoxy and the Current State of Affairs (Photios Kontoglou)

The Sunday of Orthodoxy was established in order for the Church to celebrate the restoration of the Icons and the victory of true religion over the Iconoclasts. The Iconoclasts were the modernists of that time, who began with the abolition of iconography, so that they might proceed gradually, as all such people are wont to do, to other destructive reforms, the end result being to leave nothing in Orthodoxy intact. The Icon was the symbol of Orthodoxy, and Byzantium was in turmoil over the Icons, in civil war, for 116 years. In 787 A.D., the Seventh Ecumenical Synod took place in Nicaea. This Synod proclaimed the restoration of the Icons, and put an end to the Iconoclasm which had started in 726, in the reign of Leo the Isaurian. But even after the Seventh Ecumenical Synod, Iconoclasm was revived, and so another Synod took place in Constantinople in 842, and this Synod confirmed the Seventh Ecumenical Synod. Thus did that madness of Iconoclasm cease.

The “Synodikon of Orthodoxy” is a text contained in the “Triodion” and read on the Sunday of Orthodoxy, the first Sunday of Lent.

It is well known that through the ages various heresies have appeared which deny the experience of revelation and in fact make use of philosophy and conjecture, doubting the Church’s truth on various dogmatic topics. The Fathers who formed the Synods opposed these errors. The decisions of the Synods on dogmatic topics are called “provisions”. More generally speaking, each decision of the Synods is called a “Synodikon”. Thus we have the synodical tome and the synodical provision, and moreover, each synod has its own synodikon.

The “Synodikon of Orthodoxy” is the decisions of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, which refer to the veneration of holy icons. The reading of them on the Sunday of Orthodoxy gave the title “Synodikon of Orthodoxy”. Of course it must be said that later there was also added to the “Synodikon of Orthodoxy” the definition of faith of the hesychastic Councils of the fourteenth century. Thus the “Synodikon of Orthodoxy” comprises the decisions of both the Seventh Ecumenical Council and the Councils of the fourteenth century, which, as will be said below, have all the elements to characterise and regard as a Ninth Ecumenical Council.

An analysis will be made of the “Synod of Orthodoxy” in its central points. There will not be a broader analysis of the whole Council, but what I consider to be the main points will be emphasised, because they express the ethos of the Church. And this is necessary, because the mind of the Church is linked to, and in harmony with the decisions of the Fathers of the Church as it has been expressed with conciliar authority.

Whosoever, therefore, shall confess Me before men, him will I confess before My Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I deny before My Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 10:32-33).

The term synodikon is applied to an official definition promulgated by a synod or council, or to a statement which has synodical origin or conciliar authority. The present synodikon was approved and issued by the Synod of 843 which restored the veneration of icons, i.e., it upheld and re-imposed the authority of the Seventh Ecumenical Synod which had fallen into abeyance during the intervening second period of Iconoclasm (815-842). In the manuscripts, the titles are various: The Synodikon of Orthodoxy, The Synodikon Confirming Orthodoxy Read on the First Sunday of Great Lent, The Synodikon Confirming Orthodoxy, The Synodikon Against All Heresy, and different combinations of all the above. In the printed Triodion, the synodikon is titled The Synodikon of the Holy and Ecumenical Seventh Synod for Orthodoxy. Although not entirely correct, we have retained it because the Synod of 843 did not form any new definitions, but was concerned to proclaim again the authority of the Seventh Council and to re-establish the definition of the Faith propounded there.

Beloved brethren! The beginning of our sermon on Orthodox Sunday is most naturally the question: What is Orthodoxy?

Orthodoxy is true knowledge of God and worship of God; Orthodoxy is the worship of God in spirit and truth; Orthodoxy is the glorification of God through true knowledge of Him and worship of Him; Orthodoxy is the glorification by God of man, the true servant of God, by the gift of the grace of the All-Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the glory of Christians ( John 7:39 ). Where there is no Spirit, there is no Orthodoxy.

THE HISTORY OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CELEBRATION OF THE SUNDAY OF THE TRIUMPH OF ORTHODOXY.

The very first mention of the Triumph of Orthodoxy as such was made only in 899 (in the Clitorology of Philotheus), and it is certain that this celebration became an integral part of the life of Byzantium from 843 onwards. It was in March of this year that Saint Methodius was ordained as patriarch and the veneration of holy icons was restored.

