Dormition of the Mother of God (Poselyanin Evgeniy Nikolaevich)

With her entire being, the Most Pure Virgin yearned for heaven. The closer she came to the longed-for passage to other worlds, the more focused her always silent and introspective soul became.

Prayer served the Mother of God as a means of constant communion with Her Son. Her entire life was filled with unceasing prayer. She spent entire days, entire nights, praying in the vineyard of Gethsemane, and who can tell what insights illuminated Her great soul during these hours of prayer, what message the heart of Christ imparted to the heart of Mary, meekly languishing in separation from Her Divine Son?

One can guess what the Mother of God's prayer was about. She likely prayed for the flourishing of Christianity, for those churches of believers who, under the influence of the apostles' preaching as they traveled the world, were founded in various countries. But most likely, She prayed most of all to be quickly freed from the bonds of the flesh and ascend to the sweet vision and eternal standing before Her Divine Son.

The Unknown Saint - Mikhail Yershov (1911-1974)☦️

If you ask people a very simple question: who spent the longest time in the Gulag during Soviet times, how many years exactly, and for what? – I'm sure very few would be able to answer.

That man was Mikhail Vasilyevich Yershov. A man of unbending will, a kind of unattainable courage that drove his persecutors and tormentors into uncontrollable rage.

Unbelief and its Causes (Elder Athanasios Mitilinaios)

When, my beloved, the Lord descended from Mount Tabor with three of His disciples, James, John, and Peter, He came to where the other nine disciples were, surrounded by a large crowd of people and Pharisees. With them was a distressed father who had brought his possessed son to the apostles for healing, but they were unable to help him. He approached the Savior and addressed Him: “Lord, have mercy on my son… I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not heal him” (Matthew 17:15). Then Christ sighed and said: “ O faithless and perverse generation! How long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? ” He asked that the child be brought closer to Him, and He freed him from the demon.

When He was alone with His disciples, the apostles asked: “Why could we not cast out the demon?” The Lord answered: “Because of your unbelief” (Matthew 17:20).

The question arises: is it possible that we, baptized Christians, like the disciples who followed the Lord, live close to Christ, receive His blessings, and yet simultaneously be unbelievers? Why did those who were sent to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom, perform miracles, and cast out demons, suddenly find themselves bereft of faith? Is it possible for unbelief to lurk deep within faith? Apparently, yes, my dears. We see this in our very lives. Unbelief can hide beneath the veil of faith—even the faith that seems fervent.

What, then, can give rise to unbelief? Why can't we be confident in our faith? What compelled the Apostle Peter, on the one hand, to confess the Lord as the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16:16), and on the other, to deny Him? If—I address the holy Apostle Peter—the One whom you confessed is the Son of the Living God, how is it that you were afraid to confess Him before a few insignificant people? Can unbelief really lurk at the very heart of faith? Apparently, yes. What can give rise to, nourish, or sustain this unbelief? I think you are all interested in the answer to this question, because we would all like to be truly faithful.

The Life of Saint Vandregizil of Fontenelle (+668)

At the royal court

Reverend Vandregizil

Once upon a time there lived a man named Vandregizil, also known as Vandon, whose life was illuminated by divine light. He was born in the region of Verdun ^[4] and, of noble birth, further ennobled himself by his monastic life. Until his youth, he lived with his parents, who provided him with the education appropriate for his time, and then assigned him to an important and high service. During these years, Vandregizil, although leading the life of an honorable secular man, always fulfilling all entrusted to him with impeccability, strove in his soul to follow the commandments of Christ, so that the ascetic applied to himself the words of Christ from the Gospel: "Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's" (Matthew 22:21) ^[5] .

Vandregisil was still a young man when his parents decided to marry him. Obedient to his parents' wishes, he became engaged to a girl from a good family, whose ancestors were quite distinguished. This was one of the most distinguished families. But Vandregisil was deeply troubled. He longed to leave the world and serve only the Lord, but he feared that his fiancée, even knowing this, would not consent to the dissolution of their engagement. Therefore, Vandregisil decided to marry her first and only then discuss monastic life. And so, having contracted the marriage union with this girl, he, thinking of her welfare and fulfilling the Gospel commandment to love thy neighbor as thyself (see Matthew 19:19), began diligently explaining to her the teachings of the Church, which he knew very well. He especially emphasized the great reward that awaits those who, being one flesh on earth (cf. Matthew 19:5), lead a virtuous life in a monastic manner, desiring unity in heavenly glory with the saints in Paradise. And one day, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, she interrupted him and cried out: “O my lord! Who hindered you from telling me this sooner? I assure you that I will unhesitatingly dedicate myself to the service of the Lord, leaving behind the vanity of this world to labor for the acquisition of the glorious Kingdom of Christ. I have only one request of you, my lord! And this is it: may this intention be fulfilled as soon as possible—to subject us both, you and me, your faithful spouse, to the glorious yoke of Christ.” Hearing this, Vandregizil was filled with joy and thanked the Lord for the greatness of this calling. And so, by mutual consent, they decided to part. Vandregisil himself performed the tonsure ^[6] and placed the crown of glory on the head of his spouse. And we mention here that the purity of her life and heart was such that the Lord, even during her lifetime, rewarded her with the gift of performing numerous miracles ^[7] .

