tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13247892850375014872024-03-28T20:29:35.027-07:00Orthodox GladnessUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3640125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324789285037501487.post-67262230425452350702024-03-28T16:25:00.000-07:002024-03-28T16:25:40.248-07:00Orthodox Parables and Stories: A miracle in a village in the Tambov region!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJv0FvkxLV07s9UEpntDGqMtCoG4-8rpO5PBBqmOMh97UMJ8KHEcdn9z1H5Kxlij35FwLcRRyAB8-TiKLpudbj4tKPxjQXzaV9Ohv2et75XPwY8mVoczVhZjflZhzbFDWg9c4Z0US1AbkU2EwTKIVC30RQrqT_RasyQKBGAp4Vunh6hP6uZbMe9gPKISD/s800/miraclestorty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="800" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJv0FvkxLV07s9UEpntDGqMtCoG4-8rpO5PBBqmOMh97UMJ8KHEcdn9z1H5Kxlij35FwLcRRyAB8-TiKLpudbj4tKPxjQXzaV9Ohv2et75XPwY8mVoczVhZjflZhzbFDWg9c4Z0US1AbkU2EwTKIVC30RQrqT_RasyQKBGAp4Vunh6hP6uZbMe9gPKISD/w640-h512/miraclestorty.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">An image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker appeared on the door of a barn in the village of Tambov.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The family bought <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>an abandoned house in the village for demolition. The building slowly began to dismantle, the old door was removed and hung on the shed. And it hung for almost a year.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">"The other day my daughter went out into the yard after the rain and saw the icon on the door - says the owner of the house Alexandra Shibina - she rushed to the face and began to kiss him, and then came running and tells me: we have a miracle in the yard - St. Nicholas the Wonderworker appeared!".</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The door was immediately removed and taken to the church in the village of Shekhman. The locals believe that the more people come to worship the shrine, the stronger the image appears. A second silhouette began to appear on the left. The face is not yet visible, but, according to experts, it is already clear that it is some kind of saint in the dignity of a metropolitan.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The restorer claims that it is a local saint, possibly St. Tikhon of Zadonsk. Parishioners from neighboring regions come to the place of the miracle.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">HOLY FATHER NICHOLAS, PRAY TO GOD FOR US! AMEN!</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Thank God for everything!</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324789285037501487.post-69470257288040699832024-03-24T14:50:00.000-07:002024-03-24T14:50:37.274-07:00The Flood of Noah<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge05yJIurb8xGGAFH5stKubMSOJS6OZ5V_BlZwEXfFFAky5JkFQcrQrnFDGVl2pizQJas_IUbDsgijhHEvqQxV2OHk_HjIe_lpl3Pi-yjbC6hvqqUMyyjOqklDiENjTBNN1h2fBrMIob-OUw2qgGKSNVbi3J11fUz7aVXx_xfP1bQKWwWT4ZbNRxUZQqQ7/s1164/noahfloodicon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1164" data-original-width="843" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge05yJIurb8xGGAFH5stKubMSOJS6OZ5V_BlZwEXfFFAky5JkFQcrQrnFDGVl2pizQJas_IUbDsgijhHEvqQxV2OHk_HjIe_lpl3Pi-yjbC6hvqqUMyyjOqklDiENjTBNN1h2fBrMIob-OUw2qgGKSNVbi3J11fUz7aVXx_xfP1bQKWwWT4ZbNRxUZQqQ7/w464-h640/noahfloodicon.jpg" width="464" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br />Those who drowned in the flood of Noah did not perish because they were sinners, but, for they were in no mood to repent! God foresaw that no matter how many years they lived, they would never repent! It's something terrible!</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />Geronda Ephraim, Skete of St. Andrew, Mt. Athos</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324789285037501487.post-105861491279722822024-03-24T14:46:00.000-07:002024-03-24T14:46:38.685-07:00First Flower of Pascha<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJ082XCj7f9Ial12OZKKw7HQvCTmFVY3yVvkWmtfBH3mOZOh_SCZw7JFfhe8poSxhJDbIOeWQChk_khWzuao2Ymn4K3p0-swWYTIXA3k59Nc110AHsvwCt-jXxw4skjyZf467OYFmct4SN5t6KtvXw6dGXUghcl7PDfs5m4BXxUjJMm_pwF7wBjPCBHpm/s1600/gabrielflower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJ082XCj7f9Ial12OZKKw7HQvCTmFVY3yVvkWmtfBH3mOZOh_SCZw7JFfhe8poSxhJDbIOeWQChk_khWzuao2Ymn4K3p0-swWYTIXA3k59Nc110AHsvwCt-jXxw4skjyZf467OYFmct4SN5t6KtvXw6dGXUghcl7PDfs5m4BXxUjJMm_pwF7wBjPCBHpm/w480-h640/gabrielflower.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br />The Feast of the Annunciation is the first flower of Pascha, which the Holy Archangel Gabriel holds in his hand. "Rejoice, O Blessed One, the Lord is with you!" And at Pascha, when everything will blossom already with the new life of God, for which man was created, we will hear: "The angel cried to the Blessed One: Pure virgin, rejoice. And again I will say, Rejoice!<br />This is the joy of God becoming man. There has never been anything like it in the world before. This mystery is the highest and humblest, the greatest good news from God that ever was. Nothing in heaven or on earth can compare with this mystery. There is nothing more precious in all the history of the world, nor will there ever be anything more precious...<br />Now the doors of heaven are opening. The fiery cherub does not block the entrance, but invites everyone to enter, where the only way through are the words: "Be it unto me according to thy word".</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />Rev. Alexander Shargunov</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324789285037501487.post-58778534484620829102024-03-24T13:21:00.000-07:002024-03-24T13:22:18.980-07:00Orthodox Parables and Stories: God hears our Prayers!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIAaIwnkB160Twqu5Mw8k4CXFYwhDvxCPC60G93p_Erylcv49YbIkHkTBXZO_GjmJEWlEjhrEjRhvdpyQog1mFd_UAEgfbQBbGiuzR9OTObUxbbLaA9mhnIGzW1HCxNDgl08tesM9Z5_SemdX7ZqwyjLuebnKLrwWDisTHPrkPUTMF2VEfuXt070K8vvR/s1153/winedresser.