Orthodox Gladness

Sunday, December 14, 2025

"If you cannot find Christ in the beggar at the door of the Church, you will not find Him in the Holy Chalice." - St. John Chrysostom

How to find the Kingdom of Heaven by St. Innocent of Moscow

Saint Innocent of Moscow (Veniaminov) explained to his parishioners how to find the way toThe Kingdom of Heaven, in parables.

Imagine that, unexpectedly, you suddenly find yourself the sole heir of a wealthy distant relative. Before his death, this relative bequeathed to you his luxurious dacha on the top of a picturesque mountain.

Loving his solitude, this relative did not build a road to his dacha, but rather walked there himself along a path. To help you take possession of the dacha, he left you a map of the mountain, marking the necessary path on it. Thus, to reach the bequeathed dacha, you must follow the path marked by your loving relative.

Something similar must be done for us who wish to reach the heavenly abode prepared for us by the Lord Jesus Christ. We must thoroughly understand the path that leads there, how not to lose our way, what to beware of, and so on.

Our map is the Holy Scriptures and Orthodox books; the foresters are the shepherds of the Church, whose duty it is to assist the faithful and guide them toward paradise. Provisions are God's grace, strengthening our spiritual strength.

Perhaps in places the path leading to paradise will prove narrow, overgrown with bushes, and difficult to navigate, while other paths will seem wider and more comfortable. But it's best not to trust appearances. The Lord Jesus Christ and the apostles repeatedly warned that only one path, the one indicated in the Gospel, leads to the Kingdom of Heaven.

God is so generous that He gives you the opportunity to plant whatever you want! But He is also so fair that you reap exactly what you plant! Gerontikon

How to make Christmas Bread – Traditional Recipe (Amateur Translation)

Christopsomo is the name of the bread that Greek housewives make 2-3 days before Christmas, especially for this great celebration. Its decoration is rich with all kinds of embroidery.

These shapes symbolize the sorrow and the dream of the Greek peasantry. A capital B symbolizes the plowman's yoke.

On the other half of the surface of the Christmas bread with a "pile" of dough, the "stack" (the haystacks) is represented, framed with vine and olive leaves, the expectation, the dream for the summer to come.

Also, the house to which the happiness of the year will come is often depicted, a special significance that is also emphasized in carols:

"In this house where we came, may not a stone rot,

and may the owner of the house live a thousand years"

This bread is dedicated by the Greek family to the Nativity of Christ.

Ingredients:

300 g hard flour

1 sachet dry yeast

½ teaspoon sugar

Juice and zest of 1 medium orange

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons anise

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 teaspoon ground cloves

1 heaping tablespoon honey

For the garnish:

5-6 tablespoons of flour

A little salt

A little water

Walnuts - Cloves

Instructions:

Mix the yeast with the sugar and a little lukewarm water, leave it covered for 15 minutes, until bubbles form on the surface.

Dissolve the honey in the orange juice, mix the flour with the salt, anise, cinnamon, cloves and zest, add this mixture to the yeast mixture and begin to knead by adding the orange juice and a little lukewarm water (about half a cup) until we achieve a soft and elastic dough that will not stick to the sides of the bowl.

Wet a sheet of parchment paper, wring it out and spread it in a medium round pan, spread our dough on top, making sure it has the same thickness everywhere. With the extra flour, salt and a little water, we make a dough that we divide into equal parts and with it we create a cross on our bread.

Garnish with the walnuts and cloves and leave the bread, covered, in a warm place, for at least 1 1/2 hours, until it rises and doubles in volume.

Bake at 190°C for 35-40 minutes.

We cut it on Christmas Day and enjoy it on the festive table!