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Monday, August 19, 2024
Synaxis of the Holy Seventy Apostles, January 4 - St Demetrius of Rostov
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E-415 |
5 – Lives of the Saints – January – St. Demetrius of Rostov |
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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.
Sunday, July 28, 2024
St. Iosaph (Skorodumov) glorification by GOC of Greece
Transl. from Russian
ROCOR Archbishop Ioasaph canonized in GOC of Greece
.jpg)
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 on our In the language it 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"...
Tuesday, June 18, 2024
Akathist Hymn of Repentance in Christ - Canon of Repentance to our Lord Jesus Christ
Jordanville Edition
Akathist Hymn of Repentance in Christ
Akathist Hymn of Repentance in Christ
Kontakion 1
Christ our Savior, we bring supplication
and praise to You as we heed the call to repentance of sins. Grant us the
wisdom to listen to Your teachings according to the Scriptures, especially from
that moment forward when You said, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at
hand.” Guide us to understand all things pertaining to repentance. In
recognition of Your divine message and Your entire ministry on earth, we
implore You:
Christ our Savior, save us.
Ikos 1
The Forerunner and Baptist John preached
in the wilderness of Judea. Many people from the region came to hear him say,
“Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.” You also came from
Galilee to be baptized, Lord Jesus, even though You had no need of repentance.
The Heavenly Father then said of You, “This is My beloved Son in Whom I am well
pleased.” Both the newly baptized and the yet unbaptized therefore sang praises
to You:
Save us, Only-Begotten Son of God Who was
sent into the world to redeem mankind.
Save us, Son of the Virgin Who freely
offers forgiveness of sins to all.
Save us, Jesus Christ Who was baptized in
the Jordan River by Saint John the Baptist.
Save us, Savior Who never sinned but
fulfilled all righteousness.
Save us, for we have heard the holy
preaching and we are born of water and of the Spirit.
Save us, for we desire salvation and a
virtuous life.
Save us, for the heavens rejoice when a
sinner repents.
Save us, for the Kingdom of Heaven
is near.
Save us, for we repent daily and prepare
a way for You, Lord Jesus.
Save us, for we continually make our path
straight for You, Immortal One.
Save us and make us worthy of the Holy
Spirit dwelling in us.
Save us and make us heirs of the Heavenly
Kingdom.
Christ our Savior, save us.
Kontakion 2
Friday, April 26, 2024
The "Varyags" (Normans) and the First Bulgarian Kingdom
The
"Varyags" (Normans) and the First Bulgarian Kingdom
06:00
26.04.2024
The earliest contacts of the Bulgarians with the Norman "element"
date back to the first half of the 9th century
The main "channel"
for the relations of the First Bulgarian Kingdom with the Normans was the
medieval state of Kievan Rus
Wednesday, December 13, 2023
142nd birth anniversary - St. Seraphim (Sobolev), Sofia wonder-worker 'Песен за Владикин ден'
Радост
моя, радост моя, радост моя -
Ах, Спасител мой! Ах, Спасител мой!
Радост моя, радост моя, радост моя -
Ах, Спасител мой! Ах, Спасител мой!
...
5 думи - 5 хляба
...
/a chant written by Svetitel Seraphim, Sofia wonderworker, whose birthday – 01/14 December has been referred to [as a supplication] as ‘Vladykin Day’ (or Day of the Vladyka)/
... 5* words - 5 loaves (of bread) ... [* – 5 in Cyrillic]
Saturday, December 2, 2023
Akathist to St. Spyridon of Trimythous
Translated from Ch.-Sl.
Akathist to
St. Spyridon of Trimythous
Kontakion 1
Glorified by the Lord amidst the saints and miracle
workers, Oh Spyridon! Now we celebrate your all-honorable memory, as one who is
able to help us much in Christ, who has glorified you, we cry out to you
tenderly: deliver us from all troubles and evils, and with thanksgiving we call
to you: Rejoice, Oh Spyridon, most wonderful miracle worker!
Ikos 1
Adorned from youth with all the virtues, and emulating
your Angel with your life, you, Saint Spyridon, truly appeared to be a friend
of Christ; and we, seeing you, the heavenly man and earthly angel, with
reverence and tenderness we cry out to you: Rejoice, you, contemplating the
mysteries of the Most Holy Trinity; Rejoice, having been enriched by the Spirit
with the most radiant illumination. Rejoice, you lamp of multi-light; Rejoice,
your mind having been enlightened by dispassion. Rejoice, you lover of true
simplicity and silence from childhood; Rejoice, you ornament of chastity.