The Holy Martyr Theodore lived during the reigns of Emperors Maximian (286-305) and Maximinus (308-313), and resided in the metropolis of Amasea, which is an eminent city of Cappadocia off the coast of the Black Sea, and was from the village of Houmialos. At the time therefore when the Saint was numbered among the soldiers called the Tiron (Tiro means armed soldier, or rather was a newly enlisted recruit), when he was under the regimental command of Vriga, then he confessed that Christ was the true God, and that the idols of the Greeks were lifeless statues, the work of men's hands. Wherefore he was brought before his commander, and he gave Theodore some time and a deadline to think things over. Then the Saint did a great virtuous action, for he took an idol of Rhea, the mother of the gods, which played the Greeks for fools, and he threw it into the fire and burned it.

Thus he was arrested and confessed that it was he who burned the idol. First he was hung up and scraped, then he was put in a flaming furnace, in which he was perfected, and received the crown of martyrdom. His Synaxis is held in his martyric Temple which is in Phorakion, on the Saturday of the first week of the Fast. This is when the miracle with the kollyva took place through him, by which he liberated the Orthodox Christian people from the polluted foods of the pagans.

As the author sited the Gospel words: You are witnesses to this...

This is very true, the apostles are the real witnesses of Christ the incarnate God, They listened to His teachings, saw His miracles,His betrayal,Death and Ressurection and His appearences during the 40 days.Also on the 50th day during Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended on them in the form of flames.So they had experiencial knowledge of God, This helped them greatly during their mission to spread the Gospel, This was the reason why they had such boldness to proclaim the truth in front of rulers and a mass of pagan people. They were ready to even give up their lives and endure the worst possible tortures. Such was the zeal they had.

Question:
- Father, if God knows everything, then why confess? After all, He sees everything in my heart...

In Palestine, near the city of Caesarea there is a mountain called the "Place of the Ark." Many hermits labored there, among them the blessed and praiseworthy monk, filled with divine grace—Saint Martinian. From a young age, he loved God and began to lead a monastic life. The handsome Martinian, at eighteen years of age, left the city and his relatives, renounced worldly vanity, and came to this mountain for a life of silence and solitude. Living like incorporeal angels, he remained here for 25 years. For his virtuous life, he was deemed worthy to receive from God the gift of healing ailments and diseases. Many, through his holy prayers, were healed of various ailments; many, possessed by evil spirits, came to him on the mountain and were freed from the wiles of the evil one. God performed many other miracles through the prayers of His saint. Day by day, Martinian became increasingly successful in his ascetic endeavors; the fame of his virtuous life spread far beyond the borders of that land; all who heard of him came to him for spiritual benefit. But the enemy of mankind, the devil, could not tolerate such a virtuous life of a young ascetic, so adorned with spiritual struggles. At first, he began to tempt blessed Martinian in every way and tried to intimidate him in various ways. Then the ancient envy of mankind used the same weapon with which he once expelled Adam from paradise, wishing to expel this ascetic from his silent wilderness and deprive him of eternal bliss.

Let me be different God, I don't mind.

Satan's strategy is simple:

Make sin seem normal and righteousness strange. The closer you are to God, the stranger you are to people. Don't fall for that. If your heart is not grounded in the truth, you will be carried away by everything that is popular.
Compromise always distances you from Christ. God did not create you to fit in.
He chose you to stand out. You are not strange for walking in obedience - you are walking in wisdom.
If the path you are taking seems easy to you, if everyone greets and praises you... it is probably not the narrow path. The Lord's path has always been a challenge to the culture.
He gave his life for it, and His followers paid the same price.
Your obedience to God is more important than the world's opinion.
The Lord Jesus was perfect, they still hated him. Stop seeking validation from a world that crucified its Creator. God’s approval is worth more than the applause of the whole world. I don’t care who laughs at me, I will boldly say:
I would rather stand with God and be rejected by the world than stand with the world and be rejected by God.
If you choose God over culture, if you would rather be singled out than accepted…you probably feel like a “white sheep” in this dark world…
But God singled them out on purpose.

Source: Repost from ''End Times''

How to live the Orthodox faith - A spiritual instruction (Igumen Tihon)

1. Start your day with prayer.

When you wake up in the morning, the first thing you do is turn to God with gratitude. Prayer isn't just a duty, but an opportunity to establish inner peace before starting a new day. Even a short prayer will set the right mood and provide spiritual support.

