Saint Ephraim "Breathed Into My Shoulder Where There is an Artery"

On November 8th 1993, the feast of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel, Eldress Makaria Desypris, who had discovered the relics of Saint Ephraim of Nea Makri after a revelation from the Saint himself in the 1950's, was sitting in her cell when she “quite unexpectedly,” as she herself said, felt "a bitter pain in my heart, and before the first one had even passed, immediately a second, and a third (i.e., pain).

I realized that the end of my life had drawn near — or rather, that this indeed was the end of my life — and I turned, so that I might make the sign of the Cross and commend my spirit to my Lord. Before I managed to form the first movement of the Cross, however, I saw Saint Ephraim bent over me.

Things To Look Forward To In 2026

Dear Readers:

Christ is Born!

As 2025 comes to a close and with 2026 drawing near, I wanted to bring to your attention some of the things I have been working on and will be working on in the new year.

First I wanted to update everyone on the present and future of each of my thirteen websites that currently make up as a whole the Mystagogy Resource Center. Some I have only sparsely worked on this past year, but will focus on them more in the new year. I especially want to focus on making the many thousands of pages of material on each site more accessible and easier to reference specific articles, which is an enormous and time-consuming task but necessary.

1. Honey and Hemlock

I established this website to focus mainly on subjects dealing with the arts and culture, among other such relevant topics. Not only do I plan on posting more here, but my primary focus is to fix up this website, with its 656 posts as of right now, and categorize them better.

2. Orthodox Youth Resources

This website of 128 current posts was created to address topics dealing specifically with young people that are not addressed elsewhere on my other sites and can be useful not only to Orthodox youth, but also to anyone who works in youth ministry or even just parents and teachers in general. There is a lot of material I have for this website which I will focus more on posting, but again this website needs to be more accessible and better categorized in 2026.

3. Orthodoxy and World Religions

This past year I gathered a lot of material on various world religions and the topic of religion in general for this site of what is now 132 posts. Currently my focus has been on translating a Russian text titled "The Christian Commandment of Love Is a 'New' Commandment," which shows how the topic of love as taught by Christ is radically different from any teaching about love in any other previous religion or philosophy. After I finish this, I will focus on publishing more and categorizing better.

4. Bio-Orthodoxy

At 397 current posts, this website also needs to be better categorized and fixed up. The purpose of this site is to focus on scientific issues, including those issues related to Christianity, and right now I am translating a text by St. Luke the Surgeon of Crimea titled "Science and Religion." Next I will be translating a series of homilies by St. Neophytos the Recluse on the first few chapters of Genesis.

5. Daimonologia

Unfortunately this website has 673 posts, and I haven't even begun to categorize them, except for some Resource Pages, so there is a lot of work to be done here in 2026. Daimonologia focuses more on darker subjects of culture and thought, and is shaping up to become a very comprehensive Demonology. Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko wrote a lot on this subject in the 19th century, especially exploring the topic of poltergeists, so I am in the process of translating what he wrote. He also wrote an Angelology, but I will probably translate that for my main page. In 2026 one of my goals is to also translate the short stories of Alexandros Papadiamantis that deal with "paranormal" subjects.

6. Eschatologia

This website also lacks any categorization, despite having 308 posts, making anything to find here a burdensome task. My hope is to rectify this in 2026. So if you are interested in a topic dealing with life after death, the end times, biblical prophecies and modern day trends in these subjects, you should find it much more easier in the coming months to find the topic you are looking for.

7. New Myriobiblon

Book reviews are the sole topic of this website, practically on any subject. Sometimes I offer my own book reviews, and will eventually focus more on that, but currently I either translate interesting book reviews or I gather book reviews that I think are interesting or important, such as, for example, all the book reviews written by Fr. George Florovsky. These also need to be categorized and more accessible in 2026, though I have only posted 41 book reviews so far.

8. Erotapokriseis

I always thought it would be important to have a website devoted only to questions and answers, so this is it. Up to now I have given brief answers to 214 questions, but I decided to change my approach to how I do this. The reason for this change is because the questions I started getting focused only on controversial topics, and I am not interested in solely addressing controversial topics. For this reason in 2026 I will continue to do the question and answer format, but I will translate texts, both ancient and modern, all Orthodox, where the question and answer format was used. Perhaps every once in a while I will address some questions posed to me, but I haven't decided yet. And yes, this site desperately needs categorization for easier referencing.

9. Know Thyself

I have only posted less than 20 posts here, so it is severely under developed, considering the wealth of material I have on the subject of morals and ethics, which this site is devoted to. There will be an increase of posts to this site in 2026.