Rejoice, you inexhaustible stream of love; Rejoice, for you imitated Abraham's
love of strangers. Rejoice, for you lovingly opened the entrances of your house
to everyone; Rejoice, you champion of beggars. Rejoice, as one whom people
revere; Rejoice as you are an abode of the Holy Spirit. Rejoice, Spyridon, you most
wonderful miracle worker!
Kontakion 2
Having seen the island of Cyprus and all Christian
countries your incorruptible relics, O Saint, from which abundant healing flows,
have rejoiced; and we, honoring you as a most abundant source of grace, sent
down to us from On-High, cry out to the Supreme Giver of Heavenly and earthly
blessings: Alleluia.
Ikos 2
Having Divine Reason, and being a shepherd of
speechless sheep, by the will of the Chief Shepherd Christ you have been chosen
to be the shepherd of the verbal sheep. The faithful, seeing you to be a good
shepherd, vigilantly caring for his flock, chanted glory: Rejoice, you bishop
of God Most High, who at your ordination [hyrotonia] abundantly received Divine
grace; Rejoice, you lamp of multi-bright lights, burn and illumine. Rejoice, you
faithful worker in Christ’s Vertograd [Vineyard of fruits]; Rejoice, you
shepherd, educating your flock in the pasture of faith and piety; Rejoice,
enlightening the world with the radiance of your virtues; Rejoice, Bringing the
Divine Sacrifice to the Throne of Christ. Rejoice, you hierarch, decorated with
the understanding of Orthodoxy; Rejoice, you full of the apostolic teachings, watering the faithful flow with the streams of salvific teaching. Rejoice, for you
have illuminated the wise, too; Rejoice, for you have renewed the simple hearts,
too. Rejoice, you glory of the Orthodox and unshakable affirmation of the
Church; Rejoice, you adornment of the Fathers, glory and praise of the reverent
priests. Rejoice, Spyridon, you most wonderful miracle worker.
Kontakion 3
By the power of the God Most High, which has lit you
up, Saint Spyridon, you appeared to be wise of God and, squeezing the clay in
your hand, the Triune Persons you have easily made clear to everyone: even so,
the falsely wise philosophers, gathered at the Council, horrified, the faithful
incomprehensibly glorified God, Who made you wise unto salvation, crying out to
Him: Alleluia.
Ikos 3
All the fathers of the Council - having you in their
thoughts as simple, unskilled in teaching by the book, they praying you, Father
Spyridon, not to bicker in words with the rhetors, who thought themselves to be
wise. You, O saint, inflamed with zeal for God, believing that the preaching of
Christ is not in debates of wisdom with human words, but in the manifestation
of the spirit and power, exposing the most wise in this, you brought the to
reason and set them on the true path. Every one who saw this miracle cried out:
Rejoice, you light of Orthodox wisdom; Rejoice, for they who spoke to be wise
fellow questioners you put to shame. Rejoice, you abundant source of grace; Rejoice,
you unshakable pillar, firmly holding up those who be in faith. Rejoice, you
who darkens the all-pernicious heresy; Rejoice, you through whom madness has
been trampled underfoot. Rejoice, for the dust of earth preached in your hands
the Holy Trinity; Rejoice, for you brought out fire and water of clay in
confirmation of the Holy Trinity dogma. Rejoice, for Thou hast enlightened
people to glorify the Word, Who truly is consubstantial with the Eternal
Father; Rejoice, for you have defeated the serpent’s head of the destructive Arian
heresy. Rejoice for evil was sacrificed because of you; Rejoice, you co-questioner
of the unfaithful sage, having turned him to the true faith. Rejoice, Spyridon,
you most wonderful miracle worker.
Kontakion 4
Spending life in squalor and poverty, to beggars and the
poor you were a nourisher and helper, and, for the sake of love for the poor,
you turned the serpent into gold and you gave it to those who required your
help. Marveling at this miracle, we cry out to God in gratitude: Alleluia.