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="646" data-original-width="1153" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIAaIwnkB160Twqu5Mw8k4CXFYwhDvxCPC60G93p_Erylcv49YbIkHkTBXZO_GjmJEWlEjhrEjRhvdpyQog1mFd_UAEgfbQBbGiuzR9OTObUxbbLaA9mhnIGzW1HCxNDgl08tesM9Z5_SemdX7ZqwyjLuebnKLrwWDisTHPrkPUTMF2VEfuXt070K8vvR/w640-h358/winedresser.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br />Once, a poor woman passed by a vineyard, which was full of delicious and ripe grapes. It was midsummer, so she stopped in front of the vineyard and as she was thirsty, she pondered:<br /><br />"If only I had a bunch of these juicy grapes..."<br /><br />At that moment, the owner of the vineyard appears on the street.<br /><br />He greeted her and said:<br /><br />"What are you looking at, my dear? Would you like a bunch of grapes?"<br /><br />"Of course, I would!" she replied, "but I can't take."<br /><br />"Don't worry," the landlord tells her. "I am the master of the vineyard and I will give you, wait for me."<br /><br />He then enters the vineyard and gets lost in the tufted vines. She waited anxiously, but when she saw that the winegrower was late, she thought that he forgot about it and so she moved away from that place. After a while, the winegrower appears and finds that the woman was gone. But he saw her at the far end of the road, far away, and called for her to come back.<br /><br />As soon as the woman returned, the winegrower told her:<br /><br />"I'm sorry I'm late. But why did you leave? I was a little late because I wanted to choose the best bunches! Here, I brought you a full basket!"!<br /><br />And he gave her the basket. The woman was ashamed, put her head down, took the basket, thanked the good winegrower and left!<br /><br />This story hides a great lesson for everyone. Many times we ask in our prayer for something, but we do not get an immediate answer. Then, we believe that God does not care about us. Sometimes, after a while, and when, of course, it is for our good that we ask, the answer comes from the Lord and indeed rich and blessed, as much as we could not have expected it!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324789285037501487.post-916814215672656122024-03-23T11:13:00.000-07:002024-03-23T11:13:14.390-07:00Tomorrow, March 24, the Church celebrates the Triumph of Orthodoxy!<div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJtWoddknWmz9mzB5xfwobvijJfYGSlK79m7muDBFXTi_UphgJ5t-kAjwEZrI9qbXII6ULh2v7xBbPgwnKVFFf8rY_wJ5fAlD82-ktdFyKpqlUYTr8WsMhkjfZIoBEhnLQAaE9d3PVHxGZd6oHSIXuOx5VpX903BDunDzTUyiyQ67gdhrf0se0r63uhji/s1502/weareright.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1502" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJtWoddknWmz9mzB5xfwobvijJfYGSlK79m7muDBFXTi_UphgJ5t-kAjwEZrI9qbXII6ULh2v7xBbPgwnKVFFf8rY_wJ5fAlD82-ktdFyKpqlUYTr8WsMhkjfZIoBEhnLQAaE9d3PVHxGZd6oHSIXuOx5VpX903BDunDzTUyiyQ67gdhrf0se0r63uhji/w512-h640/weareright.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><br /><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“Face to face, mouth to mouth, we, Orthodox Christians, converse with the Lord,Our Lady, the Holy Angels and all the saints. This is what it means, according to Orthodox Christian custom, to pray reverently before holy icons in spirit and truth. This is why we supply them in churches and houses of worship (chapels) and in our homes. We believe in the closeness of the Lord and His saints to us and that we are <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>one spiritual body with them, one Church, just as there is one Head of them and ours, the Lord Jesus Christ. With such faith in our holy icons and in the Church, will you, iconoclast heretics, throw stones of slanderous condemnation at them? We are right, and you are wrong and false” - St. John of Kronstadt</span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324789285037501487.post-1258904230851114132024-03-17T13:10:00.000-07:002024-03-17T13:10:26.715-07:00March 17 - Commemorating St. Abbess Gertrude of Nivelle (c. 628-659)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqXgG-3zulS1SH0QB1ILzqJS9fqTRr2hyphenhyphen0h44SyF6QK59B9xCwATG2Terz-00F3vNB2x4FZlnX0HihGH0boL9ZDvdrHxznIJsFLKRDkjttHbQCYeHwoHvhR4iXiu3Ib8M1m-3OSCQ2RTVzhc8UEcQjXHUNubQPNOzTJp3Yw7bPATvIKRQQ_9yOvkw2HPC/s720/patronofcats1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="521" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqXgG-3zulS1SH0QB1ILzqJS9fqTRr2hyphenhyphen0h44SyF6QK59B9xCwATG2Terz-00F3vNB2x4FZlnX0HihGH0boL9ZDvdrHxznIJsFLKRDkjttHbQCYeHwoHvhR4iXiu3Ib8M1m-3OSCQ2RTVzhc8UEcQjXHUNubQPNOzTJp3Yw7bPATvIKRQQ_9yOvkw2HPC/w464-h640/patronofcats1.jpg" width="464" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOSMWipcQJFJMBrRlcBlVWL0oJzeuKxCom7jkU6jpv-c5dngyJsmiuokWPaeHyl8-m2m63tBeqjoRowHdNhG1XtgbiQOVsIdJ5Pg9jJTY9rwiKtnHlVzRq8iBe0jQ8afcQtKNtPBGnoEJQYVoM8_0EEGJ1WGVvyVpJSDT86nmaQxjGMCYoPGECuOFliQ9/s900/patronofcats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="731" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOSMWipcQJFJMBrRlcBlVWL0oJzeuKxCom7jkU6jpv-c5dngyJsmiuokWPaeHyl8-m2m63tBeqjoRowHdNhG1XtgbiQOVsIdJ5Pg9jJTY9rwiKtnHlVzRq8iBe0jQ8afcQtKNtPBGnoEJQYVoM8_0EEGJ1WGVvyVpJSDT86nmaQxjGMCYoPGECuOFliQ9/w520-h640/patronofcats.jpg" width="520" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br />March 17 - Commemorating St. Abbess Gertrude of Nivelle (c. 628-659), who in later Western tradition came to be honored as the patron saint of cats.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />In fact, cats in connection with St. Gertrude appeared very late: this "tradition" is not traced back to the 1980s. Apparently, cats smoothly replaced mice and rats, since traditionally it is cats who catch and exterminate them. The fact is that for quite a long time Gertrude of Nivelle was honored as a helper against the plague and - because of the role of rodents in the spread of the disease - as a threat to rodents.