Now, looking back, let's return to the time when Vandregisil first experienced the power of God—it happened when he was still a layman. Once, while traveling, Vandregisil, accompanied by his wife and a large retinue, stopped for the night in a place inhabited by people so unkind and dark-hearted that they feared neither God nor their master. A dispute over pasture for horses nearly led to a fierce fight, and many casualties could not have been avoided if not for the divine righteousness and virtue of the man of God. Needing protection, the most effective, the saint armed himself with prayer to God instead of a sword and protected himself with His mercy instead of a shield. The Lord, who loves to respond to the prayers of His faithful servants, came to the rescue—and the quarrel suddenly ceased. The adversaries came to an agreement and became friends. Thus, the son of peace became an instrument in God's hands for reconciling rivals. This event further increased Vandregizil's zeal, and he henceforth loved to repeat these words: "Is He not worthy of being loved more than anything else in the world - Him, God, Who immediately appears where they sincerely call upon Him, as He promised: "When you seek Me with all your heart, you will find Me"?"

Life of Saint Joseph the Hesychast (+1959)

Elder Joseph, known in the world as Francis Kottis, was born in Lefkes on the island of Paros on the 12th of February 1897. His parents, George and Maria, were ordinary but righteous people. He was destined even from his mother’s womb to follow in the footsteps of Christ and become His aide in the deliverance of men. When his mother gave birth to him, she had a vision where an angel was trying to take the baby away from her. When she protested, the angel showed her a note in which it was written that he must take the baby away.

+ On Overcoming Human Limitations

Written by Archimandrite Tikhon Nevidimov

"Human nature is corrupted, and man alone cannot be saved. But in Christ we find all things, if only we deny ourselves and follow Him."
— Saint Seraphim (Rose) of Platina
+
Modern man is captivated by his mind, bound to his body, limited by his time. He builds worlds within himself, prides himself on his achievements, convinced that with the help of science, philosophy, or even religious practices, he can comprehend the truth and overcome himself. But the Holy Fathers tell us that without God, man is only a shadow of what he was created to be. Human limitation is not simply a weakness, not simply an imperfection, but a deep wound, a gap between what God intended for him and what he became after the Fall.
Man himself, without realizing it, falls into the trap of his limitations. He believes he is free, that he thinks, creates, and seeks truth, but in reality, he is bound by his own mind, in the prison of his own ego. Like a child who has never seen the light and believes the world is only a dark room, so a person living without God does not understand how blind he is. His mind is limited by logic, and logic is limited by the boundaries of the created world. His heart is filled with passions, and he is unable to sense the presence of God. Even his will is weakened, for he cannot completely deny himself for the sake of God.

Saint Gregory of Nyssa says that the human mind is like a vessel: it will only contain what it is capable of, and if the vessel is closed, no light will penetrate.
But how can this state be overcome? Modern man seeks quick solutions. He is accustomed to comfort, convenience, and instant gratification of his desires. He wants to transform even spiritual life into a methodology, a technique, an algorithm. He thinks, "If I read so many prayers, if I observe such and such rules, if I learn all the dogmas, then I will become spiritual." But this is a lie. God reveals himself not to those who have "mastered the method," but to those who have completely crushed themselves for His sake.

The Holy Fathers say that the path to God is the path of renunciation. St. Simeon the New Theologian writes that anyone who wants to see the light of Christ must "die to this world." Not physically, but in their heart—stop seeking consolation in things, people, and ideas. Stop relying on themselves, stop believing in their own strength, stop thinking they can achieve anything on their own. Only then will true transformation begin.

But the enemy will not leave such a person alone. As soon as they begin to seek God, Satan will offer them deception—a false sense of spirituality, delusion. Some will see dreams and think they are revelations. Some will feel joy and believe they are already holy. Others will seek mystical sensations, searching for God where He is not. Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov warns: "Satan knows how to imitate the light." The true spiritual path is not ecstasy, not visions, not special experiences, but the cross. It is pain, humility, a constant struggle with oneself.

The most terrible mistake is to fall into despair. When a person realizes their limitations, they may think salvation is impossible. They see that their heart is full of sins, that their prayer is cold, that their thoughts are impure. And they think: "I will never become a saint; I am too fallen, too weak, too insignificant." This is temptation. Saint Silouan the Athonite says: "Keep your mind in hell and do not despair." One must recognize one's own insignificance, but not lose heart, for God is merciful.

How can we navigate this path? How can we overcome our limitations? The Holy Fathers left us three keys: humility, repentance, and prayer. Humility is the realization that without God, we are nothing. Repentance is not just confession, but a constant transformation of ourselves, the mortification of the old man. Prayer is a connection with God, without which we are dead. Without these three things, there is no spiritual life.
But the most important thing is love. Not the love the world talks about, not a romantic feeling, not sentimentality, but sacrifice. To love God means to give ourselves to Him completely. To love one's neighbor means to forgive, to endure, not to judge, to be ready to give everything for him.

Saint John of Kronstadt says: "Without love, man is as sounding brass."

Human limitations are terrible. But God came into this world to break these boundaries. Christ became Man so that man could become god (theosis). It is possible. But only for those who are willing to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him.
"With man it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible" (Mark 10:27).

Source: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02HC3RjeZwju2s2FK6iFyviGGFeggkT9FHwLbjkY4GASm51yUf6MMWvXPiVVZuDdGXl&id=100009265523383

Life of Saint Basil the Blessed (+1557)☦️

   

                                                          

Blessed Saint Vasilii (Basil), Moscow Wonderworker, was born in December 1468 on the portico of the Elokhovsk church in honour of the Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy Mother of God, outside Moscow. His parents were common folk and sent their son for training in the cobbler's (shoemaker's) craft. During the time of teaching his apprentice the master happened to be a witness to a certain remarkable occurrence, wherein he perceived, that his student was no ordinary man. A certain merchant had brought grain to Moscow on a barge and then went to order boots, specifying to make them such and so, since he would not pick them up for a year. Blessed Vasilii uttered weeping: "I would thee leave them such, since thou will not wear them out". To the perplexed questioning of the master the apprentice explained, that the man making the order would not put on the boots, but rather would soon be dead. After several days the prediction came true.