Ikos 4
Everyone has heard, and everywhere, that Saint
Spyridon truly is the dwelling place of the Holy Trinity: [for] God the Father,
God the Word and God the Holy Spirit dwells in him. For this reason with words
and deeds you preached to every Christian the true God incarnate, crying out:
Rejoice, you secret-keeper of the word of God; Rejoice, you who have clarified
the economy of God for the salvation of the world. Rejoice, for you have taught
that to not experience this is superior to human reason and wisdom; Rejoice,
you who have revealed the incomprehensible power of God acting in you. Rejoice,
for with your lips God Himself has spoken; Rejoice, for all listened to you in
sweetness. Rejoice, you who have dispelled the fog of idolatry; Rejoice, for
you have brought many to the true faith. Rejoice, for having slain the heads of
the invisible serpents; rejoice because of you the Christian faith is
glorified. Rejoice, for you illumine brightly all those who please [and
glorify] you; Rejoice, you champion of the Christian faith and Orthodoxy.
Rejoice, Spyridon, you most wonderful miracle worker.
Kontakion 5
You were filled with the Divine Spirit, Saint
Spyridon, for the sake of your virtuous life; you were always meek, merciful,
pure in heart, long-suffering, not spiteful, with love for strangers: for this
reason the Creator has shown you to also be most glorious in miracles. And we,
glorifying God, Who has glorified you, cry out to Him: Alleluia.
Ikos 5
We see Spyridon, the great miracle worker, [as] equal-to-the-angels.
The country once suffered from lack of rain and great drought: there was famine
and plague, and many people died, but through the prayers of the saint from
heaven there came down rain onto the ground; and the people, having been
delivered from the disaster, cried out in gratitude: Rejoice, you have become
like the great prophet Elijah; Rejoice, for you brought down the rain that
takes away famine and illness in good time. Rejoice, again through your prayers
you locked the sky; Rejoice, for you punished the unmerciful merchant with
deprivation of his property. Rejoice, for you have abundantly given food to
those who need it; Rejoice, for you champion God’s charity [kind disposition
to welfare] for people. Rejoice, you who take away the infirmities of the
weak; Rejoice, you God-gracious helper to man. Rejoice, you who give health to
the sick; Rejoice, for demons tremble [in fear] before you. Rejoice, you source
of countless miracles. Rejoice, Spyridon, you most wonderful miracle worker.
Kontakion 6
The veil of the Old Testament tabernacle closed in the
Holy of the Holy the ark, the manna and the tablets. And your temple, Oh Saint
Spyridon, has a shrine of yours, like an ark, your holy relics – like manna,
your heart – like tablets of Divine grace, on them we see a chant inscribed:
Alleluia.
Ikos 6
The Lord once punished the people of Cyprus for the
increase of lawlessness with barrenness of the earth, and when a well-known farmer
came to Saint Spyridon, asking for help, the Saint gave him gold; and once the
disaster passed, that farmer returned the gold again, and – what a miracle –
the gold became a serpent. Glorifying God, Who is wondrous in His saints, we
cry out: Rejoice, as you imitated Moses, who miraculously transformed the staff
into a serpent; Rejoice, you Shepherd lover of humanity, do deliver the verbal
sheep of your flock from troubles. Rejoice, abundantly do all enrich with all
blessings; Rejoice, nourishing the poor like Elijah. Rejoice, turning the
unmerciful to mercy; Rejoice, you venerable example of love for people living
in the world. Rejoice, you consolation for both faithful and unfaithful in
troubles; Rejoice, you hay-leaved tree, overshadowing both the city and the
country. Rejoice, you glory and praise to the Kerkyrians; Rejoice, you who by
the grace of God has dominion over moisture and drought, over heat and cold.
Rejoice, you who changes statutes of the earth with prayer; Rejoice, you who has
foreseen both what is to come, and the present. Rejoice, Spyridon, you most wonderful
miracle worker.
