The first written prayer, dedicated to our Virgin Mary

The first written prayer, dedicated to our Virgin Mary, dates back to the 3rd century AD, specifically around 250 AD, written in Greek, with the intention of being used in the Divine Liturgy. It is entitled “Under Your Mercy”!

The prayer in question was found among fragments of papyrus, which were acquired by the John Rylands Library in Manchester in 1917. At first the prayer was not discernible, but when the papyrus was preserved the text of the prayer was revealed in all its grandeur and precision.

"Beneath thy compassion, we take refuge, O Theotokos: do not despise our petitions in time of trouble, but rescue us from dangers, only pure one, only blessed one."

Know that invisibly many Saints descend and help us. God does not allow us to see them so that we do not become proud, but every day we have many Saints near us. Elder Ambrose Lazarus

 

Archimandrite John (Krestyankin)

Nowadays, we are increasingly afraid of the mark of the Antichrist, which will come at a time we do not know whether we will live to see. But few people even think about the mark of our personal sin. Yet it is precisely this mark that gives a person over to the power of the Antichrist's elements and deeds and is the true prototype of the mark that we should really fear!

And nothing divine will pass through this terrible seal of sin, with which we stamp our minds and hearts every day.

The Lord, knowing our weakness, gave us repentance—deliverance from sin. But this purification of the soul, mind, and heart is accomplished only in the Church, only in the Sacraments. - Archimandrite John (Krestyankin)

What did Saint Porphyrios say about generous financial offerings to Monasteries, when they come from rich, falsely enthusiastic people or from antichrists ?

 

The monastery of the Transfiguration of the Savior was built with much effort, sweat, and great struggle, because this is what Saint Porphyrios wanted.

Although a great deal of money had to be found, the Saint nevertheless refused the money offered by some wealthy people. With distinction, he accepted money only from those he wanted. 

One day he was visited by a freemason who was thrilled by their conversation and wanted to offer a significant sum for the Monastery; but the Saint politely refused, despite the fact that he was in great need of it.

One day he told me: "This Monastery belongs to Christ and Christ does not want His Monastery to be like this..., with such money. This money, which is not legal, drives away the Grace of God.

The Saint wanted the Monastery to be built with great effort and with the participation of many people who would gladly offer manual labor and the sweat of their brow, so that everyone could receive a blessing from God.

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From the book THE ALL-WISE HOLY PORPHYRIOS – TESTIMONY

Publication and distribution of the book: Agios Paulites Holy Cell of Saints Theodoros. Mount Athos, tel. 23770 23244.

The whole point is for Christ to “open” our minds. But in order for Him to open them, we need to give Him the key. And the key is none other than ourselves. To give Christ ourselves and our wills, so that He can process them in His own way. But if we keep our own will, the key in the hands of Christ, we do not give and will not be able to achieve anything great! - Elder Ephraim of Arizona

According to tradition, the Theotokos sailing with Saint John the Evangelist, was shocked by the wonderful natural beauty of Mount Athos and asked her Son for it to become her garden. From that moment on, the mountain was dedicated to the Theotokos as her Orchard and entry was forbidden to all other women.

 

St. Paisios the Athonite

 "Worldly people make sure their yard is clean. They don't care if there is trash inside the house. They sweep the yard and throw the trash inside the house! They tell you: ''Others see the yard, they don't see the house inside''. That is, I may have trash inside, but not outside! They care about others bragging about them. On the contrary, spiritual people make sure the house inside is clean. They don't care what the world says, because Christ dwells in the house, in the heart, he does not dwell in the yard."