The Cross – The Life-Bearing Plant (Photios Kontoglou)

 

The Cross – The Life-Bearing Plant

By Photios Kontoglou

“Come, all nations, let us venerate the blessed wood, through which eternal justice was accomplished.”

The Cross is the most honorable and holy symbol of all Christians. And yet, this Cross was, before Christ was crucified on it, a sign of dishonor, condemnation and curse, because the most terrible criminals were condemned to be nailed to it. Christ, who changed everything, also changed the meaning that the Cross had in the souls of people, completely changed their feelings and from a disgusting and cursed tool, transformed it into a venerable and beloved symbol.

Christians place the Cross everywhere, on the domes and bell towers of the church, in their homes, on women's ornaments, on their hats, on flags, on the masts of ships, in high places so that it can be seen from afar. The old pious Christians, from the faith they had, saw it everywhere, even in natural phenomena, as Saint Justin the Philosopher and Martyr writes.

Homily One on the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord (Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov)

Homily One on the Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord

By Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov

(Delivered in 1961)

"Today, the Master of creation and the Lord of glory 
is fastened to the Cross, pierced in the side, 
tasting gall and vinegar,  and adorned with the sweetness of the Church, 
crowned with thorns."

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

Dear brothers and sisters, an involuntary sorrow fills our soul today, often pouring forth in tears, as we hear from the Gospel reading and the touching hymns the poignant narrative of the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ. Should we, as Christians, members of His Body, beneficiaries of His grace, not feel compassion for Him, wounded by the crown of thorns? Should we not grieve with all our hearts at the sight of the indescribable sufferings of our greatest Benefactor?

It is not only difficult, but positively impossible to imagine anything more astonishing than the spectacle of Golgotha. Here is the ineffable miracle of Divine love for the disobedient creation, man. It began, this miracle, in the earthly paradise, together with the creation of man, and was accomplished on Golgotha by the death of the God-man.

Homily Two on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross (St. John of Kronstadt)

 

Homily Two on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross

By St. John of Kronstadt

Beloved brethren in Christ! We celebrate today the Exaltation of the Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. When Patriarch Makarios, one and a half thousand years ago, in the presence of Empress Helen and a multitude of people, raised the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, found by the Empress, then the Empress and all the people, looking at it with reverence and as if seeing the Savior hanging on it, all covered in blood and living out the last hours of His suffering life for us in inexpressible torment, fell down with fear and love and cried out with one voice: "Lord have mercy!"

September: Day 14: Teaching 2: Exaltation of the Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord

September: Day 14: Teaching 2: 
Exaltation of the Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord
 
(What the Cross of the Lord, Carried by the Church for our Salvation, Inspires In Us)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. On this great day the cross, solemnly brought forth to the church for our veneration and edification, itself teaches us the truths of salvation. Therefore I consider it useful to draw your attention to this cross and to explain somewhat what it inspires in us.

II. a) Whose cross is this? Who is depicted on it? What does it signify? This is the cross of Christ, on which the Only-begotten Son of God in the flesh is depicted; this is the great instrument with which God our Savior defeated the devil, our primordial enemy, destroyed his hellish kingdom, broke the bonds in which the human race enslaved by him was held, and opened for us the entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven. This means that the cross of Christ is the greatest relic, for which we must have in our hearts and express outwardly the most sincere and deep respect. Therefore, those who look upon the holy cross without due reverence, bow down before it without a feeling of gratitude for the salvation granted to us through it, and depict it on themselves carelessly and without attention, act very badly and impiously. An ancient prophet once said: "Cursed is the man that does the work of the Lord carelessly" (Jer. 48:10). This threatening saying also applies to those of us who do not revere the cross of the Lord and treat it disrespectfully: for although the cross of Christ is externally, materially, constructed by human hands, in its essence, spiritually, it is the greatest work of the Wisdom and Providence of God.