Kontakion 7
You have appeared an intercessor before the Lord for
everyone, Saint Spyridon. For this reason we, too, come running under your
roof, seeking salvation, to have you help us all in all needs, during famines,
deadly plagues and in all times of troubles and temptations. For this reason, with
gratitude we cry out to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 7
We see a new miracle and it is Divine [magnificent];
when you, father, marched to deliver an innocent man sentenced to death, a
stormy stream blocked your way; and you, by the name of the Almighty God,
commanded it to stand still and crossed the river with your companions as if [walking]
on dry land. The glory of this miracle spread everywhere, and all having
glorified God, crying out to you: Rejoice, you who like Joshua crossed the
Jordan once, walked the river as on dry land; Rejoice, you who with your voice
tamed the river onrush. Rejoice, for you have undertaken a difficult path,
driven by mercy; Rejoice, for you destroyed slander and delivered the innocent
from the bonds of prison and vain death. Rejoice, you quick helper of life
according to God; Rejoice, you defender of the innocently oppressed. Rejoice, you
changer of the statutes [essence] of water’s nature; Rejoice, for you didst
admonish the judge and saved [one] from [being] murder [-ed]. Rejoice, you [being]
true correction of souls; Rejoice, you wondrous power with-holding the streams.
Rejoice, you who delightest the hearts of people who come to you; Rejoice, you imitator
of Abraham's love for mankind. Rejoice, Spyridon, you most wonderful miracle
worker.
Kontakion 8
You were a wanderer and new-comer on earth, just as
you other people were. However, the Omniscient showed you from the womb of the
mother to be great saint and wonderworker, Oh Saint Spyridon: for you cast out
demons, you heal every disease and ulcer, you see the thoughts of people, and by
these you also appeared marvelous among the saints. We, sending up a prayer to
God, the Benefactor of all, cry out to Him: Alleluia.
Ikos 8
The whole world will shudder greatly with horror when it
hears, for death, at your voice, brings back its dead from their graves, and will
cry out: Rejoice, you who called back to life your deceased daughter, so she may
reveal the treasure entrusted to her; Rejoice, you who comforted the sorrowful
widow, who gave gold for safekeeping. Rejoice, you who raised the deceased
offspring from the dead; Rejoice, for his mother who suddenly dies from joy, you
brought [back] to life. Rejoice for you emulated Elijah, who through prayers
restored to life the son of Sarept’s woman; Rejoice, for you also emulated Elisha,
who aroused the youth from death. Rejoice, you shepherd who sincerely loves
people; Rejoice, you who by the name of God forgave the sins of the harlot wife
that washed your feet with her tears. Rejoice, you who [cherished and] acquired
the holy zeal of the Supreme Apostle; Rejoice, for the unrepentant woman sinner,
according to your words, died in grave illnesses. Rejoice, having obtained
fruitfulness through your prayers for the earth; Rejoice, you immutable
assurance of the resurrection of men. Rejoice, Spyridon, you most wonderful
miracle worker.
Kontakion 9
You were illuminated by the Divine Spirit, Saint
Spyridon, for you had the spirit wisdom, as with wise words you have brought
reason to [overwhelmed] the fools, and [also] among the fathers, you established
the faith through the spirit of reason, for you have illuminated the darkened
minds; by the spirit of the fear of God, for you have purified the soul by taking
out the guilt for doing things pleasing to God. By doing so, having presented
yourself to the Throne of the Most High, you chant with a host of Angels to Him:
Alleluia.
Ikos 9
Having received staff of a shepherd of verbal sheep
from the Chief Shepherd the Lord Jesus, Oh Saint Spyridon, you altered not your
living: unworldly [‘not-for-profit’], meek, enduring everything for the sake of
love, you were not ashamed to take care for the flock of dumb sheep. All this
excites us to glorify God and cry out to you: Rejoice, you who despises the vain
glory of this world; Rejoice, you who have gained great requital in Heaven.
Rejoice, you who have imputed to the mind the beauty of this world: Rejoice, you
vessel of heavenly blessings. Rejoice, you most holy pasture of the Cypriots;
Rejoice, because for your sake God tied with unseen bonds the predators of your
sheep. Rejoice, you who taught fatherly admonition to ravishers; Rejoice, you
who gave them a ram, by your mercy, for the night spent without sleep. Rejoice,
you who by the goat’s disobedience, as if it had rteason, exposed the merchant
who hid its price; Rejoice, you who brought to repentance the one who kept hidden
your silver coins. Rejoice, you who with your admonition healed him from the
passions of greed. Rejoice, Spyridon, you most wonderful miracle worker.
Kontakion 10
By saving the souls of the flock entrusted to you by
God, you, Saint Spyridon, by the will of God, were called to reveal your glory,
especially so the glory of the true God, also unto other countries, so that
everywhere they would glorify the name of God, crying out: Alleluia.