      At age 16 the saint arrived in Moscow and began the thorny exploit of foolishness. In the burning Summer hear and in the crisp harsh frost he walked about bare-legged and bare-foot through the streets of Moscow. His actions were strange: here he would upset a stand with kalachi, and there he would spill a jug with kvas. Angry merchants throttled the blessed saint, but he took the beatings with joy and he thanked God for them. But then it was discovered, that the kalachi were poorly cooked, the kvas was badly prepared. The reputation of Blessed Vasilii quickly grew: in him they perceived a fool, a man of God, a denouncer of wrong.

The Life of the Holy Great Martyr Panteleimon (+305)

 

When the impious Maximian reigned, a cruel tormentor of Christians, and when almost the entire universe was covered with the darkness of idolatrous impiety, a great persecution was raised against believers in Christ everywhere, and many confessors of the most holy name of Jesus Christ died as martyrs. Then the holy great martyr Panteleimon suffered for Christ in the Bithynia region in the city of Nicomedia.

The Three Sorrowful Epistles of Saint Philaret of New York against ecumenism

The First Sorrowful Epistle

The Holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church have exhorted us to keep the Truth of Orthodoxy as the apple of our eye. And Our Lord Jesus Christ, teaching His Disciples to maintain every jot and title of the Divine Law intact said, "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. v. 19). He sent His disciples to teach the doctrines He gave them to all nations in a pure and unadulterated form, and that duty then devolved upon each of us Bishops, as the successors to the Apostles. We are also taught to do this by the dogmatic definition of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, which says: "We keep unchanged all the ecclesiastical traditions handed down to us, whether in writing or by word of mouth." And the Holy Fathers of that Council added, in their first Canon: "The pattern for those who have received the sacerdotal dignity is found in the testimonies and instructions laid down in the canonical constitutions, which we receiving with a glad mind sing unto the Lord God in the words of the God-inspired David, saying: 'I have had as great delight in the way of Thy testimonies as in all manner of riches.' 'Thou hast commanded righteousness as Thy testimonies for ever.' 'Grant me understanding and I shall live.' Now if the word of prophecy bids us keep the testimonies of God forever and to live by them, it is evident that they must abide unshaken and without change."

The Church of Christ and the Contemporary Unity Movement in Christianity (Archpriest Mikhail Pomazansky)

It should not surprise us that in our time a search for paths to unification has awakened within fragmented Christianity. Before our eyes is an open and direct campaign against Christianity in communist countries; but in a more outwardly mild form, this campaign against Christianity has also engulfed the countries of the so-called free world. A struggle lies ahead, and it demands the unity of people faithful to Christ and a firm stand in the truth. Enemies are already ready to bury Christianity. In vain! The Lord's words have been spoken: " Be of good cheer! I have overcome the world ." They must be inscribed in our hearts in letters of fire. But the struggle ahead will be long and severe. And who—a believer—will not regret that in these terrible historical hours such masses of Christians remain behind the walls of the Church created by the Lord? Who—a believer—would not rejoice at the unification of all Christianity, scattered and dispersed, in one holy, catholic, apostolic Church?

But terrible temptations lurk if the loudest, most outwardly strong unification process goes down a deceptive path, and especially if it, going in the wrong direction itself, even partially affects our holy Orthodoxy.

And Protestantism has declared itself the initiator of the unification movement in our days.

What caused this movement there? The motives were not of the same kind, but different in different people.

It is natural to think that one of the reasons, good and justified by life, is already indicated, namely: the demand of the time to prepare for the self-defense of Christianity.

Another motive can also be discerned. At the heart of many Protestants' aspirations lies a search for the long-lost, one, one, apostolic Church of Christ. After four hundred years of fragmentation, Protestantism has reached a dead end. In America alone, there are more than two hundred and fifty sects; the time has come for a reverse flow, not away from the center, but toward the sought-after center.

But there is another reason, not stated directly, but making itself felt: the extreme weakening of faith in modern Protestantism. While the Protestant lower classes still live partly by simple faith, theological faculties have become the purveyors of positivism in biblical and church-historical science, a method alien to talk of miracles and the supernatural element in history, and have made religion the subject of "objective science." The leaders and leaders of Protestantism, alumni of these faculties, waver between faith and unbelief in the fundamental truths of the Gospel, which they sometimes openly declare: in the Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ, in His Resurrection, and others; Faith in the immortality of the soul is fading, and interest in questions of eternal life is fading in Protestantism. And among the impulses for unification, there is a subconscious search for a healing source for the renewal of faith, similar to the renewal of physical organisms through blood transfusion.

However , if you look from the outside, you can’t help but immediately see a number of false premises in these searches.

The Life of Saint Elijah, the God-Seer and Glorious Zealot for God

As we begin to recount the life of Saint Elijah, the God-Seer and glorious zealot for God, the rebuker of lawless kings, the chastiser of those who fell away from God, the punisher of false prophets, the wondrous miracle-worker to whom the elements obeyed and whom heaven itself heeded, the great favorite of God who remains in the flesh even to this day and is destined to come to earth before the second coming of Christ—for a clearer and stronger demonstration of the zeal with which he contended for the Lord God—we shall first briefly set forth the events that took place before him.