2. Treat every person with love and respect.

Whenever you meet people—whether colleagues, family, or random passersby—remember that each of them is created in the image and likeness of God. Showing patience, respect, and compassion is a daily way of fulfilling the commandment to love one's neighbor.

The time of Lent is a time of special attention to the struggle with one's passions. It is given as a reminder of what a Christian must do in his personal life. He must turn his attention inward, to his soul, and pay attention to himself with the goal of eradicating his sinful, passionate desires and feelings and, in their place, cultivating and instilling virtuous desires and feelings of the soul, turning to God for help. One must devote one's attention to this inner work , especially during Lent. And then, when the fast ends, one should not abandon it, but continue it throughout one's life.

All-Merciful and Long-Suffering Lord, I now enter upon holy Lent to cleanse my soul from the bonds of sin and draw closer to You. Do not reject me, a sinner, but grant me the strength and wisdom to walk this path with repentance, humility, and love.
Cleanse my heart from judgment, pride, and vanity. Grant me true fasting—not only physical abstinence, but also abstinence from evil thoughts, words, and deeds. May my fast not be hypocritical, but pleasing to You, O God!
Enlighten my mind with the light of Your truth, so that my prayer is not empty, but becomes a living communion with You. Fill my soul with love for my neighbors, so that by forgiving and humbling myself, I may inherit Your grace.
Help me remember eternity, not to become attached to earthly things, but to seek first Your Kingdom. May this fast be a step toward purity, peace, and joy in You, Lord, for You are the Light and the Truth, and to You be glory forever and ever.
Amen.

Life of Saint Charalampus (+202)

During the reign of the impious Roman Emperor Severus , with the spread of the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ, the worship of demons began to decline and idolatry itself ceased. At this time, in the city of Magnesia , lived the holy Bishop Charalampus. He guided people on the path to salvation and taught them the word of God. He said: "My Emperor Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit, sent apostles and prophets so that people, enlightened by their holy preaching, would steadfastly follow the path of truth. Your Emperor Severus, however, forces people through cruel torments to offer sacrifices to soulless idols and thereby consigns their souls to eternal death." Jesus Christ, my King, through the prophets and apostles, has given us the words of heavenly life—and through this preaching, our enemy is cast out, the serpent is trampled, unbelief is transformed into faith, demonic teaching perishes, and all enemy power falls in its cruel fall. Therefore, it is better to believe the words that guide us onto the path to eternal life than to stand for a cause that brings eternal destruction."

1. St Martyr Nikephoros ☦️

In the great city of Syrian Antioch, there lived a certain priest named Sapricius and a simple citizen named Nicephorus. They loved each other so much and were so close that some considered them brothers.

After many years of such friendship, the devil, who hated everything good, became envious of them and sowed such weeds of enmity in them that they did not even want to meet each other on the road: so they hated each other; and as much as love and friendship had previously reigned between them, so much later, through the action of Satan, hatred and enmity boiled up between them.

Blessed Forgiveness Sunday and approaching Great Lent to all brothers and sisters!

May God forgive us all!

Forgive me and I also forgive you!

"Lord Jesus Christ our God, the true and living path, who deigned to wander into Egypt with your supposed father Joseph and your Most Pure Virgin Mother, and who journeyed to Emmaus with Luke and Cleopas! We humbly pray to you, Most Holy Master, that you now also, with your grace, accompany these servants of yours (names) , and, as with your servant Tobias, send them a guardian angel and guide, who would preserve and deliver them from every evil danger, from visible and invisible enemies, guide them to the fulfillment of your commandments, accompany them in well-being and good health, and bring them back safe and sound. And grant them to successfully fulfill their good intentions for your pleasing and for your glory. For it is in Your power to have mercy and save us, and we send up glory to You with Your Beginningless Father and with Your Most Holy, All-Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen."

Source: https://azbyka.ru/.../Feofan.../trebnik-na-russkom-jazyke/54

How can we become humble (Hieromonk Savvas Aghioreitis)

I remember a contemporary Elder on Mount Athos whom I once asked:

— How can we become humble?

And he told me this:

— When we accuse ourselves.