Ikos 10
A quick helper and intercessor in all needs and sorrows,
Saint Spyridon, at the command of the Tsar, like the other shepherds, you came
to the city of Antioch, where King Constantine was overcome by the illness; the
Saint touched his head and made it healthy. Marveling at this miracle, we cry
out to you: Rejoice, you who in a dream vision, an Angel revealed as a healer to
the king; Rejoice, you who for the sake of Divine love accepted the difficult travel
in old age. Rejoice, you who according to the commandment of the Savior presented
the other cheek to the king's servant, who struck you in the cheek; Rejoice, you
pillar of humility. Rejoice, you who through your prayers in tears granted
health to the tsar; Rejoice, as through your humiliation brought reason to your
servant and changed his unmerciful disposition. Rejoice, for you taught the
king piety and mercy; Rejoice, for hating earthly treasure, you rejected the
king’s gold. Rejoice, for you turned away your disciple Triphyllia from
addiction to earthly goods and made him into a vessel of God’s grace; Rejoice,
for the idols that came to you in Alexandria fell. Rejoice, for even demons
obey you; Rejoice, for you have turned many away from idolatry. Rejoice, Spyridon,
you most wonderful miracle worker.
Kontakion 11
There was angelic singing when in the temple you,
Saint Spyridon, offered your evening prayers, and there was not for those who
served with you. The residents of the city, having heard the wondrous chanting,
entered the temple and, seeing no one, they chanted along with the powers from
on-high: Alleluia.
Ikos 11
You radiant sun of the world, interlocutor of the
Angels you were on earth, Saint Spyridon; having given up your spirit unto the
hand of God, you relocated to an On-high dwelling, praying for peace before the
Throne of the Lord. And we, who live on the earth, cry out to you: Rejoice, for
Angels served together with you when [you were] still living; Rejoice, you have
been hearing the psalmody of the Archangels. Rejoice, you visible image our
transformation; Rejoice, for God for your sake filled up with excess the lamp of
those who lacked oil in the temple. Rejoice, you lamp of Divine radiance; Rejoice,
you vessel of God's grace that abundantly, like oil [myrrh], fills up your
soul. Rejoice, you inexhaustible source, forever flowing currents of grace to
everyone; Rejoice, you, with him the Angels are amazed. Rejoice, you who admonish
the deacon's disobedience in the temple; Rejoice, you who deprived the one vainglorious
in his voice of both his voice and tongue. Rejoice, for in time heat, suddenly
dew descended from above and cooled your sacred head; Rejoice, in that sign you
foretold the nearness of your own repose. Rejoice, Spyridon, you most wonderful
miracle worker.
Kontakion 12
Being a shroud and refuge for all faithful who come to
you even in your life-time, you, saint, have not left us orphaned even after
your repose; God, conqueror of the order of nature, preserved your holy relics
incorruptible for the strengthening of Orthodox faith and piety, as a sign of
immortality, and glorifying Him, we cry out: Alleluia.
Ikos 12
We sing praises to you, Oh holy hierarch of God, for
you have amazed the world with the miracles flowing out of your holy relics.
All who come with faith and who kiss them receive all the good things they ask
for. And we, glorify the God Who gave you the fortress, Who crowned you with
the crown of incorruption and Who acted through, we cry out to you: Rejoice,
you appeared to the shipwright during a famine and commanded to delivered food;
Rejoice, you who gifted sight to the blind, who with faith [hurried to] venerated
your holy relics. Rejoice, you who healed the youth from the incurable illness;
Rejoice, you who cast away the demon from the woman and made her healthy.
Rejoice, you elected voivode [leader] of Kerkyra; Rejoice, for you drove out
the hordes of wicked Hagarians and drowned their ships into the deep sea.
Rejoice, you whom they saw surrounded by a host of Angels, holding a sword in
his right hand and bringing the enemies into awe [thrill]; Rejoice, you who build
yourself a temple in which the governor forbade liturgy to be celebrated on
unleavened bread. Rejoice, you who struck the Latin governor with cruel death;
Rejoice, you who burned down his image with a lightning at his house in Venice.
Rejoice, you who have put to shame the apostasy and false wisdom of the West;
Rejoice, you who asserted only the Orthodox faith to be true and salvific for
people. Rejoice, Spyridon, you most wonderful miracle worker!