A Protest to Patriarch Athenagoras on the Lifting of the Anathemas of 1054 (Saint Philaret of New York)

Your Holiness,

We have inherited a legacy from the Holy Fathers that everything in the Church should be done in a legal way, unanimously, and conforming to ancient Traditions. If any of the bishops and even primates of one of the autocephalous churches does something which is not in agreement with the teaching of the whole Church, every member of the Church may protest against it. The 15th Canon of the First and Second Council of Constantinople of the year 861 describes as "worthy to enjoy the honour which befits them among Orthodox Christians" those bishops and clergymen who secede from communion even with their patriarch if he publicly preaches heresy and openly teaches it in church. In that way we are all guardians of the truth of the Church, which was always protected through the care that nothing of general importance for the Church would be done without the consent of all.

Letter of Blessed Elder Philotheos Zervakos of Paros written to Patriarch Athenagoras in 1968 regarding his heretical stance on ecumenism and dialogue with the catholics/papists

FROM SOME TIME PAST I had purposed to write to Your All Holiness because of Your hasty and unhesitating dealing toward a union of the Orthodox Eastern Church with the evil-doctrined Papacy.

I did not write to You, because illustrious hierarchs, elect clerics, most pious professors and theologians, virtuous monks, learned, informed laymen have written clearly against this false union pursued in so hasty and servile a manner. [1]

Without Orthodoxy the Ecumenical Throne is Useless (Archimandrite Epiphanios Theodoropoulos)

An open letter written in 1965 by Archimandrite Epiphanios Theodoropoulos to Patriarch Athenagoras of Constantinople, criticizing ecumenical overtures to Rome and defending Orthodox tradition. Originally published in 'The Three Hierarchs' and later in 'The Orthodox Word' by St. Seraphim and Herman of Platina.

“Your All-Holiness: For some years now the body of the Orthodox Church, the consciously religious body, stands as an anxious spectator before the Faith-endangering acrobatics of the First Bishop of Orthodoxy. In short, in order that we might avoid another kind of acrobatics, the behavior of you and some of your representatives toward the Pope and Papism casts the truly Orthodox children of the Church not only into unspeakable sorrow, but also into terrible spiritual trial.

You correspond with the Pope on every ecclesiastical matter as if we lived in the fifth century after Christ. You subject yourself to the distresses of long journeys to meet him. You exchange with him tender embraces and brotherly kisses. You call him “First Bishop of Christendom,” and yourself the second. You proclaim urbi et orbi that “no difference separates the two Churches.” You pray with his representatives and conduct yourself toward them almost as you do toward Orthodox bishops.

Saint Marina the Great Martyr and Vanquisher of Demons

Marina was born in Southern Anatolia, specifically from Pisidia in Antioch, at the end of the third century during the reign of Claudius II (268-270). She was the only daughter of noble pagan parents.

When she was five years old her mother died (some sources say she died shortly after childbirth), and since her father, Aidesios, was too busy carrying out his duties as a pagan priest to care for her properly, he turned her care over to a woman who happened to be a Christian.

This nanny lived in a small town about fifteen miles from where Marina was born. Away from her father’s idols and blasphemous practices her nanny taught her about the Christian Faith. As Marina increased in age, more so did she advance in knowledge, understanding, and compassion. Her faith in the Living God was so great that she desired the difficult path of Martyrdom. She told her father that she wished to become a Christian and to never marry so as to live a life of virginity. Her father despised her for her faith and disowned her as his daughter.

Life of Saint Vladimir the Great (+1015)

At the beginning of his reign in Kyiv, Saint Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles, was distinguished by his cruelty, his penchant for polygamy, and his particular zeal for the pagan faith. By his order, idols were erected everywhere and sacrifices were made to them. The idol of Perun, revered as the god of thunder and lightning, was especially revered; it stood near the prince's palace and was adorned with gold and silver.

Especially numerous sacrifices were made to the gods for victories over enemies, and early in his reign, Prince Vladimir was often forced to wage war, either to subjugate new tribes or defend himself from attacks by neighboring peoples. When, after a successful campaign against the Yatvingians, Vladimir offered thanksgiving sacrifices to the gods, the city elders and boyars said, "Let us cast lots for young men and maidens; whoever it falls on, we will sacrifice to the gods." At that time, a Christian Varangian lived in Kyiv, and the lot fell on his son, also a Christian. Envoys from the people came to the Varangian and said, "The lot has fallen on your son; the gods have chosen him for us to sacrifice." The Varangian refused to hand over his son, saying, "Your gods are not gods, but trees. God is one, Whom the Greeks worship and Who created heaven and earth and man, but your gods are made by human hands." The messengers conveyed this answer to the people. An enraged crowd of pagans approached the Varangian's house and demanded that he hand over his son. The Varangian replied: "If your gods are truly gods, then let them come and take my son from my arms themselves. What do you care about?" With these words, he seized his son in his arms and did not let him go, while the enraged crowd of pagans rushed upon the Varangian and his son and killed them both. For the first time, the walls of Kyiv were stained with the martyred blood of Christians.

But the pagan faith did not hold sway in Kyiv for long. The all-good God willed that the Rus' land not perish utterly in idolatry, but be enlightened by Christian truths and receive the path to salvation.

An Analysis of the Roman Error about the Primacy and Infallibility of the Pope (Bishop Mitrofan Abramov)

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 Roman Pontiff, Catholics teach, is the successor to the See of St. Peter the Apostle, and therefore should be entitled to all the privileges granted by God to Peter. Peter's privileges consisted in the fact that he was supposedly appointed by Christ as prince over the apostles and supreme head of the entire Church.