10. Salvation of Sinners

My original idea for this website has changed, so in 2026 I will figure out what to replace this with and change the name. I have a few ideas floating in my head. Right now I am leaning towards the topics of heresies and apologetics. I tend to avoid posting on these subjects because they seem out of place on my other sites, so instead of continuing to sit on the rich treasure of material I have on these topics, it may be the right time to bring them out. Another idea I had was a website dedicated solely to historical subjects, or even one dedicated to philosophical subjects. I will be making my decision in early 2026.

11. Praxis and Theoria

Another website I have neglected was originally created to post my own random thoughts and experiences, however because I am usually occupied with my other more important websites and this one is last in my priorities, I hardly post here. My intention for this website in 2026 is to post at least two thoughts and experiences from my own personal life once a week, or maybe once every two weeks. I don't like talking about myself, but I think its important when publishing the material of so many others that I have some personal connection to my writing, to bring something out from within instead of always internalizing what is not my own. I probably won't be advertising what I write here on social media, so you will have to check in for updates. I will post it in my daily newsletter, which requires a paid subscription.

12. Orthodox Christianity Then and Now

This was my original main page, which I decided to retire and make into an archive a few years ago when it reached over 16,000 posts. This will remain an archive, but it still needs a lot of work to become an effective archive. Categorization is essential for more than 16,000 posts, and to do so the right way will require hundreds of hours. Many pages also need to be edited since it was reformatted, and I wouldn't mind deleting a few hundred irrelevant posts I made early on when I was less focused and more random in my posts.

13. Mystagogy Resource Center

This is my current main page, and where I have consistently posted daily. Since January 2023 I have made 2,429 posts, and there are many thousands to go. I won't even get into all the things I am doing and will be doing in 2026 for this website, there is just so much, and there isn't enough space right now to get into it. I will save it for a future date. And yes, this needs to be categorized too. 

Besides these thirteen websites, I also plan on opening a bookstore where I will not only publish some books I have worked on over the years, but where I will offer every month a new booklet. In December I am offering a booklet I translated by Fr. George Florovsky, titled "Did Christ Live? Historical Evidence of Christ". This booklet is $20. If you have already ordered, it will be mailed this week. I will also offer some of my previous booklets for sale again. My next booklet will be available some time in January. 

If anyone donates $60 a year or $5 a month (Paypal or Patreon) you will also be enrolled in receiving my daily newsletter, which will start having some exclusive content. If anyone subscribes $25 a month or more, you will qualify to receive my monthly booklet, but you have to inform me you want the monthly booklet. My free weekly newsletter will resume beginning in January, which you can sign up for from this website.

The only reason I am able to offer what I offer free of charge, despite the enormous amount of work and time it takes, is because those of you who have benefited in some way from this ministry want to see it continue and thrive. For that I am grateful and hope that you can continue supporting the work of the Mystagogy Resource Center in 2026. 

A blessed new year to all!

John Sanidopoulos.

 

Holy Martyr Gordius in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church

Martyr Gordius of Cappadocia. Fresco in the Church of the Theotokos in the Studenica Monastery, Serbia. 1568.

By Fr. George Dorbarakis

Saint Gordius was from Caesarea of Cappadocia and lived during the reign of Emperor Licinius. He held the rank of count and was the commander of one hundred soldiers. Because he could not bear to see the insolence of the impious and their blasphemies against Christ, he arose and departed, going into the mountains, where he lived among the wild beasts. There he kindled his longing for Christ and gained courage against the error of idolatry. Then he came rushing like a lion from the desert into the city, seeking to tear apart the devil, the patron of deceit. He entered the theater and glorified Christ, with the result that the crowd turned its attention to him and the presiding ruler was struck with amazement at his boldness. His amazement turned into rage, and he therefore ordered that he be put to death by the sword.

Saint Theophanes, the Hymnographer of the Canon of Saint Gordius, first interprets the martyr’s withdrawal from the world: he turned toward the eternal, laying aside transient vanity. That is, Saint Gordius preferred to live with the angels rather than with people who had lost the element of humanity, having become — because of their impiety toward God — worse than wild beasts. His withdrawal from the world, therefore, was the fruit of his faith and his love for God, and not a sterile denial of it. Proof of this is the fact that in the desert he enkindled his love for Him.

Reflection on the Saturday Before Theophany (St. Theophan the Recluse)

 

Reflection on the Saturday Before Theophany

(1 Tim. 3:14–4:5; Matt. 3:1–11)

By St. Theophan the Recluse

“The house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15).

Therefore, we have no need to cast our eyes here and there, trying to see whether there might be truth somewhere else. It is near. Be in the Church, hold fast to everything that she holds, and you will be in the truth; you will possess the truth and live according to it and in it, and as a result you will be filled with life by the truth.