"The Pope is a divine man and a human God. Therefore, no one can judge him or about him. The Pope has divine authority, and his authority is unlimited. He can do on earth the same thing as God can do in heaven. What the Pope does is the same as what God has done. His commandments must be fulfilled as the commandments of God. Only God alone is like the Pope; the Pope commands heavenly and earthly things. The Pope is in the world what God is in the world, or what the soul is in the body. The authority of the Pope is higher than any created authority, for it in some way extends to things in heaven, earth, and the underworld, so that the words of Scripture may be justified in him: 'You have put all things under his foot.' Everything is given over to the power and will of the Pope, and no one and nothing can resist him. If the Pope were to drag millions of people into hell with him, none of them would have the right to ask him: 'Holy Father, why are you doing this?'

The primacy of the pope

The cornerstone of all the errors of the Catholic Church is the doctrine of papal primacy. The essence of this doctrine is as follows: the Roman Pontiff, Catholics teach, is the supreme ruler of the entire Church founded by the Savior; he is God's vicar on earth and the head of all believers. As such, the Pope is superior to the Ecumenical Councils, which receive their confirmation and sanction from the Pope.

On what do Catholics base this anti-Christian teaching about the visible primacy of the Roman Pontiff in the Church?

“The true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth: for the Father seeks such as these, who will worship him” ( John 4:23 ).

Beloved brethren! We have now heard in the Gospel that true servants of the true God worship Him in Spirit and Truth, that God seeks , that is, desires, such worshipers. If God desires such worshipers, then it is clear that only such worshipers and servants He accepts, only such worshipers and servants are pleasing to Him. This teaching was proclaimed to us by the Son of God Himself. We believe the teaching of Christ! With all love, we accept the all-holy teaching of Christ! To follow Him faithfully, let us consider what it means to worship God the Father in Spirit and Truth.

The Japanese seem to be showing an inclination toward Orthodoxy. They dislike, and such a sophisticated and inquisitive people cannot dislike, the oppression of Catholicism, which, while preaching Christianity, does not allow the teachings of Christ to be read in the original, thereby arousing mistrust and doubt about the authenticity of what is preached. The Japanese attitude toward Catholicism is quite characteristically expressed by the following circumstance: Catholic missionaries, try as they might, were unable to establish their own seminary in Japan. No sooner had they gathered students, surrounded them with strict rules, and seemingly the most reliable barriers to contact with the outside world, than a ray of light would quickly penetrate the school, and the students would scatter. So, finally, the missionaries conceived the idea of founding a Japanese seminary in China, in Fuchau, where they send their young proselytes as soon as possible after winning them, and from which, undoubtedly, escape is impossible.

The Japanese also dislike Protestantism. They are exhausted by their own religious confusion and emptiness, and Protestantism, which places only the Bible in their hands but allows everyone to interpret it as they please—that is, the same as paganism—leaving people in matters of religion to be guided by human views, without clearly and definitely pointing out Divine truth, naturally cannot satisfy or reassure them. Characteristic of Protestantism in Japan is that the best of the Protestant proselytes, who for many years were devoted Protestants and preachers of Protestantism, even suffering persecution for it, without any outside influence, voluntarily abandon it and become bitter enemies and vilifiers of it and, in their ignorance, of all Christianity. This means that they have passed through a narrow and meager teaching and once again found themselves in emptiness, with a religious thirst as unsatisfied as before.

What a difference all this makes with Orthodoxy , which is all light and depth, which, giving the word of God into everyone’s hands, itself commands in the words of Scripture to “test the Scriptures,” and to those who test and question, in Holy Tradition, it allows them to hear the living voice of the universal Mother Church, clarifying everything and reliably guiding them in everything!

It is also characteristic of Orthodoxy in Japan that the Orthodox mission, which has existed for only 8 years, with two permanent missionaries during this time, without any specific material resources, is already twice as strong in number of Christians as the Catholic and all Protestant missions taken together, despite the fact that the Catholic and Protestant missions have been founded in Japan for more than 20 years, that they have hundreds of missionaries, both men and women, and inexhaustible material resources.

Apparently, the time is not far off when the question of which religion will be dominant in Japan will be resolved. In Russia, Prince Vladimir, in view of the extraordinary importance of this issue for Russia, once took every measure to ensure its best resolution—he personally listened to all missionaries of different faiths, consulted with nobles, and sent a special embassy abroad to study the faiths and select the best of all. May God grant that the Japanese government, with all prudence and wisdom, resolve this question for Japan, both in the interests of truth itself and in view of the spiritual and material benefits of its people! This question is of immeasurable importance. The enlightenment of other Mongolian peoples will depend greatly on the enlightenment of Japan with Christianity.