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />This saint is also honored in the Orthodox Church.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324789285037501487.post-3061799857043216162024-03-17T12:50:00.000-07:002024-03-17T12:50:39.763-07:00Great Canon of St. Andrew, Bishop of Crete<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpDZCQug1EUIcWNTZXDr-aGc96TOTELb0rY5DEcrdyqEzBG06_lFj7vOziCo7SDTrNzjWRc90_i8TfngawXPNMKCsL09yp44ZQESoD0P73wmAdIAZmqGOqm1I3h1z_OTgls7kzK5xFsQnaNdrP4lL_MM8DEPpAp1IBPTldj08nVsDOTnEGVbG0ET92_EC/s400/greatcanonsite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="356" data-original-width="400" height="570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpDZCQug1EUIcWNTZXDr-aGc96TOTELb0rY5DEcrdyqEzBG06_lFj7vOziCo7SDTrNzjWRc90_i8TfngawXPNMKCsL09yp44ZQESoD0P73wmAdIAZmqGOqm1I3h1z_OTgls7kzK5xFsQnaNdrP4lL_MM8DEPpAp1IBPTldj08nVsDOTnEGVbG0ET92_EC/w640-h570/greatcanonsite.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete is the longest canon and is only read in church during the first four nights of Great Lent (Clean Monday through Clean Thursday) and at Matins for Thursday of the fifth week of Great Lent. The canon is a dialog between St. Andrew and his soul. The ongoing theme is an urgent exhortation to change one's life.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A canon is an ancient liturgical hymn, with a very strict format. It consists of a <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>variable number of parts, each called an "ode". Most canons have eight odes, numbered from one to nine, with ode 2 being omitted. The most penitential canons have all nine odes. Some canons have only three odes, such as many of the canons in the "Triodion" (which means "Three Odes").</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">An "irmos" begins each ode. This is generally sung, and each irmos has a reference to one of the nine biblical canticles, which are selections from the Old and New Testament. A variable number of "troparia" follow, which are short hymns about the subject of the canons. These are usually chanted, not sung. After each troparion a "refrain" is chanted. At the end of each ode, another hymn, called the "katavasia" either the irmos previously sung, or one like it is sung. (<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x1ejq31n xd10rxx x1sy0etr x17r0tee x972fbf xcfux6l x1qhh985 xm0m39n x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1fey0fg" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2FOrthodox.net%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1ggMY_shMJHyy0hWCiLi937wHoPK4CEtBv6ZkoL-Icnj7RJO6IPM2IkZQ&h=AT1xyQq5Pri5HGuSK3ypsEHaaD6h7U0wdsWU9qRFVBP-KFTZhksUefvi34pf-1vw4KzcajMTtPIxidF8T4cmhPWKKV6zWGx6cPgruLKZVjEpbYl-Ifly3-SRbvWX6xLkKg&__tn__=-UK-R&c[0]=AT3U_icvAY2qco3yetZ5bBIkgs1TZ_rUpCmh3wfHtLb1s18IKgCWVQr6iU9ga1b-LHl9I_yp2xXp9yYUQ0wV14uBIry8_IC0E0ty0rUWSTF3IT8tjuwQOjPiljKpTZ5On_y2" rel="nofollow noreferrer" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">Orthodox.net</a></span>)</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Here is a good site for The Who's Who of the Canon of St.Andrew </span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x1ejq31n xd10rxx x1sy0etr x17r0tee x972fbf xcfux6l x1qhh985 xm0m39n x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1fey0fg" href="http://www.pravmir.com/the-whos-who-of-the-great-canon-of-st-andrew-of-crete/?fbclid=IwAR2TYMxOP0QvyKtNNVkUsLIUfsY_flDomefgiAZ76tFgIlHvIZ31HTa7oTc" rel="nofollow noreferrer" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">http://www.pravmir.com/the-whos-who-of-the-great-canon.../</a></span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324789285037501487.post-5071244064470106702024-03-17T12:47:00.000-07:002024-03-17T12:47:15.566-07:00Forgiveness Sunday<p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Instagram Sans UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguyJm6x7mtlrVvFf0WJjsEoo5plmM_hIDARsjF8jyj-2Ji2lmtP286xItIFCV4cvk8DdpLfZ2QrPruudzW8JgSOX6hkdW5KYdo8HD5gyUCV4HRzGjg-PQbR8_kvabwhWKvho1ARRSZsz-zcgdf5TflZalwrCTUI5Vt_XcYqMad8Nrx00_H_Mflza-l1dnE/s1200/blessedgreatlent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguyJm6x7mtlrVvFf0WJjsEoo5plmM_hIDARsjF8jyj-2Ji2lmtP286xItIFCV4cvk8DdpLfZ2QrPruudzW8JgSOX6hkdW5KYdo8HD5gyUCV4HRzGjg-PQbR8_kvabwhWKvho1ARRSZsz-zcgdf5TflZalwrCTUI5Vt_XcYqMad8Nrx00_H_Mflza-l1dnE/w480-h640/blessedgreatlent.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Instagram Sans UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Forgiveness Sunday - one of my favorite services when brothers and sisters come together and are all called to ask for forgiveness from each other, may we be able to sincerely forgive everyone and ask for forgiveness from our neighbors. Forgive me! And I forgive you! And the Lord will forgive!</span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Instagram Sans UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">I am making a few changes to be able to ship outyour items faster. I ask for forgiveness if sometimes it took a little longer then I am doing everything by myself, and it can be overwhelming sometimes.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Instagram Sans UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Instagram Sans UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Wishing you also a blessed Great Lent. May your guardian angel strengthen you thoughout the fast.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Instagram Sans UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Instagram Sans UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">Forgive me a sinner, God forgives, I forgive.