Before examining the above-mentioned teaching, let us ask Catholics in what sense they consider the pope to be the successor of the Apostle Peter. If the pope is the successor of the Apostle Peter in the see—in other words, he occupies the see that St. Peter supposedly once occupied—then this foundation is extremely shaky, since it is reliably known that St. Peter was never, in the true sense, Bishop of Rome. True, St. Peter, as tradition says, founded the Roman Church; but, according to the same tradition, St. Peter appointed St. Linus as its ruler, while he himself went to other places to preach the Gospel. If, however, we recognize the pope as the successor of St. Peter solely because the apostle founded the Roman Church, then, on this basis, we must also recognize the patriarchs of Antioch and Alexandria as successors of St. Peter, since the latter churches were also founded by St. Peter, the Antiochian Church even earlier than the Roman Church. – Why, then, do Catholics attribute only to their Pope the right to be called the successor of the holy Apostle Peter?

On the Church (Archbishop Averky Taushev)

And how strange it is sometimes to hear such speeches: “I believe in God, but I do not recognize the Church, because the Church is a human organization.”

Those who speak this way reveal their extreme spiritual ignorance.

They do not understand at all what the Church is, and it is not easy to explain it to them, for they are alien to the Church in spirit, and the Word of God is not an authority for them, since the only authority they recognize for themselves is their own authority - their "reason", as they say, or rather - their own stubborn prejudice against everything that does not agree with their proud, self-important, preconceived thoughts and feelings, with their unshakable confidence in their supposedly absolute rightness.

They do not want to, and cannot, understand that the Church is not at all a human organization (no matter how some try to make it so!), but a Divine institution, that the Church is not only bishops and priests, but all true believers in Christ, who make up the body of Christ, the Head of which is Christ Himself (Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:22-23; 1 Cor. 15:20; Rom. 8:29); that individual bishops and priests, as people, can sin and err and fall away from the Truth of Christ's teaching, but that the whole Church as a whole can never sin and deviate from this truth , for it has been given a great promise by its Divine Founder Himself: “I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18), and the great Apostle of the Gentiles testified “The Church of the living God is the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15).

After all, all those sins and vices, shortcomings and imperfections of the Church's ministers, which its enemies and unbelievers and those of little faith love to point out, are their personal sins, for which they will answer to God, but they are not the sins of the Church itself, which is "holy and without blemish" (Eph. 5:27). And whoever blasphemes the Holy Church blasphemes God Himself, who founded the Church not for blasphemy and mockery, but for the eternal salvation of people. He blasphemes the Holy Spirit, who dwells in the Church. And this is a sin that, according to the words of Christ the Savior, will not be forgiven "neither in this age nor in the age to come" (Matt. 12:31), because such a blasphemer becomes incapable of repentance, without which there is no salvation.

That is why, when criticizing unworthy ministers of the Church, one must be very careful not to extend this criticism to the Church itself, as such.

And the Truth, which is sacredly and inviolably preserved by the true Church - the Orthodox Church, not subject to any chaotic changes of such a fickle “spirit of the times”, is what was believed in everywhere, what was always believed in, what everyone believed in (St. Vincent of Lerins).

Whoever rejects this one true Church, rejects God Himself, who founded the Church, which is why the great man of Christian antiquity, the holy martyr Cyprian of Carthage, says: “For whom the Church is not a mother, God is not a father.”

Source: https://myrophoros.blogspot.com/2026/07/blog-post_04.html#more

On Dogma - Fr Savvas the Athonite (Homily, September 14, 2014)

When someone changes or distorts dogma—the truth about Christ and the Holy Trinity—they are outside the Church. If you add or remove even a single “and” from the Creed—as the Papists have done—you are outside the Church. This is a decision of the Third Ecumenical Council.

Why is dogma so important? Because dogma is the truth about Christ; when you change it, that is, distort it, you distort the truth about Christ. And when we say “truth about Christ,”

Life of Saint Princess Olga of Kyiv the grandmother of Saint Vladimir the Great

Saint Olga was the wife of the Rus' (circa modern day Ukraine) Prince Igor (912–945). In 945, during a campaign against the Drevlians, who lived east of Kyiv, Prince Igor was killed. It is said that the Drevlians, having defeated the Rus' army, barbarically murdered Igor: they tied him to the tops of two trees bent toward each other, and he was torn to pieces.

After Igor's death, while his son Svyatoslav was still a minor, Olga assumed control of the Rus' land. Having established the external and internal order of the state, Olga had already reached the age when a person, having satisfied the primary impulses of earthly activity, sees its near end and typically senses the vanity of earthly grandeur. Olga was a pagan, but the name of the Almighty was already celebrated in Kyiv. She could observe the solemnity of Christian rites; out of curiosity, she could converse with church pastors and, gifted with an extraordinary intellect, become convinced of the sanctity of their teachings. Illuminated by this ray of light, Olga desired to become a Christian and decided to travel to the capital of the Byzantine (Roman) Empire and the Greek (Romaic/Orthodox) faith, to draw upon its very source. Long before her departure for Constantinople, Olga chose Gregory as her guide. While conversing with her about the truths and destinies of the Church of Christ, the kind mentor perhaps more than once transported the princess's thoughts to the famous Constantinople, where Christianity then existed in all its glory. He often told her how magnificent the churches of God were, how solemn the divine services there were, especially during the Patriarch's rites, what an abundance of holy relics, miraculous icons, and, in general, all manner of Christian holy objects therein. Such conversations could naturally and imperceptibly awaken in the soul of the devout Olga a pious desire to see all this with her own eyes. And so the aged Olga—still a pagan, but already enamored of Christianity and deeply convinced of its divinity—resolved to travel to Constantinople to be baptized there.

