Prayer before Examination of Conscience – The Golden Manual, 1850

 

Prayer before Examination of Conscience.
0 most merciful God, I give thee most humble and
hearty thanks for all thy mercies unto me, and, parti-
cularly at this time, for thy forbearance and long-
suffering with me, notwithstanding my many and griev-
ous sins. It is of thy great mercy that I have not
fallen into greater and more grievous sins than those
which I have committed, and that I have not been cut
off and cast into hell. O my God, although I have
been so ungrateful to thee in times past, yet now, I
beseech thee to accept me returning to thee with an
earnest desire to repent, and devote myself to thee, my
Lord and my God, and to praise thy holy Name for ever.
 

Enlighten me, O God, for thou knowest all my ways
and observest all my footsteps. Come, thou true light,
and dispel the darkness of my heart, that I may see
what in me is displeasing unto thee, and that with a
contrite heart I may bewail my sins, rightly confess
them, and effectually forsake and amend them.
 

Receive my confession, and spare me, O most gra-
cious Lord Jesus Christ, whom I, an unworthy sinner,
am not worthy to name, because I have so often offended
thee through my fault, through my own fault, through
my own most grievous fault, Behold, O God, I humbly
bow my knees before thee. I blush and am con-
founded, and am ashamed to lift up my face unto thee;
for my iniquities are multiplied, and as a heavy burden
oppress me. But thou, O most merciful Jesus, be mer-
ciful unto me a sinner. Rebuke me not in thine anger,
and cast me not away from thy face, O good Jesus,
who hast said that thou willest not the death of a sin-
ner, but rather that he should be converted and live.
 

Receive me, I beseech thee, returning to thee with a
penitent and contrite heart. Thou art my Saviour and
[p]ray God ; I am thy servant, although a wicked one, and
a most unworthy sinner. Spare me, O most kind Jesus,
who didst die upon the cross that thou mightest save
sinners. To whom shall I flee but unto thee, my only
hope and my salvation? If thou dost reject me, who
will receive me ? To whom shall I look for assistance ?
Who will heal my iniquities? Have mercy upon me,
O most gracious Lord, and despise not the humble and
contrite heart of thy servant. Grant me, I beseech
thee, perfect contrition for my sins,* that I may detest
them with the deepest sorrow of heart. Send forth thy
light into my soul, and discover to me all those sins
which I ought to confess at this time.
 

Assist me by thy grace, that I may be able to declare
them to the priest thy vicar, fully, humbly, and with a
contrite heart, and so obtain perfect remission of them
all through thine infinite goodness. Amen.
 

O most gracious Virgin Mary, beloved Mother of
Jesus Christ [p]ray Redeemer, intercede for me with him.
Obtain for me the full remission of my sins, and perfect
amendment of life, to the salvation of my soul, and the
glory of his name. Amen.
 

I implore the same grace of thee, O my angel
guardian; of you, my holy patrons N. N. ; of you,
O holy Peter and holy Magdalen, and of all the
saints of God. Intercede for me a sinner, repenting
of my sins, and resolving to confess and amend them.
Amen.
 

 *
From The Golden Manual, 1850
 

 

ROCOR - Statement by the Synod of Bishops on the renewal of 20th-century ideologies in Russia

 

 

Statement by the Synod of Bishops on 
the renewal of 20th-century ideologies in Russia 

NEW YORK: 5 June 2025

https://www.synod.com/synod/eng2025/20250605_ensynodstatement.html 

 

ROCOR Synod (Council/Sobor) of Bishops: 
https://www.synod.com/synod/engrocor/enbishops.html 

Pentecost

 

 

 

 

2 words Forgive me Две думи - „Прости ми.“ And [Bless my enemies, O Lord] (the LENTEN Prayer)

Превод от английски 

Скъпи в Христа братя и сестри,

Много отдавна ни научиха да казваме „Прости ми“. Научихме се да казваме тези думи в детството, винаги когато искахме братята и сестрите ни да продължат да си играят с нас, или искахме майка да ни позволи да гледаме телевизия вечер. В младостта си се научихме да ги казваме, когато искахме да възобновим дългите часове разговори по телефона с приятел или да си шушукаме на чиновете в училище. …

          Като възрастни, се стремим да постигнем мир с възрастните си родители, когато ни се оплакват – със или без причина, както и да постигнем мир със същите тези близки приятели и в крайна сметка с тези, които обичаме.

          Въпреки това, с напредване на възрастта все по-често има моменти, когато думите „прости ми“ придобиват по-дълбоко значение, отколкото когато ги изричаме мимоходом, между други неща и мисли. 

          Тогава фразата, толкова лесна и удобна като начин за решаване на проблеми, става непоносимо тежка и трудна.

          Засяда на езика, блъска силно вътре в главите ни и слага буца в гърлото ни.

          Струва ни се, че можем да се убедим да се откажем от задължението си да поискаме прошка, защото нямаме време или защото „нещата ще се решат от само себе си“, или защото „той/тя вече разбира“. Дори няма да засягаме толкова удобните извинения „и все пак – защо да го правя?!” или „сам си е виновен“.