</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324789285037501487.post-91154648610942587892024-03-16T09:32:00.000-07:002024-03-16T09:32:16.828-07:00WÜSTENVÄTER _ heiliges orthodoxes Kloster Beinwil / Trailer<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/K8Kql5XAqCo?si=IHjh0dwXYCRO7Ql5" frameborder="0"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324789285037501487.post-29497243355079119852024-03-16T09:29:00.000-07:002024-03-16T09:29:13.042-07:00Prayer, confession and up again. We keep going! | Met. Neophytos<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/txZkRB5irqk?si=kMo0VmNMXbqHrUkg" frameborder="0"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324789285037501487.post-91997050060222440362024-03-16T08:23:00.000-07:002024-03-16T08:23:44.039-07:00Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQMi2MHJ4pKOgAD54n31YDzKr_2-3t-fIENRr3EFqmnoAbxxe1ccS53Q-oqt7S16tGQrWjTjIUh1aOKamhjaCmtiHCNCQXwIqBdN2rTOfSunrJowF4D2lDVOzbgxZBt6m5wAEiGk7Z_FaTJbRnB9irQnvspfvFJh5AU3zyWlBY5VR0GuElRxYFy6AvXFWn/s1440/ephraimprayer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQMi2MHJ4pKOgAD54n31YDzKr_2-3t-fIENRr3EFqmnoAbxxe1ccS53Q-oqt7S16tGQrWjTjIUh1aOKamhjaCmtiHCNCQXwIqBdN2rTOfSunrJowF4D2lDVOzbgxZBt6m5wAEiGk7Z_FaTJbRnB9irQnvspfvFJh5AU3zyWlBY5VR0GuElRxYFy6AvXFWn/w480-h640/ephraimprayer.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /> The first time we hear the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian is on vespers of Sunday evening. The prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian is read throughout the Lent, except on Saturdays and Sundays. On Sunday evening, the recitation of the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian is resumed. The last time the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian is read is on Holy Wednesday.<br />The prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian is a prayer of repentance. It lists the most important sins that prevent us from repenting, and the most important virtues that help in this.<br />After each request of the prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian, an earthly bow is made. Man fell away from God with his soul and body; and soul and body must be restored to return to God. Salvation and repentance are not the contempt of the body, as is sometimes claimed, but its restoration. After all, we will rise in the body, only the new. Christian asceticism is a struggle not against the body, but for it. Therefore, the whole person - with soul and body - repents. The body participates in the prayer of the soul in the same way as the soul does not pray outside, but in his body.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />Prayer of St. Ephraim<br />This prayer is read twice at the end of each lenten service Monday through Friday (not on Saturdays and Sundays). At the first reading, a prostration follows each petition. Then we all bow twelve times saying: "O God, cleanse me a sinner." The entire prayer is repeated with one final prostration at the end.<br />O Lord and Master of my life, give me not a spirit of sloth, vain curiosity, lust for power, and idle talk. (prostration)<br />But give to me Thy servant a spirit of soberness, humility, patience, and love. (prostration)<br />O Lord and King, grant me to see my own faults and not to condemn my brother: for blessed art Thou to the ages of ages. Amen. (prostration)</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324789285037501487.post-37923814987898117342024-03-16T07:32:00.000-07:002024-03-16T07:32:54.931-07:00Sunday before Great Lent (March 17)<div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5TajPvxnkPplhQCqHHlA7Wx8D88YMK2hzWHDbRVF2-jsly-pjtUNqHk2M3WgEAGouxO3qmMEaNPHvtjPNDQLxT6B74iP0oVBkH2SifHb6GoHuw0-VKO1A_R5EhdG1_Bz0bb31udKstr0hUNKO9VFkEoQoXRuXPeYTcSPX1Z8BHGx2HTHAbYfRVavrFN7/s600/tolent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ5TajPvxnkPplhQCqHHlA7Wx8D88YMK2hzWHDbRVF2-jsly-pjtUNqHk2M3WgEAGouxO3qmMEaNPHvtjPNDQLxT6B74iP0oVBkH2SifHb6GoHuw0-VKO1A_R5EhdG1_Bz0bb31udKstr0hUNKO9VFkEoQoXRuXPeYTcSPX1Z8BHGx2HTHAbYfRVavrFN7/w480-h640/tolent.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The last of the preparatory Sundays has two themes: it commemorates Adam's expulsion from Paradise, and it is also the Sunday of Forgiveness. There are obvious reasons why these two things should be brought to our attention as we stand on the threshold of the Great Fast. One of the primary images in the Triodion is that of the return to Paradise. Lent is a time when we weep with Adam and Eve before the closed gate of Eden, repenting with <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>them for the sins that have deprived us of our free communion with God. But Lent is also a time when we are preparing to celebrate the saving event of Christ's death and rising, which has reopened Paradise to us once more (Luke 23:43). So sorrow for our exile in sin is tempered by hope of our re-entry into Paradise:</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">O precious Paradise, unsurpassed in beauty,</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Tabernacle built by God, unending gladness and delight,</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Glory of the righteous, joy of the prophets, and dwelling of the saints,</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">With the sound of thy leaves pray to the Maker of all:</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">May He open unto me the gates which I closed by my transgression,</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">And may He count me worthy to partake of the Tree of Life</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">And of the joy which was mine when I dwelt in thee before.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Note how the Triodion speaks here not of 'Adam' but of 'me': 'May He open unto me the gates which I closed'. Here, as throughout the Triodion, the events of sacred history are not treated as happenings in the distant past or future, but as experiences undergone by me here and now within the dimension of sacred time.