Prologue in Sermons: September 14

 

The Four-Pointed Cross Is Not the Roman Cross and the Seal of the Antichrist

ADMONITION TO PARISHIONERS LIVING AMONG SCHISMATICS

September 14

(The Exaltation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev 

The Greek Emperor Constantine, when he was still a pagan, once went to war against the Emperor Maxentius. On the way to Rome, Constantine was struck by an unusual phenomenon. In the middle of the day, he and those with him saw a cross in the sky made up of stars, at the top of which were the words: "BY THIS CONQUER." Constantine and his soldiers were afraid, because for pagans at that time, seeing a cross was considered a misfortune. But that same night, the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to Constantine, ordered crosses to be made on all weapons and said that he would defeat Maxentius. Constantine made crosses and defeated Maxentius. 

The Good Disposition of Saint Cornelius the Centurion

By Fr. George Dorbarakis

The life of Saint Cornelius is admirable, who belongs to those people who, one might say, are chosen by the Lord from the womb. It is no coincidence that the hymnographer of our Church characterizes him as “the bright dawn of the sun,” “a great river watering the entire face of the earth,” “a shining star,” and does not hesitate to consider him an equal of the Holy Apostles, because he received the same Holy Spirit as they did. “For you were seen as equal in status to the Holy Disciples, having been chosen by the Holy Spirit, like them.” The unique, among other things, element of Saint Cornelius, which the hymnographer repeatedly emphasizes, is that he “became the beginning of nations,” that is, he was the first to convert from the pagans and be baptized and receive the grace of the Holy Spirit like the mouthpieces of God Holy Apostles.

September: Day 13: Teaching 2: Feast of the Consecration of the Church of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

September: Day 13: Teaching 2: 
Feast of the Consecration of the Church of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
 
(The Meaning of the Feast)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. This feast is seemingly insignificant, judging by the fact that in a series of other ecclesiastical feasts it is not distinguished by any solemnity. But meanwhile, in its inner significance it can stand on a par with the most important feasts.

II. a) Indeed, what do we celebrate on this day? The renewal of a temple, no more; but what temple? The temple in the name of the Resurrection of Christ. And the Resurrection of Christ is the foundation of Christianity. "If Christ has not risen, our faith is vain." But the resurrection of Christ is the pledge of our resurrection, the pledge of eternal life and eternal blessedness. Christ rose from the dead, became the firstfruits of those who died. Without the Resurrection of Christ we have no hope of eternal life, and without the hope of eternal life, what is man? An absurd and most unfortunate creature. Indeed, the last worm has its own definite purpose in the chain of creation and its share of happiness, because, no matter how insignificant and weak it is, it finds full satisfaction of its small needs and fully enjoys its life until the beak of a bird or the foot of a man puts an end to it. But what is man with his higher spiritual needs, which find no satisfaction here on earth, with his ideals, which find no fulfillment, with his passions, which he abhors, which torment him, and which he either satisfies with curses, or fights against, not knowing why, only according to an incomprehensible and irresistible demand of his spirit, fights until exhaustion of strength without any hope of winning a decisive victory, fights until he falls in this fruitless struggle, broken and tormented? What is man, eternally striving for heaven and continually falling into the mud, wandering in the darkness of doubts and riddles, eternally dissatisfied, an unhappy martyr, if not of his own passions, then of the vanity of other people? What is he without hope of eternity? An absurd and unhappy product of the senseless play of the blind forces of nature. If Christ did not rise, then not only can we say with the Apostle, as Christians, that we are the most wretched of all men, but we can also add, as human beings in general, that we are the most wretched of all creatures. Therefore, the Resurrection is not only the foundation of Christianity, but also the foundation of humanity. Such is the dogmatic meaning of this feast.

Prologue in Sermons: September 13

The Renewal of Man-Made Temples Should Remind Us of the Renewal of the Temple of our Soul

September 13

(Commemoration of the Renewal of the Church of the Resurrection of our Holy Christ and God)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev 

Today the Holy Church commemorates the consecration of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, founded by the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine and his mother Helen in Jerusalem, on the spot where our Savior suffered and died. This is what Church tradition tells us about this event.

