The Apology of Martyr Apollonius of Rome

The Apology of Martyr Apollonius of Rome is an early Christian text from the second century (c. 183–185), representing one of the first written accounts of the defense of Christianity in the face of the Roman authorities.

In his speech to the Senate, Martyr Apollonius explains the essence of Christian teaching. He demonstrates that Christianity does not contradict common sense and poses no threat to the state, but rather, fosters loyal and virtuous citizens.

One of the main accusations leveled against Christians was their refusal to worship Roman gods and participate in traditional religious rites. Martyr Apollonius counters this accusation by explaining the essence of Christian worship as the worship of the One True God, the Creator of all things. He attempts to explain the fundamental tenets of Christian doctrine, such as faith in the One God, the incarnation of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the future judgment.

Having refused to renounce his faith, Martyr Apollonius was executed.

Akathist to Jesus, Light to Those in Darkness

 

Kontakion 1

Out of the depths of darkness and despair I cry to You, O Lord, You that hung upon the Cross in darkness. From the pit of pain and confusion, I lift up this prayer, and with all my heart I sing aloud to You:
Jesus, light to those in darkness, glory to You!

Ikos 1

In the day of my trouble, I seek You, O Lord, and in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying. My eyes find no rest from weeping, and I am so troubled that I cannot speak. Yet as my spirit ponders in the night, I raise this song to You:
Jesus, rescuer of the abandoned!
Jesus, hope of those in despair!
Jesus, guiding star to the lost!
Jesus, joyful return of the exile!
Jesus, unforeseen victory!
Jesus, eternal triumph!
Jesus, radiant dawn after endless night!
Jesus, everlasting light of the Kingdom!
Jesus, wipe away my tears!
Jesus, calm the panic of my heart!
Jesus, exultation of those hemmed in by fear!
Jesus, joy of those crushed by sorrow!
Jesus, light to those in darkness, glory to You!

Life of Saint Philip Metropolitan of Moscow (+1569)

Saint Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow, in the world Theodore, was descended from the illustrious noble lineage of the Kolichevi, occupying a prominent place in the Boyar duma at the court of the Moscow sovereigns. He was born in the year 1507. His father, Stephen Ivanovich, "a man enlightened and filled with military spirit," attentively prepared his son for government service. Theodore's pious mother Barbara, who ended her days as a nun with the name Barsanouphia, implanted in the soul of her son a sincere faith and deep piety. Young Theodore Kolichev applied himself diligently to the Holy Scripture and to the writings of the holy Fathers. The Moscow Great Prince Basil III, the father of Ivan the Terrible, brought young Theodore into the court, but he was not attracted to court life. Conscious of its vanity and sinfulness, Theodore all the more deeply immersed himself in the reading of books and visiting the churches of God. Life in Moscow repelled the young ascetic. The young Prince Ivan's sincere devotion to him, promising him a great future in government service, could not deter him from seeking the Heavenly City.

The Church as the Body of Christ (Excerpt from the letters of St Mikhail Novoselov)

1. About the Church as a living organism

From the very beginning there were two different ideas about Christianity and the Christian community.

The Jewish view is now called rationalistic. Christianity is reduced to a personal, inner connection between each individual and the Divine Person and to faith in Her and Her work. At the same time, the Person Herself, as being in heaven, "conceals" everything. The concept of Her becomes obscure, and Her teaching is substituted. And man "binds himself" not to the Divine Person, but to Her teaching.

Gnosticism degenerated into mystical sects. Mystics base their understanding of Christianity on principles of the heart, on love for the Person of Christ. They affirm the necessity of knowing the living, visible, and tangible Christ. And in this they are right, for the Gospel of Christ contains precisely this concept.

But the mystics are wrong when they seek and find the living, tangible and visible Christ where they seek and find Him.

Rationalists don't lie; they merely narrow the Gospel. Mystics expand—and rightly so—the rationalists' understanding, but they too (besides the error of seeking and finding) have a huge gap: they ignore a very important part of the Gospel.

Life of Newmartyr Nun Heruvima Tanasa from Petru Voda Monastery, Romania (1969-1998)

Because I read recently in one of the central newspapers that at the Central University of Europe from Budapesta, founded in 1990, the largest number of students from a single country was of romanians, 145 students from 1990 since now, I have decided to write this material about what I have seen and heard.

Life of Mikhail Novoselov - Bishop Mark of Sergiev (+1938)

 

Martyr Mikhail Alexandrovich Novoselov (in secret monastic tonsure and secret consecration – Bishop Mark) was born in 1864 in the village of Babye, Domoslavskaya Volost, Vyshnevolotsky District, Tver Governorate.