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The second theme, that of forgiveness, is emphasized in the Gospel reading for this Sunday (Matthew 6:14-21) and in the special ceremony of mutual forgiveness at the end of Vespers on Sunday evening. Before we enter the Lenten fast, we are reminded that there can be no true fast, no genuine repentance, no reconciliation with God, unless we are at the same time reconciled with one another. A fast without mutual love is the fast of demons. As the commemoration of the ascetic saints on the previous Saturday has just made clear to us, we do not travel the road of Lent as isolated individuals but as members of a family. Our asceticism and fasting should not separate us from our fellow men but link us to them with ever stronger bonds. The Lenten ascetic is called to be a man for others.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">(Triodion)</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324789285037501487.post-48770490502098272172024-03-11T10:08:00.000-07:002024-03-11T10:08:06.644-07:00Maslenitsa<span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigDqIpIF8vRR451upIN0VIjNaSipeEwxuSKYSs3AxPUwusAbU78ivhsB4JW6ePoKAAtZxZOnsL2qtZEheV6ALwCthOJiwsz9VyF66Qgs7z6mSmt32rmYPl3wfP0JX1tyf5i05-dFakxQERqb_P7yGA9Aj4USFlxotgZuk5sM3ic7gEDgsWCRJkFquBe3ce/s1280/maslan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="852" data-original-width="1280" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigDqIpIF8vRR451upIN0VIjNaSipeEwxuSKYSs3AxPUwusAbU78ivhsB4JW6ePoKAAtZxZOnsL2qtZEheV6ALwCthOJiwsz9VyF66Qgs7z6mSmt32rmYPl3wfP0JX1tyf5i05-dFakxQERqb_P7yGA9Aj4USFlxotgZuk5sM3ic7gEDgsWCRJkFquBe3ce/w640-h426/maslan.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Maslenitsa (Russian: Мaсленица, Ukrainian: Масниця, Belarusian: Масьленіца; also known as Butter Week, Crepe week, or Cheesefair Week) week has begun.<br />“In our Church the week before the Great Lent is called Cheese-Fare Week in translation from Greek. When Christianity came to Russia, Russian people did not know about cheese or butter. The name Maslenitsa was created to explain what can be eaten during these days because the word Maslenitsa is derived from the Russian word for butter. During the week before the Great Lent people may eat dairy products but are not allowed to eat meat.”</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324789285037501487.post-14725379722868310222024-03-09T05:45:00.000-08:002024-03-09T05:47:26.109-08:00St. John Chrysostom<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi74Z6hWN1MLFnNF_J3RxtW_70iSvEft57hV5sUbGZAAckG8ewN3xPhiQjc0gO8ml1rrljduGuHGOPA9KSkMWHZ1UJq-DD9JlNQpKgItObQWUAXZvdy0rcMRORQK0QYaq9JsWDZZmWhiK76wrCO5BPVk-NS_J7CrpmnfKMYp2hyphenhyphen2ug9BBYLf2uudU8prSnl/s1758/Screenshot_20240309_083411_Chrome.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1758" data-original-width="1080" height="473" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi74Z6hWN1MLFnNF_J3RxtW_70iSvEft57hV5sUbGZAAckG8ewN3xPhiQjc0gO8ml1rrljduGuHGOPA9KSkMWHZ1UJq-DD9JlNQpKgItObQWUAXZvdy0rcMRORQK0QYaq9JsWDZZmWhiK76wrCO5BPVk-NS_J7CrpmnfKMYp2hyphenhyphen2ug9BBYLf2uudU8prSnl/w291-h473/Screenshot_20240309_083411_Chrome.jpg" width="291" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">He who honors the priest will also honor God, and he who begins to despise the priest will little by little come to insult God. Even if the priest was not pious, God, seeing that out of reverence for Him you honor even those unworthy of honor, will Himself reward you.</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324789285037501487.post-58994301795725937842024-03-03T15:29:00.000-08:002024-03-03T15:29:59.387-08:00Lenten Triodion Book<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD0p28uOcoRWOc9WtDW3D2wwKW79dTRkMvfstGVZ11w-GphKQpjRPpRKUMCKaTyY44WItfPmnoPSubaiBI852V0FiCYUUc1DGuezuO46mcXk7YobfhIbc2IdhvhQQfA504LYOBJJCbd8L7dOW3O8RYVhRlNxzyfQ8-jvU_G2Gl29XWDZUZKoUHxOefdTnt/s1200/bytheriversof.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="836" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD0p28uOcoRWOc9WtDW3D2wwKW79dTRkMvfstGVZ11w-GphKQpjRPpRKUMCKaTyY44WItfPmnoPSubaiBI852V0FiCYUUc1DGuezuO46mcXk7YobfhIbc2IdhvhQQfA504LYOBJJCbd8L7dOW3O8RYVhRlNxzyfQ8-jvU_G2Gl29XWDZUZKoUHxOefdTnt/w446-h640/bytheriversof.jpg" width="446" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Lenten Triodion is the service book of the Orthodox Church that provides the texts for the divine services for the pre-Lenten weeks of preparation, Great Lent, and Holy Week. It is especially good to have for those who can not attend all the services of Great lent and Holy Week.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The weeks of preparation, and especially the Sunday gospel readings, serve to exercise the mind, whereas the fasting of Great Lent focuses on the body, and Holy Week's services exercise the <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>spirit.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The online version can be found here:</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x1ejq31n xd10rxx x1sy0etr x17r0tee x972fbf xcfux6l x1qhh985 xm0m39n x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1fey0fg" href="https://www.ponomar.net/english.html?fbclid=IwAR2j8ukkEhEHRY6HoujAfvJ9djEnKGjAAupZoIyINO08yIjAiGMsb6D9GU4" rel="nofollow noreferrer" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-style: none; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">https://www.ponomar.net/english.html</span></a></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Image: An Icon of Psalm 137 showing the people lamenting by the river.