Kontakion 13
O most wonderful saint of Christ, Father Spyridon! Receive
this current prayer of ours, deliver us from all troubles and misfortunes,
strengthen us against the enemies of our country, grant us forgiveness of our sins
and save from eternal death everyone crying out unto you to God: Alleluia!
(This kontakion is read 3 times, followed then by Ikos 1 and Kontakion 1)
Wednesday, November 15, 2023
"Chapters on Knowledge" by St. Isaac the Syrian of Nineveh
1 .88 O Christ, who died for us
by Thy love, make me dead to sin and take this old man off me, so that in a newness
of mind I stand before You for all time, as if in the New Age. God , whose heaven and heavens of heaven cannot contain 16 , who
has chosen from us a reasonable temple for dwelling in it, honor me to become a
receptacle for your love, from the sensation of which the saints have forgotten
themselves and have become insane for your sake 17 and
at all times have mingled with you in intoxicated attraction to You, and never turned
back again. When they were rewarded with this sweet spring, thirsting for Your love,
You intoxicated them with amazement at Your mysteries.
MORAL-AND-ASCETIC
WORKS
(Divine Mysteries and Spiritual Life)
– St. Isaac the Syrian of Nineveh
Commemorating the Dead
The
Mysterious Meaning of Commemorating the Dead
An Athos monk was once allowed to see the way the
commemoration of the dead went: it was All-Soul's
Saturday, Liturgy had ended. Some of the present were already leaving the
church, while others stayed on and began to approach the general kanun (standing,
as usual, in the middle of the church).
I stood in the choir. The priest and deacon came out
of the altar. The priest exclaimed: "Blessed is our God, always, now and
ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen". The Deacon lit up the candles, began
distributing them to those present.
And at this time I saw how many people there WERE – entering
the door of the temple from the street, and then PENETRATING through walls and
windows. The temple was getting filled up with a crowd of – transparent SHADOWS.
In this mass I saw – women, men, youth and children. I
discerned from their appearance priests, emperors, bishops, and in between them
a simple laborer, decrepit soldier villager, a poor woman and poor in general.
After the exclamation of the priest they noiseless but
extremely quickly FILLED UP – [with themselves]
the entire church, standing closely with each other. All of them seemed to
strive towards the kanun, but for some reason they could not approach it. I
could not take my eyes off this amazing picture.
Finally they had accumulated so many [of them] that the real praying [people] seemed
to me but figures, brightly painted against the background of these amazing
shadows. They (the shadows), nearing in silence, stood still by the altar. Some
of them were as if kneeling, others bent over their heads, precisely as if
waiting the pronouncing of a sentence. The children stretched out their hands
to the candles that burned on the kanun, as well as to the hands of the living
praying people.
But there, the deacon took out the notes and began
reading out the names written on them. My surprise had no end when I noticed
that with an the impetuous, joyful movement one figure stood out then another.
They came up to those who commemorated them, stood next to them, looked them
with eyes full of love, of joyful
peace. I even thought that in the hands of the shadows there was some spiritual
burning candle and they themselves – while
praying together with those praying for them – were blazing with unusually
joyful rays. With the reading out of names more and more joyful figures stood
out of the crowd of shadows. They noiseless walked and mingled with the alive
praying people. Finally, when the notes had been read out there remained many
unnamed – sad, as though having come to some common holiday, but FORGOTTEN – by
those who might have invited them to this great celebration for them. Some of
the souls were anxiously glancing at the door, precisely as if expecting that,
perhaps, a kin would come and would in turn call their name.
But no, no new faces turned up, and those unnamed
could only enjoy the joy of those who were called by name by those who had come
to be together with them.
I watched the general group of praying [people], who were as it getting mixed
with the trembling in the bright rays ghosts from the other world, and I saw an
even more wonderful picture.
At the time of exclamation of the words "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, teach me Thy
statutes" or the words "Thyself,
O Lord, repose the souls of Thy departed servants," I could see how
the faces of the living [persons]
lit up with the light together with the faces [persons] of the departed, how tears not of despondency but of joy ran
down from the eyes of those who wore the corporeal shell, and at the same time
some passionate love, boundless devotion burned in the eyes of those being commemorated.
With the cloud of smoke from the censers, with the jets
of smoke from the burning candles there sounded a wondrous prayerful appeal:
"[Together] With the saints
give rest ..." and I saw that the whole church as if a single man knelt on
ones' knees and the spirits whose names were commemorated, prayed both for
those present and for themselves, while those who had been FORGOTTEN, prayed
only for himself.