Source: https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Nikolaj_Japonskij/izbrannye-uchenye-trudy-svjatitelja-nikolaja-arhiepiskopa-japonskogo/#0_5

Prepare your soul for temptation (Saint Nicholas of Japan)

A sermon by St. Nicholas of Japan at the Council of the Japanese Church in July 1887

Holy Scripture says, "Son, when you come to serve the Lord God, prepare your soul for temptation. Prepare your heart and be patient. And do not be hasty in time of adversity. Cleave to Him and do not turn aside, that you may grow up in your latter end" ( Sirach 2:1-3 ). All of us here, of course, have come to serve God and thus know well that serving God means forcing ourselves to work. But we also know that this service also contains great joy. For the all-seeing God not only sees those who serve Him but also helps them, and the merciful One loves them. However, the path of serving God is filled with dangers and stumbling blocks, weaknesses and falls, and therefore Holy Scripture teaches us that if you want to serve the Lord God, then prepare your soul for temptations.

Equal-to-the-Apostles Nicholas (Kasatkin) , the founder and first hierarch of the Japanese Church, is a prominent Russian missionary of the 20th century. Having died in 1912, he was canonized sixty years after his death (March 31, 1970).

This selfless missionary devoted his entire life and energy to preaching the Gospel and sowing the Word of God in the Land of the Rising Sun, and his apostolic labors bore rich fruit. Naganawa Mitsuo writes: "He left behind a cathedral, eight temples, 175 churches, 276 parishes, and raised one bishop, 34 priests, eight deacons, and 115 preachers. The total number of Orthodox believers reached 34,110…"

Archpriest I. Vostorgov , who visited Japan, wrote: "No one in Japan, after the Emperor, enjoyed such renown. In the Japanese capital, there was no need to ask where the Russian Orthodox mission was; it was enough to say the word 'Nikolai,' and literally every rickshaw driver immediately knew where to take a mission guest. The Orthodox church was called 'Nikolai,' and the mission site was also called 'Nikolai,' even Orthodoxy itself was called 'Nikolai.' Traveling through the country in the garb of Russian priests, we always and everywhere encountered kind glances, and in the greetings and conversations about us, we caught with our ears, amidst the incomprehensible words and expressions of an unfamiliar language, one familiar and dear one: 'Nikolai.'"

The renowned orientalist D. M. Pozdneev, who knew the saint closely, recalls: "Along with gentleness, he was a man of iron, unaware of any obstacles, a practical mind and administrator who knew how to find a way out of any difficult situation. Along with his kindness, he had the ability to be icy, unyielding, and harsh with people whom he found necessary to discipline with strict measures, to punish or stop for something. Along with his sociability, he possessed a very strong reserve, acquired through long experience and bitter trials, and it took much time and effort to earn his trust and frankness. Along with a certain childish naiveté of a cheerful conversationalist, he possessed the breadth of ideals of a great statesman, an endless love for his homeland, suffering with its sufferings, and tormented by its torments... Broad and holy ideals, an iron will, and an inexhaustible love of work—this is the essence of Archbishop Nicholas."

One cannot but agree with A. Platonova, the author of one of the saint’s biographies, who wrote: “It is the duty of every Russian person to know about him in as much detail as possible, because people like Archbishop Nicholas are the pride and adornment of their country.”

His activities were fraught with many sorrows. Archbishop Nicholas was persecuted from two sides: by the Japanese, as a Russian political agent, a spy, and an agitator sowing treason and sympathy for a perfidious, predatory Russia on Japanese soil; by the Russians, as someone telling Japan things about Russia it didn't need to know... The archbishop's activities were thus declared not only useless but also harmful, and many in Russia viewed him as an eccentric possessed by a strange mania. Archbishop Nicholas was saved for his work by two ideas that guided him throughout his life: the first was the idea of apostolic service, the feat of spreading Orthodoxy among the pagans; the second was a fervent conviction that his work should stand apart from any connection with politics." And elsewhere: "He was imbued with something he kept within himself not for earthly purposes."

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!