</span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324789285037501487.post-11489791741552968502024-03-03T14:58:00.000-08:002024-03-03T14:58:27.874-08:00"Remember my parents" St. Seraphim of Sarov<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvjQlFThgwWoaSkAT9Umcyd3oTIlmGKB5Y-scayQkpPltNOdMaYxHu99uMmhoMjHVIUCGrgUBq3uPkg8_XjjQtLR0ftJaKenDqjUsKaU1T4m3Div4MDjoz3aaqBOdxeEZFz7jJlQu6dE_g14s_XhIeJ3K3nptBJ06pHOw83b7Ffnqi_3e4lVgA5a1eoEAu/s1967/remembermy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1967" data-original-width="1387" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvjQlFThgwWoaSkAT9Umcyd3oTIlmGKB5Y-scayQkpPltNOdMaYxHu99uMmhoMjHVIUCGrgUBq3uPkg8_XjjQtLR0ftJaKenDqjUsKaU1T4m3Div4MDjoz3aaqBOdxeEZFz7jJlQu6dE_g14s_XhIeJ3K3nptBJ06pHOw83b7Ffnqi_3e4lVgA5a1eoEAu/w452-h640/remembermy.jpg" width="452" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br />Agafya Fotievna, the mother of St. Seraphim of Sarov departed to the Lord on February 29, 1800. We know her maiden name and that she was the daughter of an old Kursk posadsky Fatey Zavozgryaev.<br />After the early death of her husband from 1760 to 1778 Agafya Fotievna continued the building contract on the Sergiev-Kazan Cathedral, alone raised her children. Few episodes represent her life, mostly they are connected with her worries for her youngest son - his fall from the temple under construction, his illness and miraculous recovery, his call to monastic life. And in all cases their spiritual unity is evident. The mother with a sensitive heart realized that her son was waiting for a special path. And when he came to her to ask permission to go to the monastery, she lovingly blessed him.<br />The farewell of mother and son was touching. Together they prayed to God, and Agafya Fotievna gave her son a large copper cross. This cross St. Seraphim wore on his chest for the rest of his life.<br />"Remember my parents," was a request that the Monk Seraphim of Sarov often made to the people who came to him.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324789285037501487.post-69256267277429049522024-03-03T13:41:00.000-08:002024-03-03T13:41:04.523-08:00Lenten days are approaching...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJLJ-bGRNAbJxbtRNtfAA0TiAT2d9ynVKgz9xYb6sGQgRAHct0232D8BdTFjlL0fuifFzDXHXyNJ7os7JPnxWw_r6bNeybYIgYMRROPVSSlnk28Ecc8NR0vmt6ZYiWTIzeK3iXmi7CiThfXhVbsKQLcfxbebQiGHzFKQA7KBItGJ5wAYzfkIuIerWoLUF/s800/prodison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="800" height="584" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJLJ-bGRNAbJxbtRNtfAA0TiAT2d9ynVKgz9xYb6sGQgRAHct0232D8BdTFjlL0fuifFzDXHXyNJ7os7JPnxWw_r6bNeybYIgYMRROPVSSlnk28Ecc8NR0vmt6ZYiWTIzeK3iXmi7CiThfXhVbsKQLcfxbebQiGHzFKQA7KBItGJ5wAYzfkIuIerWoLUF/w640-h584/prodison.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Lenten days are approaching. Let us pray that we all, each of us, will come to our senses. So that all our people, all who have gone to a distant country, return to the house of the Heavenly Father, Who has prepared for us a feast in His Kingdom, in the Kingdom of Heaven, where there is greater joy over one sinner and repentant than over the righteous, who have no such need for repentance .</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324789285037501487.post-57372850955777462282024-02-24T13:16:00.000-08:002024-02-24T13:16:01.183-08:00Lenton Triodion<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8BAAU7PSh4lALsP8zmo67KbhEVcZfs4zccueXKan9KBs75sh8FN2vzoLwKE0JwsTl-ITxwJ5jyrgsTGJngkjuW6yaN5z6bU8Drwt-m_0UcvI45A6tC701PNEz934DOP3oYUnWFzjMWE3OoERc6imcYSxXXDQY-19Bbio7F_eptgQqjXlXgSbdDMxtc30j/s1024/publee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8BAAU7PSh4lALsP8zmo67KbhEVcZfs4zccueXKan9KBs75sh8FN2vzoLwKE0JwsTl-ITxwJ5jyrgsTGJngkjuW6yaN5z6bU8Drwt-m_0UcvI45A6tC701PNEz934DOP3oYUnWFzjMWE3OoERc6imcYSxXXDQY-19Bbio7F_eptgQqjXlXgSbdDMxtc30j/w640-h426/publee.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Let us, the faithful, flee the boastfulness of the Pharisee;
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">let us repeat in reverence the Publican's prayer.
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">May our thoughts not be poisoned by pride, O Lord,
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">but let us humble ourselves and cry out in contrition:
</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“O God, be merciful to us sinners!</span></span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324789285037501487.post-10973936590645580152024-02-20T15:01:00.000-08:002024-02-20T15:01:23.602-08:00Said an elder: Just as a wise son makes his father happy, so a man who lives holy makes his Guardian Angel happy.<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskpEQWzZGLBeE1exDD-LuPKs_vLFSFiu-xTrhx2JHgF-2BvpKvoZZD5MBOMIZ2FRRiJyECXjAJphDo4tWwwKiCPkh3m8JztowowQg8B_LezNIypV1LQ-6oGBRaapQOlfKq2FmSTHz_Bffw0OK_p_cw0nwQF4NMFg6P6aVEY9I5hYKww5yE736Fj7Ir_Nj/s600/happyangel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="453" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskpEQWzZGLBeE1exDD-LuPKs_vLFSFiu-xTrhx2JHgF-2BvpKvoZZD5MBOMIZ2FRRiJyECXjAJphDo4tWwwKiCPkh3m8JztowowQg8B_LezNIypV1LQ-6oGBRaapQOlfKq2FmSTHz_Bffw0OK_p_cw0nwQF4NMFg6P6aVEY9I5hYKww5yE736Fj7Ir_Nj/w484-h640/happyangel.jpg" width="484" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324789285037501487.post-71863282491884384772024-02-20T14:46:00.000-08:002024-02-20T14:46:23.583-08:00St. Barsanuphius of Optina<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWNWa75FbP71hx8kVrGqlZkZ_dfHUZMbM0klx6s39SrmB5hoIuVxe5cqoHmjx4tbUPK9CSOMkGgfWlbZ_nA9GARKcZBvpM0NUPmZhPuKv8lot4hK9HqtIBnHc5tQ_xeB09qb9zoBGn29Vi8c0kmQ7DfwnbxtSOTUWj5vcJAYjIrzof5Bte0GQMwN2bVvJB/s1163/thejesusprayer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1163" data-original-width="735" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWNWa75FbP71hx8kVrGqlZkZ_dfHUZMbM0klx6s39SrmB5hoIuVxe5cqoHmjx4tbUPK9CSOMkGgfWlbZ_nA9GARKcZBvpM0NUPmZhPuKv8lot4hK9HqtIBnHc5tQ_xeB09qb9zoBGn29Vi8c0kmQ7DfwnbxtSOTUWj5vcJAYjIrzof5Bte0GQMwN2bVvJB/w404-h640/thejesusprayer.jpg" width="404" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Jesus Prayer is the most necessary weapon in the matter of our salvation. But whoever takes it up must expect temptations and prepare for an internal struggle, for a struggle with thoughts. Demons do not like the Jesus Prayer and take revenge in every possible way to the person who beats them with this whip. They begin to whisper to him (of course, with immaterial lips) all sorts of doubts: how to prove this, what is the point in this, this is not true, no one believes <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>this, this is a deception, and so on. How can an ascetic fight these thoughts? By not accepting them. But it’s easy to say – don’t accept thoughts. It is so difficult to accomplish this task that the Lord takes the struggle with thoughts as martyrdom.