When the prayerful chant ended, they damped out the
candles and the priest read the last exclamation, and the deacon finished with
a common commemoration of the departed, the shadows standing in front of me
began to disappear and there remained only people who had wished to further serve
a private commemoration service for their deceased. Then, I saw in the faces
such peace, such satisfaction, such renovation that is beyond me to convey.
Great, holy
and gratifying for the departed is the ritual of commemoration of
the Orthodox Church!
And how sad it is to those who gets RENDERED to oblivion,
denying them not only the joy to see themselves not forgotten, but thus also
slowing down their spiritual renovation and receiving of FORGIVENESS of their TRANSGRESSIONS
from the Lord – both during the funeral service, and especially so during the
Liturgy. For each time the priest takes out particles for the souls, these
souls RECEIVE – mercy, getting closer to the Kingdom of God.
Each and every one of us experiences this thirst of
the departed – to be commemorated [remembered].
Therefore quite often they REMIND of themselves in our dreams on the eve of
their birthdays or days of departure, on the eve of the All-Souls' Saturdays.
Every word of ours, every thought, memory of the
deceased instantly responds to them, and remembering them with GOOD is
encouraging, while the remembrance with evil is PAINFUL, for it causes them remorseS.
You can imagine how AWFUL the afterlife PAINS are for people who are hard to be
remember with good.
This is why laws of popular charity require SPEAK NOTHING
bad of the departed, so as not to embitter their spiritual wounds. All these
things must serve us as a warning: to act in our lifetime so that after our
death we would NOT DESERVE feelings of contempt for us, of reproach and hatred –
or, even worse, of curse, and in that way BE DEPRIVED of the prayers of our
loved ones.
Persecution of Christians around the world
Persecution of Christians around the world [ edit ]
The Open Doors Global Christian
Persecution Index is a tool gathering data intended to be representative
of the persecution of Christians. Compiled by the “research department” of
Portes Ouvertes International from field data, it tracks the changes
experienced by Christians in 150 countries, then ranks among them the 50
countries where it is, according to the criteria defined by the Index , the
most difficult and dangerous way to practice the Christian faith. The
classification does not simply reflect the violent acts of persecution (hammer
persecution) but also the “environmental conditions” underlying the persecution
(vice-like persecution).
In 2023, the report analyzes
the persecution over the last thirty years. The number of countries
affected by persecution has increased from 40 in 1993 to 76 today, according to
the NGO 6 . The average score
of the 50 worst countries for Christians has increased by 25% in thirty
years. Thus, the persecution would spread and intensify 7 .
The 2023 ranking shows a
significant increase in persecution, which has been increasing steadily for 10
years 8 . Over the period
studied to develop the Global Christian Persecution Index 2023, 5,621
Christians were killed because of their belief, almost 90% of them in
Nigeria : this represents 15 Christians
killed per day in the world because of their faith 9 . 4,542 Christians
were detained, including 1,750 in India. Of the 5,256 Christians kidnapped
in one year, 4,726 were in Nigeria .
The NGO Portes Ouvertes
estimates that more than 360 million Christians (1 in 7 Christians) are heavily
persecuted in the world 10 . Among them, it is
those who left their old religion to embrace Christianity who are the most
persecuted 11 .
North Korea has regained the top
spot. It records the highest score ever measured since the creation of the
Index in 1993, which is 98 persecution points (the maximum being 100
points) 12 .
The association also reports a
worsening of violence in sub-Saharan Africa over the past 30
years. Islamist extremism, represented by several armed groups, is gaining
ground. Kidnappings, raids on churches and even murders are becoming more
and more frequent, particularly in Nigeria 13 .
4U2C
A Prayer Before Communion
by St Dimitry of Rostov
Open, O doors and bolts of my heart
that Christ the King of Glory may enter!
Enter, O my Light and enlighten my darkness;
enter, O my Life, and resurrect my deadness;
enter, O my Physician and heal my wounds;
enter, O Divine Fire, and burn up the thorns of my sins;
ignite my inward parts and my heart with the flame of Thy love;
enter, O my King, and destroy in me the kingdom of sin;
sit on the throne of my heart and [You] alone reign in me,
O Thou, my King and Lord.
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