The Holy Fathers on CHOSENNESS (Fr Mikhail Pitnitsky)

Venerable Abba Isaiah:

"Do not delude yourself into thinking that you are chosen by God. If you lack humility, then even if you raised the dead, you will be alien to God. God's chosen are recognized not by their gifts, but by the depth of their self-abasement."

Saint Theophan the Recluse:

"God chose us before the foundation of the world; but He chose us so that we would be holy and blameless before Him in love. God's election confirms our work of salvation, but does not replace it. It gives us strength, but does not accomplish salvation without us."

Saint John Chrysostom:

"God predestined us, not by compulsion, but by His own will. He does not make anyone chosen by force; on the contrary, He calls all, and those who willingly respond—them He makes chosen." Just as the sun shines on all, but only those who have opened their eyes benefit from it, so God calls everyone, but only those who themselves desire it become chosen.

Venerable Abba Dorotheus:

"No one knows which people are pleasing to God and which are not. Therefore, we must honor all people as holy and chosen, lest we ourselves be among the rejected. God's election is a mystery hidden in His heart, and we do not have the key to it."

Venerable Maximus the Confessor:

"The chosen are those in whom the Divine will has become their own desire. They are not 'chosen' by God as objects, but have become co-workers with God, because there is no room left in their hearts for a will contrary to God."

St. Gregory the Theologian:

"Many desire to be chosen, but few are ready to bear the responsibility that comes with being chosen." Chosenness requires a heart willing to be pierced, a life willing to be sacrificed. It is not a gift to be enjoyed, but a gift to be served.

Saint John Chrysostom:

“Do you want to know if you are chosen by God? See if temptations befall you. For God chastens whom He loves, and scourges every son He accepts. Trials are the seal of chosenness, with which the Lord marks His own, lest they become lost in this world.”

Saint Isaac the Syrian:

“God's chosen ones live in the world as strangers and pilgrims, and no one knows of their greatness, because they do not seek glory from men. Their chosenness is secret, in hidden worship of the spirit. Do not seek the signs of election externally; seek them in the silence of your heart, when it abides in love for God, despite all the storms of life.”

Saint Silouan the Athonite: On the Saints

God is glorified in the saints, and the saints are glorified by God.

The glory the Lord bestows upon the saints is so great that natural man cannot bear the glory of a heavenly manifestation. Do not be surprised at this. The Lord so loved His creation that He gave man abundantly the Holy Spirit, and in the Holy Spirit, man became like God. Why does the Lord love man so? Because He is Love Himself; and this Love is known by the Holy Spirit.

About humility (A sermon on the Dormition of Our Saint Father Sisoes)

"O God ," say some self-deluded ones, " I give You praise, for I am not like other men—extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers... I fast twice on the Sabbath, I give tithes of all that I can get" ( Luke 18:11-13 ). Simply put: they are accustomed to thinking of themselves as righteous. Is this good? Of course not. To judge ourselves so self-satisfied means to forget the Lord, to forget that His judgment of us may not coincide with our conceit. Doesn't it often happen that what seems lofty in our eyes is vile in His sight? And finally, didn't He say that everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and only he who humbles himself will be exalted ( Luke 18:14 )? Yes, brethren, it is not good to think too much of ourselves. No matter how successful someone may be in a pious life, let no one ever boast of himself, but until death, constantly be aware of his unworthiness before God, and cleanse himself more often with repentance and tears.

Life of the Holy New Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna (+1918)

Not every generation is destined to meet along its path such a blessed gift from heaven as was the Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna for her time, for she was a rare combination of exalted Christian spirit, moral nobility, enlightened mind, gentle heart, and refined taste. She possessed an extremely delicate and multifaceted spiritual composition and her outward appearance reflected the beauty and greatness of her spirit. Upon her brow lay the seal of an inborn, elevated dignity which set her apart from those around her. Under the cover of modesty, she often strove, though in vain, to conceal herself from the gaze of others, but one could not mistake her for another. Wherever she appeared, one would always ask: "Who is she who looketh forth as the morning, clear as the sun" (Song of Solomon 6:10)? Wherever she would go she emanated the pure fragrance of the lily. Perhaps it was for this reason that she loved the color white—it was the reflection of her heart. All of her spiritual qualities were strictly balanced, one against another, never giving an impression of one-sidedness. Femininity was joined in her to a courageous character; her goodness never led to weakness and blind, unconditional trust of people. Even in her finest heartfelt inspirations she exhibited that gift of discernment which has always been so highly esteemed by Christian ascetics. These characteristics were perhaps in part due to her upbringing, which she received under the guidance of her maternal grandmother, Victoria, Queen of England and Empress of India. An unmistakable English stamp was placed on all her tastes and habits and English was closer to her than her native German.