I congratulate you all on the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord! This is the day when we celebrate the meeting of two Covenants: the Old Covenant, made with the people of Israel, and the New Covenant, made with the Universal Church, now including all nations. We must ponder the words of prophecy proclaimed by the ancient elder Symeon, taking the Creator of the Universe in his arms: "Now let Your servant depart in peace, O Master, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel." (By word — according to promise. By revelation — for enlightenment. By Gentiles — the nations.)

Saint Brigid, Abbess of Kildare

Commemorated on February 1/14

Dmitry Lapa

Icon of St. Bridget of Kildare (taken from "Come and See Icons")Saint Brigid (Brigida, Bridget), Ireland's most revered saint, lived in the second half of the 5th and early 6th centuries. She was born between 450 and 454 and died between 523 and 527. Her name means "light bearer" (other variations include "strength," "virtue," and "exalted"). The saint truly lived up to her name with the light of her virtuous life. She is often called the "Irish Mary" ^[1] and the "pillar of Ireland," and is venerated on the "Emerald Isle" alongside Saints Patrick and Columba. The figure of this great saint quickly became surrounded by legends, making Brigid not only the greatest Christian ascetic of the Irish land, but also one of the most popular figures in Irish folklore.

Soon after St. Brigid's death, and again in the late Middle Ages, numerous versions of her life were composed in Old Irish and Latin. The oldest surviving life was written in the mid-7th century by St. Cogitos, a monk of Kildare Monastery (feast day: April 18). Also worth mentioning are the 7th-century lives of St. Muirchu, a learned monk and historian from Leinster (feast day: June 8; he also wrote his version of the life of St. Patrick); St. Kilian, abbot of the monastery on the island of Inish Cultra (feast day: July 29); and St. Ultan, Bishop of Ardbraccan, a hymnographer and relative of St. Brigid (feast day: September 4).

ETERNAL MEMORY

Sermon for Meatfare Saturday of Souls

By Igumen Tihon

Today the Church pronounces words we have heard many times—and yet they are never familiar:
"Eternal Memory."

We pronounce them quietly, sometimes with tears, sometimes with an inner emptiness. But if you think about it, we are not asking that God not forget the deceased. God does not forget—forgetfulness is ours, not His. The memory of God is not a recollection of the past; the memory of God is life. To be in the memory of God means to be alive in Him.

Our Orthodox Church is a Garden where flowers with an unfading fragrance grow. Among these spiritual flowers are the Three Holy Hierarchs whose memory we celebrate today: Saint Basil the Great, Saint Gregory the Theologian, and Saint John Chrysostom.

These saints were great fighters for the faith. Remember that our earthly life is a time of spiritual warfare, a battlefield... The Three Ecumenical Teachers are a model for us all.

* * *

Their era, like any other, was riddled with sins, vices, passions, crimes, temptations, errors, and all manner of heresies... but they did not succumb. They confronted all these challenges, waging an unwavering struggle. And thus became an example for those who defend the Christian faith.

Introduction

There seems to be no question more pressing and vital, more urgent and pressing, than the question of raising children. Indeed, it is the key to family happiness, the foundation of social well-being, the strength of nations, the beauty and happiness of life—but, strange as it may seem, it is also the potential source of the great misfortunes that darken a person's life. That is how great and important this question is.

Despite all this, no issue has always been treated by society with such inattention and disdain as the issue of education.

Modern intelligentsia are endlessly interested in and debated about forms of government, the foundations of social life, various philosophical and literary movements—but not about family and raising children. This is partly explained by the fact that the task of education is discreet and modest, yet it requires serious work, dedication, and even heroism. Modern man, however, is willing to accept and reconcile himself to anything, but not with dedication and heroism, for he views life from the standpoint of pleasure.

Without any interest in upbringing or understanding of it, modern parents entrust their children to the care of nurses, nannies, and various governesses, at best reserving for themselves only the most basic supervision and general instructions. This situation is abnormal: indeed, can a stranger, even a kind and decent one, replace a child's mother? After all, a child is flesh of its mother's flesh and bone; its soul is, as it were, a part of its mother's soul, and no power can compare to a mother's influence on a child. To entrust a child's spiritual upbringing to others is to abandon one's own child.

During school years, parents seem to care even less about their children: they shift all responsibility to the school, which is usually blamed for all their children's mental and moral shortcomings. This judgment is harsh and unfair. It's unfair because the foundation of character, all good qualities, must be instilled in a child from childhood, before school. For no school, even the most ideal, will do what parents neglected to do, much less correct what parents once sinned in. That's why the Apostle Paul commands fathers to bring up their children "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" ( Eph. 6:4 )—not teachers.