          И така тези неизречени фрази се натрупват и все по-рядко сърцето е обхванато от угризения на съвестта.

          Постепенно свикваме с факта, че ходенето става по-малко лесно, отколкото беше, че е по-трудно да дишаме свободно и че да се вярва не е толкова просто.

          Започва да ни се струва, че винаги е било така и винаги ще бъде тъй.

          Тогава идва единственият ден в годината, когато неизбежно и директно сме изправени пред мисълта за неплатения си дълг.

          Когато е невъзможно да се извърнем, да си наврем главите в черупките си или да се скрием зад различни стандартни извинения и причини.

          И доста често имаме много повече дългове, отколкото се сещаме в тези няколко първи минути:

          „Прости ми” към родителите – че се дразня от съветите им, от рутинните им оплаквания за здравето. В края на краищата, някой ден ще бъдем на другия край на телефонната линия, [оплаквайки се] на децата си.

          „Прости ми“ към нашите деца – че не прекарвахме минути и часове с тях, че не ги хвалехме на глас, че не се въздържахме от груби думи.

          „Прости ми“, отправено към тези, които обичаме – за всичките ни действия, несъвместими с понятието „любов“. …

          „Прости ми” към тези, на които сме длъжници – че толкова бързо забравихме за дълга.

          „Прости ми“, отправено към онези, които са ни длъжници – за това, че все още помним този дълг.

          „Прости ми” отправено към Този, Който с такава любов и загриженост ни даде и продължава да ни дава живот, независимо колко пъти сме забравяли или пропускали да кажем „прости”…

          „Прости ми“ на онази, която всеки ден моли своя Син да ни даде повече време, в което да се опомним и осъзнаем всичко това.

          И все по-често, за да изстържем тежестта на неизказаното, което здраво е залепнало за нас, са необходими големи усилия. Но само веднъж изпитайте какво е да дишате дълбоко, да усетите колко по-лесно е да вървите с високо вдигната глава – това е нещо, което няма да забравите, нещо, което ще ви кара да се втурвате да търсите тази прошка всяка година . И още по-добре – всеки ден. Цял живот.

          Струва си да прекарате този ден, изтръгвайки от сговорчиво забравящата си памет онези хора, пред които вината ви се е трупала дълго време или се е появила внезапно и неволно, докато сте „препускали с пълна скорост“. Онези, пред които съвестта ни казва, че тепърва трябва да бъдем оправдани.

          Две думи - „Прости ми.“

          Те не гарантират, че в бъдеще няма да правим грешки или да бъдем несправедливи, но в тях се крие възможността отново да намерим способността да вярваме истински и да обичаме истински.

          И така, когато започваме нашето поклонение в Светата земя на Пасха, прости на мен, ... , всички мои прегрешения, които са засегнали теб и твоите (близки).

       Господи, смили се над мен грешника!

В XC,
о. Виктор, 2024 г.

 

* * *

I notify you of myself,

that by the mercy

and the long-suffering of God

I am alive bodily, but spiritually –

God knows.

Pray that the Lord

vouchsafed

that I tie

the Christian ends.

Painful pressures are

there in the whole body,

from both the cold and involuntary

hunger.

There are many things to eat,

yet, many things cannot be eaten.

The weak stomach

and the malfunctioning intestines

would not allow it.

However, by an old

habit,

I still force myself to eat,

although after that I have to

suffer a great burden

from headaches

and from vomiting.

And besides, both visitors

and newcomers are a nuisance;

they sit for a long time in the hut,

and get bored.

That's what I am like, day after day,

and I live

and I am reputedly unjust

in the reception of newcomers

and of visitors.

And my infirmity is to blame

as well as my malfunction

before God and people.

                     Sofia

'Live [and learn] – do not yearn.'

Sayings of St. Ambrose of Optina

Donate / buy in advance – do support the translation / publishing effort... 

Or better don't.

An Offering to Monasticism of Today (The ARENA) – Saint Ignatius (Bryanchaninov)

 

An Offering to Monasticism of Today (small) – Saint Ignatius (Bryanchaninov) – The ARENA – 7 x 10 inch

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Pfg2RolbXJ86zR5FkXFgfFEb8R0zRi63J-Aqx7rPaEM/

ПРЕОБРАЖЕНИЕ ГОСПОДНЕ, 2024 Первых помени, Гди

Synaxis of the Holy Seventy Apostles, January 4 - St Demetrius of Rostov

Translated from Russian 

PayPal to djambovV@gmail.com{follow the link below} to buy the lives (for January) 

E-415

5 – Lives of the Saints – January – St. Demetrius of Rostov

$21

 

 

Synaxis of the Holy Seventy Apostles

Memory January 4

In addition to the twelve apostles, the Lord Jesus Christ chose seventy others. The Holy Evangelist Luke says this: “After this, the Lord chose the other seventy disciples, and sent them two in front of His face” ( Luke 10: 1 ). Twelve were with Him as witnesses of his life, and seventy prepared people for the acceptance of Christ the Savior, preaching in the cities that Christ the Lord intended to visit. Subsequently, many of the disciples of the Lord, and, of course, including many of the seventy, fell from Christ and ceased to serve him. The Holy Evangelist John writes: “Many of His disciples departed from Him and did not go with Him anymore. Then Jesus said to the twelve: “Would you also like to move away?” ( John 6: 66–67) When the days of Christ's suffering came, the number of Christ's disciples diminished even more, and hardly one of the seventy remained with Him, when one of the twelve fell away from Him. After the resurrection of Christ, the face of the holy twelve apostles was replenished by Matthew, and little by little - from among those who turned to Christ by the twelve apostles and the sermon of the holy Apostle Paul , from above called in the same primitive face and became, along with Peter in that face .