The Life Saint Athanasius the Athonite (+1000)

 

This heavenly man, this earthly angel, this man worthy of immortal praise, was brought into mortal life by the great city of Trebizond, Constantinople nurtured him in learning, and within it, Ceminus and Athos offered sacrifice to God. His parents were renowned for their nobility and wealth, and were known to all for their rank and piety. His father hailed from great Antioch, and his mother from Colchis; they only resided in Trebizond. His father died before the saint's birth, and his mother, having given birth to him and baptized him, barely managed to nurse him before following her husband from temporal life to eternal life. This infant, orphaned while still in swaddling clothes, was given the name Abraham at the holy font. However, having lost his earthly parents, he was not left without the care and providence of the Heavenly Father of orphans. The Lord, by His all-powerful command, moved to compassion the heart of a certain nun—a noble and wealthy maiden, a friend and acquaintance of Abraham's mother. She took him in and began to care for him as if he were her own child. From his earliest years, Abraham showed signs of what he would become. Modesty in all his behavior, decorum, intelligence, a wisdom far beyond his years, and great abstinence were the distinguishing characteristics of his childhood. When he played with other children, their games prophesied his future: gathering in a cave, they chose him not as a king or a military commander, but as an abbot, and submitted to him. This was later fulfilled—and many of those children, as they grew older, became monks themselves. Seeing that the nun, his tutor, constantly practiced prayer and observed frequent fasts, Abraham marveled at her and asked her the reason for her behavior. She, noticing in him a receptiveness to good instruction, zealously and in every way strove to sow as many seeds of piety as possible on this fertile and fruitful soil. And her holy efforts were not in vain. Abraham listened with spiritual joy to his tutor's instructions, and from that time on, abandoning childish games, he began to instill in his heart the fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom, and with fear, the love of God. As his childish powers developed, strengthened by the grace of the Holy Spirit, he began to practice the feats of virtue. Abraham's tutor, while nourishing his heart with pious instruction, did not neglect the education of his mind. She devoted the boy to book learning. Endowed with naturally blessed mental abilities, he understood the lesson so easily that he was a marvel to both the teacher and his companions.

Watchfulness: The Foundation of the Spiritual Life (St. Theophan the Recluse)

Without attentiveness, you will accomplish nothing properly, even in the ordinary affairs of life. In the spiritual life, attentiveness is even more essential—it is the very first requirement. It detects evil and brings it before the inner judgment. It stands guard over the inner palace where decisions are made about what ought to be done and how it should be done, and then it watches over the execution of those decisions.

For this reason, it is no surprise that the spiritual life in its entirety is called a life of watchfulness (nepsis). In the writings of the Holy Fathers, you will find more about watchfulness—or attentiveness—than almost anything else, for the two are one and the same.

It is of the greatest value to acquire the habit of attentiveness. It is the first labor of those who have resolved to care for their souls. Their struggle begins to bear fruit from the moment their attention starts to gather itself inward. Ordinarily, our attention is scattered outside ourselves rather than within. But from the moment it is collected inward, the inner life begins. Together with watchfulness, that inner life matures and grows stronger.

What does this mean? It means to stand with the mind in the heart before the Lord, consciously remaining in His presence, and from there to examine every thought and undertake every action. Such a way of life is, of course, not acquired all at once. It matures together with prayer. As prayer strengthens this watchfulness, so watchfulness, in turn, strengthens prayer.

Holy Russian Royal Martyrs (+1918)

 

Today marks 108 years since the brutal assassination of Saint Tsar Nicholas II and his family by the satanic Bolsheviks.

After midnight on July 4/17, 1918, the entire family, with their doctor and two faithful servants, was brought to the basement of the house of their confinement under the pretext of moving them once again. There they were brutally and mercilessly murdered, the children as well as the adults, under the cover of darkness - for "men loved the darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil" (John 3.19). The Tsar was shot as he stood forward to defend his family. Tsaritsa Alexandra was able to make the sign of the Cross before she, too, fell. The first bullets did not bring death to the youngest ones, and they were savagely clubbed, bayoneted and shot at point-blank range.

Those killed were: the Tsar (born 1868), the Tsaritsa (1872), Olga (both 1895), Tatiana (1897), Maria (born 1899), Anastasia (born 1901), Alexis (born 1904), the Tsar's physician Eugene Botkin, the Tsaritsa's chamber-maid Anna Demidova, the cook Kharitonov and the servant Trupp. The sailor Clement Nagorny, who had looked after the Tsarevich since early childhood, and Sergius Sednev, the servant to the Grand Duchesses, both of whom had defended the Royal Family from robbery and insults in Ekaterinburg, were taken away to prison and shot there. Those who were refused permission to stay with the Royal Family at Ekaterinburg, and who were also shot in prison were General Elias Tatishchev and Prince Basil Dolgorukov. The maid-of-honour, Countess Anastasia Hendrikova, and the court teacher, Ekaterina Schneider, were taken to Perm and shot there.

Lives of the Holy Martyrs, Wonderworkers and Unmercenaries Saints Cosmas and Damian of Rome

The Holy Martyrs, Wonderworkers and Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian – were brothers by birth, born at Rome, and physicians by profession. They accepted a martyr's death at Rome under the emperor Carinus (283-284). They were brought up by their parents in the rules of piety, they led strict and chaste lives, and they were granted by God the graced gift of healing the sick. By their good and unselfish attitude towards people, combined with their exceptional kindliness, the brothers converted many to Christ. The saints usually said to the sick: "It be not by our power that we treat the sick, but by the power of Christ, the True God. Believe in Him and be healed". For their unselfish doctoring of the infirm, the holy brothers were called "unmercenary physicians".

How should an orthodox christian relate to secular news?

Quotes of saints compiled by Fr Mikhail Pitnytsky☦️

Saint Gregory the Theologian:
“The best and safest thing is to close the windows of the senses and turn to oneself, not accepting into the soul the impressions of worldly storms and human strife, which, like muddy streams, only defile the purity of thoughts.”