</span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324789285037501487.post-46171242422179918472024-02-12T14:05:00.000-08:002024-02-12T14:05:49.988-08:00They asked an orthodox Christian woman what made her so beautiful, while she did not use cosmetics. The answer was this:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlz-LoygnMGK_ntZwEsao9L-J2MTfpfgYDCfZWS8O7CBA66lsPcwnfw118pLVpDYdIbQ3OpiIHDI45nMYRuoq3khRcoyacqrilA8-5ljUiLLmZ6dUq3CSZhjU8fiz_les-fCxDC2z7I6tIFS7YCHV_BVyjcjUBzTqH7LcFSo-02vRlcvsAB40DhiZj1Kru/s800/cosmetics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="587" data-original-width="800" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlz-LoygnMGK_ntZwEsao9L-J2MTfpfgYDCfZWS8O7CBA66lsPcwnfw118pLVpDYdIbQ3OpiIHDI45nMYRuoq3khRcoyacqrilA8-5ljUiLLmZ6dUq3CSZhjU8fiz_les-fCxDC2z7I6tIFS7YCHV_BVyjcjUBzTqH7LcFSo-02vRlcvsAB40DhiZj1Kru/w640-h470/cosmetics.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br />- For my lips I use the truth.<br />- For my voice the prayer.<br />- For my eyes, sympathy.<br />- For my hands charity.<br />- For my face, straightness.<br />- For my heart love.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324789285037501487.post-26879179038525716632024-02-11T11:41:00.000-08:002024-02-11T11:41:06.191-08:00The Holy Mountain - An Orthodox Pilgrimage | DOCUMENTARY FILM<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/4G7E64n7Dzo?si=A_nS1PzHOKBZf2uZ" frameborder="0"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324789285037501487.post-18844406816005632962024-02-11T11:36:00.000-08:002024-02-11T11:36:20.294-08:00RUSSIAN TALE OF PETER AND FEVRONIA (with Eng. subtitles)<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/p1XMFgqMz-8?si=sNkzuj5jLJpNLx-p" frameborder="0"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324789285037501487.post-85588775692983901572024-02-10T07:19:00.000-08:002024-02-10T07:19:02.150-08:00🌿Febuary 10/January 28 - Commemorating St. Ephraim the Syrian<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY2Z7imClEnT33p_Lm-QFXeUB-ZeLoV70UtFUmXFzZPA3KgQxo0saJVi3OwRWxz49WMGz1abWwpLmFEP48d81BPtFwnrDNduF38Ph59oTgMyUBgauRG7sDV3TTI6JTq9KuFMv21gcxFU6JdfGqPWEu67R9Np5Kcado1E_vPI6RtpavmLbXgJ8olGViJgKQ/s1000/ephraimlamp.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="742" data-original-width="1000" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY2Z7imClEnT33p_Lm-QFXeUB-ZeLoV70UtFUmXFzZPA3KgQxo0saJVi3OwRWxz49WMGz1abWwpLmFEP48d81BPtFwnrDNduF38Ph59oTgMyUBgauRG7sDV3TTI6JTq9KuFMv21gcxFU6JdfGqPWEu67R9Np5Kcado1E_vPI6RtpavmLbXgJ8olGViJgKQ/w640-h474/ephraimlamp.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br />St. Ephraim, who through his lofty teachings earned the name of Syrian prophet and teacher, was born at the beginning of the Fourth Century in Nisibis, Mesopotamia of rather poor farmer parents, who were distinguished for their Christian virtues and nurtured their son in the awe of God. <br /><br />But the youthful years of Ephraim did not pass without some passion and stumbling. Impetuous by nature he was irritable and in his youth as he himself said quite often quarreled and even foolishly doubted the Providence of God. Having been falsely accused of stealing sheep he was imprisoned. Here Ephraim was worthy to hear a voice calling him to piety. Acquitted by the court and released from prison and seeing in this the hand of God wisely ruling the world, he abandoned the idea about the situation controlled by man and learned that "there is an Eye, observing all things" and punishing any crime. <br /><br />Returning home, he abandoned the world and settled in the mountains to be with James of Nisibis (see Jan. 13). Under the direction of James he practiced the strict asceticism of piety and fervently studied the Holy Scriptures. For his pious, truly ascetical life all the citizens of Nisibis greatly respected him and lovingly looked upon him as a saint.<br /><br />Slandered with heavy sin by the envy of one of his namesakes, he voluntarily took up the heavy fault. But when rumors about this led people into powerful temptation, the venerable one, with the help of God to end the temptation, wonderfully planted the heavy charge hanging over him and after this they began to relate to him with even greater love and respect. <br /><br />After the Persians captured Nisibis in 363, he abandoned it. Having settled on a certain mountain in the city of Edessa [Urfa], he led a strict ascetic life and continued to be occupied in studying the Holy Scriptures. Crowds of people soon started to flow to his solitary cave, desiring to receive instruction from him. St. Ephraim taught the people faith and piety, both orally and in writing, and soon with great success he opened a school, from which subsequently came famous teachers of the Syrian Church. He convinced his hearers to lead a moral life and strictly condemned the false teachers then roiling Christian society. Hearing the preaching of the holy ascetic, many of the Syrian pagans converted to Christianity.<br /><br /> Towards the end of his life St. Ephraim traveled to Egypt, visited St. Basil the Great in Caesarea who ordained him a deacon. Later St. Basil the Great wanted to consecrate him a bishop, but humble Ephraim rejected this dignity and peacefully died as a deacon in 373 in Edessa [Urfa].