Akathist to St. John, the Wonderworker of Rila, by St. Seraphim, Sofia wonderworker (Sobolev)

 

Akathist to St. John, the Wonderworker of Rila
and the Desert Dweller

Kontakion 1

Chosen by God and forerunner by life, the Monk John, having loved Christ from his youth, thou didst walk the narrow path to Him; And for the sake of thy feats and tears, thou hast been enriched by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. By the same token, as the great boldness of the Holy Trinity, we bless thee, beseeching thee: Deliver us from all our troubles, calling: Rejoice, O Venerable John, wonderworker of Rila, our glory and joy.

Ikos 1

Thou wast an earthly angel and a heavenly man, O Monk John. How shall we sing thy glory worthily, enduring many infirmities? But thou thyself put a song of praise in the ears of us, who call:

Rejoice, O thou born of pious parents; Rejoice, O thou who wast brought up by them in the fear of God.

St. Iosaph (Skorodumov) glorification by GOC of Greece

 

Transl. from Russian

ROCOR Archbishop Ioasaph canonized in GOC of Greece

Author: Metropolitan Agathangel. Date of publication:July 27, 2024. Category: ROCOR .

St. Josaph (Skorodumov)

According to the website of the GOC of Greece, on July 8/21, 2024, in Edmonton, in the "Russian-Greek" parish of St. Prince Vladimir, founded by Archbishop Ioasaph in the 1930s, the hierarchs of the GOC of Greece, the Most Reverend Metropolitans Demetrios of America and Moses of Toronto, as well as Bishop Auxentios of Etna and Portland and Bishop Benedict of Astoria, led the celebrations for the glorification of Archbishop Ioasaph (Skorodumov) of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

We publish the biography of the saint, compiled by the ROCOR Bishop Alexander (Mileant).

Archbishop Ioasaph  (Skorodumov, 1888-1955)

 

 

 

Bishop Archbishop Ioasaph was born in the village of Rebovichi, Tikhvin district, Novgorod province, on January 14/26, 1888, and received the name of St. John at holy baptism. His parents were the priest of this village, Fr. Vasily Skorodumov, and Theodosia Mikhailovna, nee Kachalova. He was three hours older than his twin sister. As children of fields and forests, they were given names of wild flowers - "Ivan and Marya." He also had two brothers: the first - three years older, who died in 1942 during the German blockade of Petrograd, and the second - two years younger, who died as a twelve-year-old boy. Only his sister Maria, who lives in Petrograd, survived. The family lost their mother when the twins were five years old, and gradually all the household chores and care for the family fell on little Maria. The family of a modest villager lived in the beautiful Russian northern nature, near a lake and a forest. They were very friendly, everyone loved each other, the children idolized their father, who was very happy with them. Little Vanyusha was everyone's favorite. He was a very lively child, sometimes he liked to play pranks, but he was obedient and helpful. From early childhood, he was very religious and tried to attend every service, serving in the church. In addition to brotherly love, he and his older brother were also connected by bonds of friendship and camaraderie. For Vanyusha, his older brother was a great authority, a groom and an inspirer of children's games and amusements. In the summer, during the holidays, they went to the forest together for mushrooms and berries, fishing, often disappearing for whole days at the lake. "We would catch a full bag of fish," Vladyka recalled, "and head home, pleased with our rich catch. On the way, one of us would suddenly get the idea to carry the fish all the way home without changing our shoulders. And it was still three or four miles to go home. At first, nothing. But then, the further we walked, the more and more strongly the thin string thrown over our shoulders began to cut into our bodies, causing severe pain. Then it became completely unbearable, but we endured and did not want to give in at all. And when we finally returned home, we ourselves were no longer able to take our burdens off our shoulders. My sister took them off. On our shoulders, the string left a deep, almost blood-red stripe. Father came and, having learned of our new idea, only smiled and shook his head reproachfully: "... you are fools, fools!" ... And in our language this was called a "feat." "Or here's another case. In winter, during the Christmas vacancies, having run and skated or sledded to our heart's content the whole day, late in the evening we would lie in warm beds and not sleep for a long time, talking about something in whispers. And suddenly, one of us would get an unexpected idea: just like that, barefoot in just our nightgowns, in the frost, in the snow, quickly run a hundred steps there and back... But we did it in such a way that neither my sister nor my father would know," laughs the Bishop, "otherwise we would have gotten into serious trouble for such a "feat"...