It is known that after the Ascension of the Lord into heaven, the place where our salvation took place was often desecrated by people who hated Christ. One of these, namely the Roman Emperor Hadrian, ordered the Holy Sepulcher to be filled with earth and stones; on Golgotha he built an idol temple; over the Tomb of Jesus Christ he placed an idol; where the Temple of Solomon was, he also erected a temple, and thus tried in every way to destroy the memory of the Savior especially in the place where the atoning Sacrifice was brought, and through this to destroy the Christian faith. But the Providence of God did not allow this. For the spread of the faith of Christ and for the purification and renewal of the holy places, He raised up the pious emperors Constantine and Helena and put it into their hearts to cleanse all the holy places from demonic filth, to renew the holy city of Jerusalem and to build a majestic temple on the site of the Savior's suffering. The mother of Constantine, Saint Helen, having arrived in Jerusalem, destroyed all the pagan temples, uncovered the Cross and the Holy Sepulcher, and, on the site of their discovery, founded a temple in honor of the Resurrection of Christ. Since the temple was enormous and its construction took a long time, Saint Helen did not live to see its completion. Her son, the Equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine, lived to see its completion. When the temple was completed, Constantine commanded bishops from all the countries of his vast empire, as well as from the countries adjacent to Jerusalem, to gather in Jerusalem and consecrate the newly built temple. And the temple was consecrated, with a great gathering of people, on the 13th day of the month of September. The holy fathers who were present at its consecration unanimously decided to annually commemorate the event of the consecration in churches everywhere, in the same way that Solomon in the Old Testament legalized the celebration of the day of the consecration of the first Temple of Jerusalem, which he built during his lifetime.

Homily One on the Nativity of the Theotokos (St. John of Kronstadt)

Homily One on the Nativity of the Theotokos 

By St. John of Kronstadt

(Delivered in 1902)

“We magnify you, Most Holy Virgin, we honor your holy parents, and we glorify your most glorious nativity” (Magnification).
 
 Nineteen hundred years ago, humanity was elated and exalted by the birth from the righteous yet barren parents, Joachim and Anna, of a wondrous infant – the Virgin, who was destined before the creation of the world to be a marvelous Mother in the flesh of God the Word Himself, the Creator and Savior of the world – the God of spirits and of all flesh. The sorrow of the barren parents, descendants of King David the prophet, who longed for a blessed progeny and suffered reproach from neighbors who had the blessing of offspring, was exceedingly great; yet, within them was a strong faith in the God of Israel – a steadfast hope in His mercy, fervent prayer, unwavering devotion to the God of their forefathers, and an unshakeable expectation of the promise made long ago by God to Israel – the Messiah, the Deliverer of mankind. And their sorrow was soon turned into joy; faith and hope were not put to shame; the complete devotion of Joachim and Anna to God was rewarded with an extraordinary and glorious fruit – the pure Maiden Mary. Even before her birth, the righteous parents made a vow to God to dedicate and consecrate to Him the Child that He would give them; and upon her birth, they immediately fulfilled their vow and brought her to the Temple of God – to be raised for the Lord. 
 

Homily One on the Afterfeast of the Nativity of the Theotokos (Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov)

Homily One on the Afterfeast of the Nativity of the Theotokos 

By Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov

(Delivered in 1960, on the 16th Week After Pentecost)

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

Dear brothers and sisters, these days the Holy Church of Christ, and we with it, brightly celebrate the all-joyful holy days of the afterfeast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos. The Church proclaims to us: "Your Nativity, O Virgin Theotokos, brings joy to the whole universe, for from you did the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God, shine forth" (Troparion of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos). "A woman," according to the word of Christ the Savior, "when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world" (John 16:21), that is, the birth of every person into the world brings joy and comfort to the parents of the newborn and to all relatives and friends. And not only the birth itself, but also the very memory of the birth of a notable family member, their day is almost always a day of special joy and deliberate celebration for the family. As for great individuals who have distinguished themselves through charitable deeds in glory of their homeland, their birthdays are invariably celebrated with joy at the appointed time even after their death.

Miracles of Saint Bassian of Tiksnensky

1. A woman named Elena became blind and could not see anything for six years and five months. But, having seen Saint Bassian in a dream, she came to Tiksna and, having venerated his coffin with prayer, immediately regained her sight.