Life of St John the Baptist

 

Saint John the Baptist was the son of the Jewish Priest Zacharia. His mother was Elizabeth, a blood-relation to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. This righteous couple were childless, for Elizabeth was barren. They prayed much and long; as true Israelites they desired the consolation of being blessed with children, aspiring,—but in this instance with an humble and holy resignation—to the birth of the great Messiah, who was coming to save mankind, and, as they thought, to free and unite Israel. Although Zacharia and Elizabeth sorrowed in their old age to a day which was beyond the natural limit of child-bearing, still they continued hopefully praying. The prayers of faith of this priest and his patient spouse ascended on high, from whence came down an angel with the message telling them that the Creator of nature and the God of wonders had been pleased to fulfill their desire. Accordingly, Elizabeth bore unto her husband Zacharia a male child, who was called John. 

"I don't know!" - A testimony of the power of the Jesus Prayer (Monk Epiphanius Chernov)

This is the story of a young girl, about eighteen years old. And she, like a catacomb dweller, fell into the clutches of investigators. The KGB investigators were determined to break her at any cost. After unsuccessful interrogations, threats and beatings, they brought her to a special room. This was no ordinary investigator's office. There was a couch in it, and on the white-covered table were vials of all sizes. There was also a chair, like those you might see in any dentist's office. But this wasn't a dentist's chair, but a very special one, with many wires and belts. There was also a hospital stretcher. The man in this room was dressed like a doctor, in a white coat. He asked me:

— What case are you accused of and why were you brought here?

I replied:

- I don't know.

"Well, that 'I don't know' is why you're here. But everyone here confesses. And you, too, will recant your 'I don't know'..."

With these words he led me to a chair and said:

- Sit down!

I sat down and, closing my eyes, began to call upon the Savior in my mind: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!" I love this prayer so much that I pray it constantly. And then the man in white, I felt, fasten some kind of belt around me, and I was pressed against the back of the chair. He pressed something cold against my head. He wet my stockings, and my legs were pinned as well...

And I prayed and prayed, surrendering myself to God's will. And I wasn't afraid at all. I was as if in a daze, as if beside myself, in the sense that what he was doing didn't concern me at all. The Lord had granted me such great mercy that I was completely absorbed in prayer, light and joyful. And the man in white repeated several times, confused:

— I can't understand what's wrong? What's wrong?! Everything's working fine, isn't it?!!

How much time had passed since I entered this office, I didn't know. It wasn't my concern... He kept unbuckling and fastening his belts. Finally, he removed something from my legs, freeing my chest, throat, and seat belt.

"Glory to Thee, Lord! Glory to Thee!" I said silently, sighed freely, and opened my eyes.

And he, pale and tired, looked at me for a long time in silence. And then, in a low voice, he asked:

— Tell me... Why doesn’t electric current affect you?

I replied:

- I don't know.

And they took me away.

Source: https://true-orthodox.narod.ru/library/epifany/iljinskaja/epifany.html

It was from Me (St Seraphim of Vyritsa)

Description: "It was from Me"—this penetrating voice of God was revealed to a soul intensely seeking God's will in every moment of its life.

Margarita - Selected Soul-Saving Sayings (Hieromonk Arseny Minin)

 

Although our spiritual literature is rich in guides for those seeking the salvation of the soul, since such books as the works of St. Ephraim the Syrian, St. Abba Barsanuphius, St. Isaac the Syrian, and others like them are quite expensive and therefore not accessible to everyone, the compilation of this book was undertaken, in which, like a treasury, much good material has been collected, with the aim of brevity and clarity of presentation in mind.

Many of the female monastics, living by their own labors, do not have enough time to read lengthy works; for such people this book is especially convenient.

There are many paths that lead to God, but we believe we will not be mistaken if we place at the head of everything the remembrance of death, the most precious of all spiritual feats, for it, and it alone, tears a person away from the vanities of this age, makes him dead to the world, destroys in him all sinful passions, replaces all feats, embraces the whole life of a person, purifies his heart, attracts to him the grace of the Holy Spirit, and thereby grants him a free ascent to heaven, without hindrance from the aerial powers of the ruler of the darkness of this age.

The great ascetic, St. Isaac of Syria, speaks about the remembrance of death thus: “Satan hates this providence and attacks with all his might to destroy it in man, for he knows, the cunning one, that if this thought abides in a man, then his mind is no longer on this earth of deception, and his wiles do not come near the man.”

Since the remembrance of death in its action is nothing other than the constant focus of the mind's attention, and with it all the soul's powers, on the future eternal life, the goal of all the tempter's efforts is to distract the attention of the ascetic for Christ and direct it toward worldly concerns, or to dissipate it among the vain things of this world. "And therefore," says St. Isaac, "if possible, Satan would give man the kingdom of the entire world, if only to erase such a thought from his mind through distraction. And if he could," confirms the holy father, "he would do so willingly."

So, here is the surest and shortest path for all who seek the salvation of their souls. The means to attain this incomparable blessing are set forth in this work in due order.

Also included here is a remarkable extract from the mytericon of the monk Isaiah, compiled by him exclusively for female monastics and previously not published in Russian.

We call upon the blessing of the Most High for our small work and ask that His grace open the minds and hearts of those who honor and strive to fulfill His holy will according to the saying: “Tell me Your ways, O Lord, and teach me Your paths.”