"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.”

The Life and Works of Saint Theophan the Recluse (Bishop Alexander Mileant)

 

One of the most influential spiritual writers of the 19th century was Saint Theophan the Recluse , who became a great teacher of the Christian life. His works are essential for all who thirst for salvation. One cannot read them without reverence, without spiritual awe... He speaks to you of God and your soul, opening avenues to another world—as "one in power"... And everyone feels this, for truth bears witness to itself... Bishop Theophan left us a priceless treasure in the form of more than 60 spiritual works, most of which he wrote during his 28-year seclusion in Vysha and which he bequeathed to the entire Russian people before his death . In the lines of his works, one can find an inexhaustible source of spiritual upliftment, introspection, and aspiration to the heavenly heights. The grace of God is felt in his every phrase.

Although a highly educated man who had achieved extraordinary career success at a relatively young age, he nevertheless made the firm decision to withdraw from the world and go into seclusion. He thus decided to dedicate his scholarship and knowledge to serving the Orthodox Church, for he was deeply convinced that the most important thing in the work of salvation is to constantly pray to God with the mind and heart, and to be undisturbed... "In matters of faith and salvation, it is not philosophy that is required, but a childlike acceptance of Divine truth. The mind must be trampled underfoot, just as in the painting, Archangel Michael tramples Satan. Archangel Michael represents the mind submissive to the truth of God, while Satan is the rebellious, vain mind, from which all revolutions arise, both in families and in the Church..."

Explanation of the feast of Theophany (Baptism of Christ) by Protopresbyter George Dion Dragas, Phd

1. Theophany (or Epiphany) and Christmas

Theophany is one of the great Feasts of the Lord of the ecclesiastical year. It is also called Epiphany and the Day of Lights and is celebrated on the 6th/19th of January. The names of this Feast indicate the understanding of the ancient Church concerning this Feast. This understanding is connected with the revelation of God, that is, the manifestation of the One God in Trinity through the Incarnation of the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ. Consequently, Theophany comprises the birth of Christ and the related events (e.g. the visitation of the Magi) and also the beginning of the public manifestation of the incarnate economy of the Son of God which is connected with the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan by John the Baptizer.

The Life of St Michael Yershov (+1977)

Vladyka Michael Yershov (in the center)

 

Vladyka Michael (Yershov) was born on September 17 (or October 12), 1911... His father, whose name was Basil, had taken part in the Russo-Japanese War, the First World War and the Civil War. From 1920 he had become a cobbler and president of the committee of poverty in the village. There were five children in the family, four daughters and a son. Michael’s mother was called Daria.

Michael finished two classes at elementary school, and at the age of ten began to help his father, working as a cobbler. He went to church services and sang in the choir. When he was twelve years old, as he was receiving communion in a church in Chistopol, an elder saw him and said: "This lad will take upon himself the sins of the whole people."

From 1929 the church was closed and his father became president of the village soviet and began to persecute his son for reading service books and constantly praying at home. As a result of this he went blind. Afterwards, when he repented, he recovered his sight.

In November, 1930, Michael left his father’s home because he did not agree with the family’s joining the collective farm. At some time during that year. He arrived in Chistopol, where he fell seriously ill. On recovering, he got to know Elder Plato, who told him: “You will suffer very much for the name of God and for the people. Only don’t seek anything from anyone, rely only on Almighty God. By the mercy of God I knew about you before.”

On hope in God and patience (Hieromonk Arseny Minin)

Do not put your trust in princes or in the sons of men, for there is no salvation in them ( Ps. 145:3 ), cries the Holy Prophet King, do not put your trust in friends, or in wealth, or in your health, or in anything else, all this is vain, disappears like a dream, flutters away like smoke.

Trust in your Creator and Savior alone; He knows all your spiritual and physical needs better than you do, and He cares for you. Those who do not trust in God face God's terrible judgment: Cursed is the man who trusts in man, and sets his arm of flesh upon him; and his heart will depart from the Lord. But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and the Lord will be his hope. He will be like a tree planted by the waters, and will send out his root in the moisture; he will not be afraid when the heat comes, but his stem will be green; and when there is no rain he will not be afraid, nor will he cease to bear fruit ( Jer. 17:5, 7:8 ).

GOSPEL AND WAR (St Nikolai Velimirovich of Serbia)

Let us now close the book of the Old Testament and open the New Testament .

Did I hear your question correctly, General: “Was the Savior (Christ) for war or against it?”

Sorry, but this question is similar to another: “Is the mother for or against the rod for her child?”

MEMOIRS BY ARCHIMANDRITE NEKTARY OF ELEON (1905 - 2000)

 

As a young boy, still before the Revolution, I had a terrible dream: the south-west part of the sky was illumined by a bloody, glowing sunset, like a fire, and on this bloody sky was written in huge, shining letters the word, "the end."

At that time I did not attribute any particular meaning to this dream. But I never forgot it. It was so vivid and stunning that my entire life afterwards was colored by the presentiment that this dream would definitely be fulfilled.

And so it did. It began in 1917, and with each passing year it became increasingly evident that the world was coming to an end. In the beginning old Russia was destroyed, the Tsar was overthrown, the antitheistic regime came to power, and then began the annihilation of thousands of innocent people and the persecution of Christians on an unprecedented scale. Churches were blown up, monasteries were closed and blasphemously turned into the most disreputable places. All this was seen as the coming to power of the beast of the apocalypse.

In recent years we see that the power of this beast is beginning to spread over the whole world. The process of apostasy, begun several centuries ago, is today approaching its final stage. We are entering the age of the apocalypse.

And now the meaning of the dream I had so many years ago has finally become clear to me.

Defending and Speaking the Truth in a Time of Falsehood: The Patristic Teaching

St. Basil the Great:

“Anyone who is capable of speaking the truth but remains silent, will be
heavily judged by God, especially in this case, where the faith and the very foundation of the
entire church of the Orthodox is in danger. To remain silent under these circumstances is to
betray these, and the appropriate witness belongs to those that reproach (stand up for the faith).

St. Paisios of Mount Athos:

“You see people abusing and reviling holy and sacred things and
others not saying anything. Being meek on such an occasion is demonic.”