2. Another woman, Justinia, who had also not seen anything for a long time, was brought to Tiksna by her mother. After attending a prayer service, both women, with the priest’s permission, stayed the night near the Saint’s coffin to pray. At the end of the night, they heard an unusual noise in the church and fell to the ground in fear. They heard voices behind the wall, and when the mother looked out the window, she saw two people talking to each other. 

Prologue in Sermons: September 12

 

 

A Good Deed Has Value Only When It Is Carried Through To Completion

September 12

(On Eulogios the Monk and the Paralyzed Beggar)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev 

It does not say, brethren, that “He who endures to some extent will be saved,” but it does say, “He who endures to the end will be saved” (Matt. 10:22). Yet, we lack precisely this endurance until the end. It happens that we embark on good deeds with full fervor and enthusiasm, but after a little time, we become increasingly indifferent to the good work we have undertaken; and sometimes, right at the very end, when we are just about to receive the crown for it, we abandon it altogether. Thus, all your efforts resemble a house built on sand, which is swept away as soon as the wind blows upon it (Matt. 7:26-27).

No, we should not act in this manner. If you have begun something good, you must see it through to the end, resisting temptations; otherwise, the devil will snatch away the crown intended for you, and your reward will be lost.

Humility as the Preeminent Virtue of Saint Euphrosynos the Cook

By Fr. George Dorbarakis

Saint Euphrosynos is an additional miraculous sign in the choir of saints of our Church, confirming that there is no easier and more comfortable path for man to enter the Kingdom of God, already in this life, than humility. And this is because the most decisive element of his life, from beginning to end, was this exalting virtue. There are numerous references to this by the ecclesiastical poet. Already his Apolytikion, where the essence of the holiness of the Saint is condensed, points this out from the beginning: “You venerably lived in much humility.” And also in the Doxastikon of Vespers: “You have adorned yourself with humility,” that is, this was the adornment of his life -f humility. And it is self-evident for the Christian faith that where there is humility, there is the presence of God, there are all the gifts that the Lord gives. Because it is precisely these two that our almighty and all-good God revealed to us as the most important elements of His life: love and humility. “God is love” and “Learn from Me that I am meek and humble of heart.”

September: Day 11: Teaching 2: Venerable Theodora of Alexandria

September: Day 11: Teaching 2: 

Venerable Theodora of Alexandria

(To the Debauched and Intoxicated Christian)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Venerable Theodora, celebrated today for her profound and genuine repentance for her one-time sin against the seventh commandment, due to temptation, for her perpetual tears of a contrite heart, for her ascetic endeavors in mortifying the flesh along with its passions and desires, and for her great holiness of life following her singular fall and trustworthy restoration, compels us to speak with you about the sin of debauchery as a warning and admonition to a wayward son or daughter.

II. "His flesh will be in pain, and his soul will mourn" (Job 14:22). With these words from the ancient sacred book, I wish to begin my conversation with you, my beloved brother, who has fallen into the sin of debauchery. Do not regard me with such disdain, such suspicion. Why this dissatisfied glance? "What captivates your heart, and what lifts your eyes?" (Job 15:12). Before you stands not an enemy, nor a judge, nor a fearsome accuser; no, before you is one whom you once loved to listen to, to whom you once clung with all the childlike trust of your soul. Do not say in your heart: "I know: the sermon is beginning; advice and guidance will be offered, various boring rules will be prescribed, and threats will be uttered"... What is left for me to advise you that you have not heard before? What to preach that you do not already know? What can I threaten you with?... Listen, oh, listen to me: I will speak to you as you would speak to yourself, if only for a moment you wished to turn inward. Your flesh will be in pain for you, and your soul mourn over you. What were you before? What are you now? And what will become of you?