The soul of a small child is like wax, not yet defined. Parents give it its first form, and by the age of six to eight, the child's soul has already hardened within it. By this time, the child has acquired a certain character, certain and defined habits, which are difficult to change during school age, and nearly impossible to completely replace. When a sculptor makes a statue from a mass of molten metal, he can shape it into any number of forms until the mass hardens; but once the mass hardens, the sculptor is powerless: he can do very little. This comparison is entirely applicable to the soul of a child and its early development.

So, the upbringing of a child is, first of all, the work of the parents, and not of mothers and nannies and not of the school, because no governess can replace a child’s mother, and no school can do what a family can and should do.

The first evil of modern education is the oblivion of this truth.

Furthermore, the educational issues we are addressing are so diverse and complex that it is utterly impossible to cover them all in a brief overview. Thus, a distinction is made between physical, mental, and moral, or religious-moral, education. Physical education is emphasized in our age, but again, somewhat unsuccessfully, to the detriment of the child's spiritual and character development. Rightly or wrongly, intellectual development is also emphasized, imparting it primarily through secondary and higher education; the one, but most important, education—religious-moral, or Christian—is completely neglected.

They think that baptizing a child and giving them Holy Communion once a year is enough to ensure they grow up a Christian. Alas, this is far from enough. Don't we see how our children grow up irreligious—they pray little to God, don't know the prayers, and exhibit bad temperaments? At school, these negative traits develop further, ultimately degenerating into religious atheism and complete moral depravity. How can we recognize Christians in such children?

Today's parents don't care about their children's souls and their Christian growth. They worry about their health, academic success, good manners, music, and foreign language skills—but not about their souls. Of course, these concerns are also good; but forgetting the essential and eternal simply because of the secondary and temporary is unforgivable, sinful, and detrimental to children. The absence of a clearly defined and expressed Christian goal in upbringing is the second greatest evil, the root of countless misfortunes for children in this life, and perhaps even in eternity. The ancient Christians acted differently: they lived according to the Savior's commandment— "Seek ye first the kingdom of God... and all these things shall be added unto you" ( Matthew 6:33 ). But then, family life was elevated and happy, and both parents and children were saints.

Christian education consists of protecting the child's soul from evil and sin, conquering the rudiments of passion, and making it a temple of God. May the child grow up to be a vessel of grace, a child of God, the joy of angels, the hope of the Church, and the consolation of parents.

Now let's consider how this can be achieved in today's world, and how it would be possible to provide a Christian education to children even today. Of course, by the very nature of this essay, we will focus only on the most important and essential points, but parents and educators will easily be able to add to our discussion.

Those brave warriors who are more worthy of respect than others are those who have the custom of fighting the enemy not in a general formation, but who rush at the enemy individually. Although the Lord allows them to fall temporarily many times, lest they become overweening, He never completely abandons them without His grace-filled help, but restores them and makes them invincible. One such brave warrior of Christ, Blessed Nikita, gained particular fame after St. Isaac the Recluse. The praiseworthy Polycarp, citing St. Simon, reports the following about him.

1. A true Christian is one who, during his Baptism, sincerely confessed before God and the Angels that he has renounced the devil and all his satanic works and vowed to serve Christ the Lord, fulfilling all His holy commandments, and thus was granted the ability to mysteriously receive the hidden grace of God and to sense it in the spirit, that is, to recognize in the spirit that he has received it. As soon as one receives grace, he immediately turns away from carnal desires, begins to hate worldly lusts, and by the grace of God becomes invulnerable to them and dead to them; therefore, he fulfills the divine commandments of Christ with all joy and zeal, and his soul no longer desires any carnal pleasures, or acquisitions, or honor and glory, as if he were outside the body and outside the world, as the Lord says: " Ye are not of the world " ( John 15:19 ). Being thus united with the grace of the All-Holy Spirit, he always rejoices and sings: But I will rejoice in the Lord, I will rejoice in God my Savior ( Ps. 103:34 ; Luke 1:47 ).