Prologue in Sermons: January 3

On Preparing for Death

January 3

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

We are constantly taught how to live in this world, and certainly, that is a good thing; for there is nothing better in life than knowing how to live well. All of this is true, but here is what is regrettable: why are we either not taught at all or taught very little about how we should prepare for death, how we ought to die? And, in our opinion, this latter teaching is more important than the former. "Every mistake in life," says one of the preachers, "can be corrected, but we die only once; each of us is destined to die once, and then comes the judgment. And just as one dies, so shall one appear before this judgment." Therefore, we repeat, the teaching on death is perhaps more useful than the teaching on life. And if that is so, then let us consider the teaching on death, and for the first lesson on death, let us take it from the following instructive narrative, placed in the Prologue.

Message for the New Year 2026 (Metropolitan Chrysostomos III of Mani)

Message for the New Year 2026

To the devout Holy Clergy and the pious people
of our Sacred Metropolis

A new year has dawned once again in our lives, as a good gift from our all-good God. A new year, filled with visions, plans, goals, and many hopes. All these are beautiful and worthy of our effort and our labor.

Yet the new year is also an opportunity for faithful Christians to set other visions as well — visions that never disappoint and never embitter. Truly, why should we not envision this new year as a time to become better, spiritually stronger, more consistent and more authentic Christians?

The Circumcision of the Lord: Homily 1: On the Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord Jesus Christ (Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko)

1. The Feasts of the Lord

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko 

II. The Circumcision of the Lord:

Homily No. 1: On the Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord Jesus Christ

I. The Feast of the Nativity of Christ ends, and with it a new feast begins — the Circumcision of our Lord Jesus Christ. Feast follows feast.

Recall, brethren, from sacred history that when God entered into a covenant with Abraham and promised him a descendant as numerous as the sand of the sea, as numerous as the stars in the sky, He established the rite of circumcision as the seal, or visible sign, of this covenant. Abraham was also given this new name, replacing his former name, Abram. Then, when the Lord gave the law to the Jewish people through Moses, He also commanded (Lev. 12:3) that every Jewish male child be circumcised, otherwise he could not belong to the Jewish people chosen by God and could not be a participant in those great promises of God given to Abraham and all his descendants.

Homily on the Day of the Repose and Second Uncovering of the Relics of Saint Seraphim of Sarov (Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh)

Homily on the Day of the Repose and Second Uncovering of the Relics of Saint Seraphim of Sarov

By Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh

(Delivered on January 2/15, 1978)

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Next to the icon of Saint Seraphim of Sarov, whose memory we celebrate today, there lies in our church, under glass, a small scrap of cloth. It is a gift received several years ago: a fragment of the shirt that Saint Seraphim was wearing when he was attacked by robbers in the forest and beaten by them nearly to death. He could have defended himself; he was strong in body and unbreakable in spirit; he was armed with a heavy axe. But after the image of Christ — Who, like a lamb before its shearers, is silent; after the Old Testament image of Christ, the Man of Sorrows, Who accepts not only humiliation but also blows and wounds and death, giving Himself up without resistance, and through this receiving the power to forgive — so too Seraphim gave himself into the hands of the robbers. To the shedding of blood he believed in Christ; to the readiness to pour out his blood and exhaust his life he believed in Christ.

The Passion of Saint Theagenes of Parium (BHL 8106)

1. Learn, brothers, what great signs, wonders and good deeds God accomplished in our country at the time when an edict of the tyrant Licinius circulated the whole eastern region which was beneath his rule, to the effect that all those who were serving the state in whatever office should be called to offer sacrifice. It was the devil, who was waging war against the servants of God, who incited Licinius to this action. One of these servants of God was blessed Theogenes who by his great sufferings overcame the devil like a most strong athlete. He had been conscripted into military service, and arrived at Phrygia in the legion entitled Second Trajan under the command of the tribune Zelicentius and the praepositus Possidonius. This legion had its base in a place in Hellespontus. Theogenes was brought to the tribune and the praepositus, and was forced to undertake military service. However, since he was faithful and filled with God, he said in the middle of the legion, "I am a Christian, and I have been accepted into service by the great emperor, the king of kings. I serve him, and I cannot serve another." Zelicentius said, "Serve. Accept the military cloak, the sword-belt and weapons, and be a soldier of Licinius, the great king." Theogenes replied, "I serve my king and cannot serve another." Zelicentius said, "Do you not accept that Licinius is your king?" Theogenes said, "I do not. I am a Christian, and I am not allowed to deny my king." Zelicentius asked, "Are not those standing about Christians who serve in the army also?" Theogenes replied, "I do not know. Each knows how he serves. Yet I know what I have undertaken. I am not permitted to deny my king, and I ought not to serve another king. I am not passing from the service of one to the other."