Prologue in Sermons: September 11

Weapons Against the Wiles of the Devil

September 11

(A Story from the "Paterikon" about Agathon: How He Cast Out Demons With Words)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev 

The word of God commands us to guard ourselves vigilantly from demonic temptations, so that the enemy does not suddenly attack us and destroy us. "Be sober, be vigilant," says the Holy Apostle Peter, "for your adversary the devil, walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). Impiety, superstition, all kinds of delusions, malice, debauchery and other sins, all this is not the work of our will alone, but also of demonic instigation. Fortunately, we are not defenseless against the wiles of the devil, we have been given reliable weapons to fight them. What kind of weapons are these?

Prologue in Sermons: September 10

It Is Not True That the Saints Who Lived in the Deserts Did Not Partake of the Holy Mysteries

INSTRUCTION TO THE PARISHIONERS LIVING AMONG SCHISMATICS

September 10

(The Three Holy Women, Discovered on the Mountain, of whom Paul, the Bishop of Monemvasia, Spoke)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev 

A certain traveler came to one of the monasteries in the East. Once, while talking with the abbot and the brethren under the shade of fruitful trees, in the monastery courtyard, he noticed that several birds were breaking off branches with fruit from the trees and flying away. When he asked the abbot why the birds did not eat the fruit on the spot, but flew away with it, he received the answer that this phenomenon had been noticed for more than ten years. Moved as if by a presentiment, the traveler said: "Are there any Saints of God in your mountains to whom these birds carry fruit by God's command?" At that moment, a raven flew in and broke off one of the branches with fruit. The traveler continued: "Let's go, we will watch him." They went and saw that the raven was flying to one of the hills, first sat on it, and then went down into a crevice and, leaving the branch there, flew out from there without it. Those who were watching him approached the crevice and threw a stone into it. Suddenly a voice was heard from there: "If you are Christians, do not kill us." "Who are you?" asked those who had come. "We are women, there are three of us," they answered. "If you wish to see us, throw us three garments, since we are naked, and, going down the mountain, go along the narrow path that leads to us." The monks did as they were told and found three women, one of whom was the mistress and the other two were her slaves. "Who are you and how did you come here?" asked the abbot of the first of them. "I am from Constantinople, the wife of a royal dignitary," she answered. "Having been left a childless widow by my husband, I was forced to sin by a nobleman and, wishing to preserve myself in purity, I decided to leave the world and, entrusting the distribution of my property to the poor, I boarded a ship at night with these two of my slaves, from which we landed at this place where you found us, and now it is the eleventh summer since we have seen a human face." “Where did you get your food here, my lady?” asked the abbot. “The Lord,” she answered, “who fed His people in the desert for forty years, sent us food too. Birds brought us all kinds of fruits, and the Lord always covered and warmed us, so that we were not afraid of the cold in winter, nor the heat of the sun in summer. We lived here as in paradise, constantly glorifying the Holy Trinity." "Would you like to share a meal with us?" "If you wish to do so," answered the holy hermit, "command that a priest come first and perform the Divine Liturgy, so that we may partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ; for since we left Constantinople we have not been granted Holy Communion." The abbot fulfilled her wish, and the priest who came, after performing the Divine Liturgy, gave communion to the holy hermits. And that same day the first of them (the former mistress), after fervent prayer, departed to the Lord. The next day one of her friends followed her, and on the third day the last of them also peacefully passed away in the sleep of death.

September: Day 9: Teaching 4: Saint Theodosius, Archbishop of Chernigov

September: Day 9: Teaching 4: 
Saint Theodosius, Archbishop of Chernigov
 
(The Example of a True Shepherd, as Presented By the Life of the Saint)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Among other instructions which the Holy Apostle Paul commanded his disciple, Bishop Timothy of Ephesus, there is also this instruction: "Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity" (1 Tim. 4:12). The apostolic bishops, as heads of the Churches, tried to implement this covenant in their lives. And the great saint, Archbishop Theodosius of Chernigov, who is celebrated today, embodied in himself the example of a true shepherd.

II. a) His word was wise, mixed with grace. He edified his flock with his speeches during his life; he edifies us all now. In his visions, he often instructed believers on the path of saving life: he taught them to go to the temples of God, to fast, to fulfill the statutes of the Holy Church, to listen to prayers and akathist chants in churches, to pray before miraculous icons, to honor Church feasts, to confess their sins and to partake of the Holy Body and Blood of the Lord. Saint Theodosius was truthful and spoke only words of truth.