Saint Ephraim the Syrian:
"Curiosity about worldly rumors and wars is the enemy's secret network. He occupies a person's mind with other people's affairs so that he does not have time to repent of his own sins before the hour of exodus comes."

Saint John of Shanghai:
"There have always been and will always be wars and turmoil in the world, for the world lies in wickedness. But a Christian must guard his inner ark. Close the doors of the mind to external noise, so that amid the storm you may preserve the peace of Christ."

Venerable Paisius Velichkovsky:
"A mind captivated by concern for earthly kingdoms and wars becomes like a bird caught in a net. It flails, its wings weaken, and it cannot soar to Heaven. So too, a person who collects rumors is powerless to rise to pure prayer."

Saint Demetrius of Rostov:
"Many are eager to find out: 'What's new? What are the leaders' plans? Where have the troops moved?' But ask them: 'What's new in your heart? What passions have been conquered today?' - and they will remain silent, for their whole mind is turned outward, and within there is desolation."

Venerable Nilus of Sinai:
"Close your ears to news of others' misfortunes and strife, lest you feed your soul with the poison of hopelessness. The Lord rules the world, and entrust everything to Him, but keep the eye of your mind unperturbed."

Reverend Justin (Popovich):
"Worldly news bombards the human soul daily, trying to force it to live by earthly standards. But a Christian is called to live for eternity. Leave the world's worldly things, let the dead bury their dead, and you follow Christ in the silence of your heart."

Saint Alexander Schmorell (+1943)

The Holy Martyr Alexander Schmorell (now also St. Alexander of Munich) was a medical student during World War II and one of the founding members of the anti-Nazi group, the White Rose. Along with the other members of the White Rose, he tried to rally popular support amongst Germans to try to resist Hitler and the Nazi regime. He was arrested in February 1943, and was executed on July 13, 1943, at Stadelheim Prison in Munich. On 5 February 2012, he was glorified at the Cathedral of the Holy New-Martyrs and Confessors of Russia in Munich, Germany. He is commemorated by the Church on July 13.

On the Serbian Orthodox New Martyrs of the Second World War

 

The twentieth century witnessed the crowning of a multitude of martyrs. Following the Bolshevik revolution, Holy Russia alone gave the Orthodox Church millions of new heavenly intercessors and champions of the faith—a sacrifice well known to the entire Orthodox world. Unfortunately, many Orthodox Christians remain unaware of the profound sufferings endured by nearly 750,000 Serbian Orthodox Christians during the Second World War.

These faithful gave their lives defending and confessing their faith within the territories of the so-called "Independent State of Croatia" and other parts of German-occupied Yugoslavia. They perished at the hands of Croatian nationalists and other enemies of the Orthodox Church, often with the instigation and open participation of the Latin clergy.

This persecution was explicitly aimed at the complete eradication of the Orthodox Church in these regions. Attempts at forced conversion to Catholicism were paired with the systematic, overt destruction of every trace of Orthodoxy. The violence was carried out with such fierce, inconceivable brutality, in such a short span of time, and across such a relatively small geographic area that it defies the imagination.

Indeed, the scale and nature of this recent persecution are virtually unprecedented in Church history since the trials of the first centuries. The sacrifice and memory of these Serbian martyrs must not remain hidden or known only to their countrymen; their witness should be shared and commemorated for the edification of all Orthodox Christians.

Elder Seraphim (Tyapochkin) and the Astonishing Miracle of St. Nicholas

Archimandrite Seraphim (Tyapochkin) was born on 1/14 August 1894 in a pious noble family. The infant was called Dimitry and was the last child in the large and amicable family of the Tyapochkins. At the age of seven Dimitry was prematurely accepted into a religious institute. From a young age the boy felt God’s summons and his priestly calling.

“Thanks, But No Thanks” (Hieromonk Savvas Agioritis)

For what reason, then, says Saint Luke the Physician, are people ungrateful? Why do they often repay good with evil, and not infrequently speak ill of their benefactors? What he says is frightening, yet it is truly correct.

"No enemy is more dangerous than an ungrateful person who has been benefited."

This saying is well known. No one, it says, is a more certain enemy than the ungrateful person whom you have helped. He is your most certain enemy. Not always, of course, but when the person remains unrepentant.

Why, then, are people ungrateful? Why do they so often repay good with evil and slander those who have done them good?

At the root of ingratitude, Saint Luke answers, lies selfishness. Those who receive a kindness often see nothing special in it. They regard it as something self-evident, natural, or even owed to them—that others should do them favors. They think highly of themselves. They give little thought or concern to others, considering that everyone is obliged to pay attention to them. Every good deed done for them they regard as insignificant and receive as something due to them.

There are also people, even more corrupted and proud, to whom a kindness is actually unpleasant—as strange as that may sound. Their ego is so great that they do not wish to humble themselves by asking for anything. Yet, says the Saint, when they are in need, they go and ask for help with bowed heads. But when they receive that help, instead of gratitude, anger and malice boil in their hearts. They are tormented by the fact that they were forced to ask for it and that a kind person was found who provided it. They do not think of thanking him.

This is the work of the devil. These are the passions. This is selfishness: instead of rejoicing and giving thanks, you become possessed by resentment and hatred for the good that another person does for you. Such people never think of thanking their benefactor.

Even more, sometimes their hearts become so hardened that the feeling of wounded pride and self-love gives birth to hatred toward the benefactor. This is the reaction of the selfish person, who considers it humiliating to receive a kindness.

*Hieromonk Savvas Agioritis (Homily, May 10, 2020)*