Rare Icons of Saint Nicholas the New of Vounenis in Gortynia

Saint Nicholas the New of Vounenis is especially honored in the Peloponnesian region of Gortynia where there are many temples dedicated to him and rare icons of him. The Doctor of Byzantine Archaeology, Father Nektarios N. Pettas, with the blessing of Metropolitan Jeremiah, spoke on this topic at the 9th International Conference of the Peloponnesian Studies Society, which took place from 10/30 to 11/2/2015 in Nafplion, with the support of the Municipality of Nafplion. The presentation was titled: "Depictions of Martyr Nikolaos Vounenis in the Peloponnese."

Among other things, Father Nektarios announced:

The original text of the Saint's biography was written by another Nicholas, around the middle of the tenth century. The lack of rich biographical material combined with the later adaptations, modifications and additions of fictional elements to the original text, have sufficiently altered the image we have today of the life and activities of Saint Nicholas of Vounenis. It should be noted that the altered texts were published several times and caused no small amount of confusion, making it impossible to find the truth. However, in the year 1972, the brilliant Doctoral thesis of the late Demetrios Sophianos was published, which shed a lot of light on the case and laid the appropriate scientific foundations for further research into the Saint's life. The same researcher in his next work titled "Saint Nicholas the New of Vounenis (10th century)" provides additional evidence, anecdotal hagiological texts of Maximos (1620) and others, and confirms the historical truths about the Saint, based on new elements that have come to light in recent years.

Paschal Pastoral Encyclical 2024 (Metr. Hierotheos of Nafpaktos)

Paschal Pastoral Encyclical 2024

 

To the Clergy, Monks and Laity
of our Sacred Metropolis

Beloved children in the Lord,

We once again celebrate the Resurrection of Christ as a historical event, which took place during the time when Pilate as a Roman governor was in charge of the administration of Palestine, but also as a spiritual and ecclesiastical event. All the historical events connected with the incarnation of the Son and Word of God, His Passion, His Cross, His Burial and His Resurrection are connected with the salvation of man. Thus we celebrate the event of the Resurrection of Christ, as seen in the Service of Matins and in the Divine Liturgy that follows.

Among the other things that we observe in the Resurrection Divine Liturgy is that we chant instead of the Trisagion Hymn ("Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us"), the "Those who have been baptized in Christ, have put on Christ. Alleluia!" And we sing this not only at the Divine Liturgy on the evening of Christ's Resurrection, but throughout Renewal Week until the Saturday before Thomas Sunday.

Homily on Holy Pascha -1905 (St. John of Kronstadt)

Homily on Holy Pascha

The Victory Over Death and the Triumph of Eternal Life.
The Triumph of Truth and the Shaming of Falsehood.

By St. John of Kronstadt

(Delivered in 1905)

“When I [John the Theologian] saw Him [Jesus Christ; this was on the island of Patmos], I fell at His feet as if dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, 'Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death'” (Rev. 1:17–18).

Christ is Risen!

Glory to God - Christ has risen from the dead! The Sun of Truth, though temporarily was as if extinguished and hidden in the grave, shone again and illuminated the whole world with all-joyful, life-giving rays. In the past days of the Passion of Christ, these sufferings brought upon us great sorrow, and in some they brought forth tears — either of compassion for Him who suffered for us, or tears of repentance for our sins, which caused such suffering to our Lord, who bore upon Himself all our punishments for our sins. And now, on the day of resurrection, a common joy illuminated the hearts and faces of all believers, for our life has again shone from the grave, granting everyone forgiveness of sins and the hope of resurrection and eternal life, "for Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep" (1 Cor. 15:20). Where is the malice and envy of the scribes and Pharisees, where is the mockery of the dead by the Jewish high priests? Where is Pilate's guard? Where are the seals of Christ's tomb? Everything disappeared, everything changed with the resurrection of Christ: the enemies were put to shame; all their machinations served only for the greater glory of the Crucified and Risen One, and, most importantly, for the salvation of the whole world; all the fears of the apostles and all the faithful disappeared with the rise of Christ from the tomb; death itself, the terror of all earthly beings, has been defeated; hades, which laughed, has been destroyed; the gatekeepers of hades, guarding the eternal prison, scattered from fear. The Risen One took possession of the keys of hades and death, having snatched them from Satan, "who had the power of death" (Heb. 2:14), and reigns forever in heaven and on earth.

Homily on the Name Day of the Most Pious Empress Alexandra Feodorovna - 1905 (St. John of Kronstadt)

Homily on the Name Day of the Most Pious Empress Alexandra Feodorovna

By St. John of Kronstadt

(Delivered on April 23, 1905)

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul” (Matthew 10:28; Luke 12:4).

Today the Church celebrates the glorious memory of the Holy Great Martyr George and the Martyr Empress Alexandra, the former wife of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, and all of Imperial Russia celebrates the name day of the royal wife, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. The Holy Empress Alexandra suffered for her firm confession of Christ as the true God when she looked at the inhuman cruel torture of the Great Martyr George by the executioners. The emperor condemned her to death. This was during the persecution of Christians in the 3rd century. The whole pagan and Jewish world then took up arms with ferocity against the confessors of the name of Christ. To incline them to the pagan faith, the most cunning ingratiations and promises of earthly benefits and the most terrible tortures and torments were invented and used. There seemed to be no more terrible torment left than those that, in multitudes, up to a thousand types, were newly invented specifically for Christians. Today's throwing of deadly, explosive projectiles would then be considered a mercy for the martyrs if they were used against them - compared with the torture and torment of that time.

Homily on the Name Day of the Most Pious Empress Alexandra Feodorovna - 1904 (St. John of Kronstadt)

 

Homily on the Name Day of the Most Pious Empress Alexandra Feodorovna

By St. John of Kronstadt

(Delivered on April 23, 1904)

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: 'For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter” (Rom. 8:35–36; Psalm 43:23).

The Holy Church now commemorates the Great Martyr George the Trophy-Bearer and the Martyr Empress Alexandra, wife of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who lived and suffered for the confession of the faith of Christ at the beginning of the third century after the Nativity of Christ; and today the Church and State celebrate the name day of the Most Pious Empress Alexandra Feodorovna with common prayer.

Saint George was a brave commander of a detachment of Roman troops. The pagan emperor Diocletian at first loved and respected him; but, having learned that George was a Christian, he ordered him to be imprisoned.