<br /><br />God has glorified Ven. Ephraim with the gift of working wonders. Released from all terrestrial attachments, surrendering to continual prayer, fasting, vigils, meditation on God, disinterestedness, charity and serving neighbors, extraordinary humble ascetic, zealous and subtle exposer of heretics, tireless and thoughtful commentator on Holy Scripture, sincere and skilful hymnographer, rare expert on the heart of man and most fervent preacher of repentance and moral renewal, Ven. Ephraim really contained in himself, in the words of St. Gregory the Theologian, all those distinctive marks of a person in God.<br /><br />St. Ephraim left many works, doctrinal, commentarial, polemical and moral and they are as various, deep and instructive as any of the works of the ecumenical Fathers of the Greek Church. Best of all he wrote about the destruction of the intimate, about the necessity to continually shed tears of repentance. Knowledge of the spiritual nature of man in the way of constant self-deepening, condescending love for the fallen, infirm person, acquired from the knowledge of his own infirmities and from reflection about the great love of the Redeemer for the people, fervor and burning inspiration glistens in each teaching of the teacher-ascetic. These are the qualities encouraging special appeal to his moral teaching, irresistibly working directly on the heart and will of the reader. The teaching of St. Ephraim shocks and afflicts the soul with fear, but at the same time also calms it, filling it with tenderness and forcing it to shed tears. St. Ephraim left many touching prayers and prayerful hymns. By the way, the deeply touching stichera sung during the Burial Service belong to him. Among the prayers he composed is the especially famous tenderly touching prayer read during the days of the Great Fast: "O Lord and Master of my life".</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><b>Troparion — Tone 8<br /></b><br />By a flood of tears you made the desert fertile, / and your longing for God brought forth fruits in abundance. / By the radiance of miracles you illumined the whole universe! / Our Father Ephraim, pray to Christ God to save our souls!</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><b>Kontakion — Tone 2</b><br /><br />Ever anticipating the hour of Judgment, / you lamented bitterly, venerable Ephraim. / Through your deeds you were a teacher by example; / therefore, universal Father, you rouse the slothful to repentance.<br /><br /><br /><b>Prayer to St. Ephrem the Syrian</b><br /><br />Our Father St. Ephraim, the favored one of Christ! Bring our prayer to the merciful and omnipotent God, and ask us, servants of God (names), in His goodness for all that is good for our souls and bodies, for faith, for righteousness, hope without doubts, love without hypocrisy, meekness and kindness, courage in temptation, patience in suffering, and excellence in piety, so that we may not turn the gifts of the Almighty God to evil. Do not forget, O holy wonderworker, this holy temple (house) and our parish: preserve and guard them with thy prayers from all evil. O holy one of God, grant us a good end and the Kingdom of Heaven, that we may glorify God, who is so marvelous in His saints, to whom be all glory, honor and power, forever and ever. Amen.<br /></span><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1324789285037501487.post-3181278840814077902023-12-31T09:52:00.000-08:002023-12-31T09:52:25.675-08:00Said an elder....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDqTDiA4tpKSwqvewjdobvvt9311dy66nO1bi1yATXg1sxr2XrNbv1kFK5CzcpkNpnW2z6nEvTL87LbLx7tbI9kzLdQd0SjL3Qmjo8kqOQnzMJPBxOqiUkXnVzHUK1PA3hoC5XfC2RyYFuTVNkgS27Jtim9oyF1-gfUbuQoXmrfsEE1d0nOGfxakAGWgl/s600/saidanelder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="381" data-original-width="600" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDqTDiA4tpKSwqvewjdobvvt9311dy66nO1bi1yATXg1sxr2XrNbv1kFK5CzcpkNpnW2z6nEvTL87LbLx7tbI9kzLdQd0SjL3Qmjo8kqOQnzMJPBxOqiUkXnVzHUK1PA3hoC5XfC2RyYFuTVNkgS27Jtim9oyF1-gfUbuQoXmrfsEE1d0nOGfxakAGWgl/w640-h406/saidanelder.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> <span style="font-size: medium;">"My man, Christ was born for you, that's why the Son of God came, so that you can be saved.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">And He became a Child, and grew up as a Man, while He was God.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Once He was the Reader, took the holy book into the synagogue and read: "Spirit of the Lord on me, anoint me" (Isaiah 61:1)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Another time as a Sub-deacon, He made a cord and drove the merchants out of the sanctuary and the sheep and the oxen and everything else.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Once again, as a Deacon, He wrapped Himself in a towel and washed the feet of His disciples, instructing them to wash the feet of their brothers.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">As a Priest, He sat among the priests and taught the people!!!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">And another time as a Bishop, hHe took bread, blessed it and gave it to His disciples!!!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">He was scourged because of you, and you do not take a single insult for Him...</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">He was buried as a man and resurrected as God!!!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">He endured everything for us, in order, one after the other, to save us!!!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So let us be sober, let us be vigilant, let us spend our time in prayer, let us do what is pleasing to Him!!"!!!</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0