The head and beginning of all virtues is, as far as possible, unceasing prayer to our Lord Jesus Christ, or, as the expression adopted for brevity is called, the Jesus Prayer; of it the Apostle says: "Pray without ceasing" ( 1 Thessalonians 5:17 ). That is, we must always call upon the name of God, whether we talk, or sit, or walk, or work, or eat , or do anything else. For at all times and in every place it is fitting to call upon the name of God. For thus the temptations of the enemy are destroyed, writes Chrysostom. "Beat the warriors," says St. John Climacus, "with the name of Jesus, and you will not find a stronger weapon than this either in heaven or on earth." Prayer is the drive away of sorrow and despondency, the growth of meekness and freedom from anger, the offering of joy and thanksgiving; and countless blessings are acquired through prayer.

During the reign of Emperor Alexius Comnenus, who reigned from 1081 to 1118, a controversy arose in Constantinople, dividing men enlightened in matters of faith and zealous in the acquisition of virtues into three camps. The debate centered on three saints and outstanding Fathers of the Church: Basil the Great , Gregory the Theologian , and John Chrysostom . Some favored St. Basil over the other two, as he was able to explain the mysteries of nature like no other and was elevated by virtue to angelic heights. His supporters argued that there was nothing base or earthly about him; he was the organizer of monasticism, the leader of the entire Church in the struggle against heresies, and a strict and demanding pastor regarding moral purity. Therefore, they concluded, St. Basil stood above St. John Chrysostom, who was more inclined to forgive sinners.

The other party, on the contrary, defended Chrysostom, countering that the renowned bishop of Constantinople, no less than St. Basil, was committed to combating vices, calling sinners to repentance, and urging the people to perfection according to the Gospel commandments. Unrivaled in eloquence, the golden-mouthed pastor flooded the Church with a veritable river of sermons. In them, he expounded on the Word of God and demonstrated its application in everyday life, and he succeeded in doing so better than the other two Christian teachers.

The third group advocated recognizing St. Gregory the Theologian as the most important, citing the grandeur, purity, and depth of his language. They argued that St. Gregory, who best mastered the wisdom and eloquence of the Greek world, attained the highest level of contemplation of God, and therefore no other person could have so magnificently expounded the doctrine of the Holy Trinity.

Five Steps to Christ (Saint Seraphim Zvezdinsky)

On the fight against the main sins of man according to the teachings of the Orthodox Church

Saint John Chrysostom, a luminary of the world, a teacher of the universe, a pillar and support of the Church, and a preacher of repentance, hailed from Syrian Antioch and was born around 347. His parents, Secundus and Anthusa, belonged to the best of Antioch's society and professed the Christian faith. Secundus was a military commander and held an honorable position; however, he could not influence his son's upbringing, as he died while John was still a young child. Therefore, all care for John's upbringing fell to his mother, the pious Anthusa. Having lost her husband at a very young age (she was then about twenty years old), she did not wish to remarry, but devoted herself entirely to her son's upbringing. It was from her that the young John received his first lessons in Christian truths and piety.

Today the Orthodox Church remembers the parable of the prodigal son and his older envious self-righteous brother.

The first homily will be dedicated to the prodigal son and the second to his envious brother:

The following text is a story of an orthodox christian Sergei Nilus (1862-1929) who was born orthodox but later in his youth apostasized but by the intercession of St Sergius of Radonezh an incident on the horse and also the miraculous healing by St John of Kronstadt he returned to the faith. Sergei Nilus was the publisher of the Dialogue between Motovilov and St Seraphim of Sarov on the Acquistion of the Holy Spirit.

The first text is his autobiography and the second text is his full biography written by Vladimir Moss.

Blessed Elena Afanasyevna Dertyeva came from the noble Dertyev family. Her father was an official serving in Arzams. Her parents raised Elena in the fear of God and provided her with a home education befitting her rank. From childhood, she expressed a desire to dedicate herself to the monastic life, but despite her gentle and meek nature, beloved by all, her parents would have none of it.

When she was 14 or 15 years old, Father Nazarius, an ascetic of the Sarov Hermitage and the abbot and restorer of the renowned Valaam Monastery, visited her father's house while passing through Arzamas. Elena revealed her desire to him, and he tried to persuade her parents not to oppose their daughter's intention, but they refused. Then, choosing a time when she was alone with Father Nazarius, Elena asked him what she should do. The elder told her, "Be a fool for Christ's sake, cover your mind with madness; this way you will be saved and please God." Elena accepted this advice and prayed to God to help her fulfill it.

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Saint Brigid, Abbess of Kildare

Commemorated on February 1/14