September: Day 9: Teaching 2: Holy Ancestors of God Joachim and Anna

September: Day 9: Teaching 2: 
Holy Ancestors of God Joachim and Anna
 
(Lessons From Their Lives:
a. Piety Does Not Interfere With Family Life, 
b. Christians Should Not Shun Family Life, and 
c. Do Not Be Afraid of Having Many Children)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Let us, Christians, transport ourselves in thought almost nineteen centuries back, to those times of Old Testament history, when the people were increasingly losing their independence and autonomy, and when the time was coming for the work of saving the human race to be accomplished through the only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the most blessed Virgin Mary.

In those days, in the poor Galilean town of Nazareth, there lived a pious couple, Joachim and Anna. These humble Nazarenes were not famous in Israel for anything, and did not differ from the simple inhabitants of Nazareth by any special external advantages.

Prologue in Sermons: September 9

Advice To Those Who Are Zealous for the Conversion of Sinners

September 9

(On Not Condemning, But Having Mercy On Those Who Sin)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev 

Often, brethren, in recent times I have heard from some of you these words: “Behold, you often tell us to teach our neighbors good; but what are we to do when they do not listen to us? And not only do they not listen, but they often respond with mockery and abuse. Is it possible to teach a bad person?”

Listen carefully to what I have to say to you about this.

The Lord Jesus Christ, sending the Apostles to preach, among other things, gave them this instruction: "Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves" (Matthew 10:16). This instruction applies to all of us, if we wish to convert a sinner from the error of his way. When dealing with spiritually ill people, the following are needed: caution, patience, meekness, spiritual prudence. Just as physical doctors, when they find it necessary to remove an infected limb from a patient, try in every way to first calm the sufferer, distract his attention from his wound, and only then get down to business; so a spiritual doctor, if he wishes to heal the wounds of a sinner, should never at first be a strict judge to him and a harsh denouncer of his bad deeds. Otherwise, any conversation will lead to mutual displeasure and will bring no benefit.

The Island of Kyra Dikia

The island of Kyra Dikia is located off the west coast of Kerkyra (Corfu), approximately in the middle of the island, north of the beach of Agios Gordis and very close to the coast.

Kyra Dikia has an area of approximately 500 sq.m. and is a steep rock, on the almost flat top of which, however, green trees, wild olive trees, cypresses and sycamores grow, making it extremely beautiful.

A small pier has been built there, so that the boats and caiques of the people of Kerkyra who visit Kyra Dikia can tie up on June 29 (Holy Apostles Peter and Paul) and September 8 (Nativity of the Theotokos), when the church at its top celebrates its feasts. On these days, many visitors from Sinarades and several from nearby villages arrive on the island by boats from Gialiskari or Kontogyalo, to attend the Divine Liturgy. After the service they will buy baked goods and lay out food under the shade of an olive tree, drinking the famous red wine of Sinarades. After they sleep under the olive trees and take a refreshing dip in the clear blue waters they return home.

Synaxis of All Saints of Thasos

In 1999 the Sacred Metropolis of Philippi, Neapolis and Thasos announced that following the relevant approval of the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece, it has been determined that the Synaxis of All the Saints of the Island of Thasos will be celebrated on the first Sunday of September of each year, beginning in the year 2000.

Our Saints who lived or passed through this blessed island of ours, which is rich in culture, religiosity, piety and history, from antiquity to our days, are the protectors and patrons of this holy place, and they are:

Homily on the Nativity of the Theotokos and the Sunday Before the Exaltation of the Cross (St. John of Kronstadt)

Homily on the Nativity of the Theotokos and the Sunday Before the Exaltation of the Cross

By St. John of Kronstadt

"God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

We have two feasts today, beloved brethren – the Sunday, or the week before the Exaltation of the Cross, and the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos. One is a feast of the Lord, the other of the Theotokos. For both feasts, it is customary to read two Apostolic and two Gospel readings for the instruction and edification of Christians. On the Sunday feast, today we read the Gospel of John, which speaks of how the Son of God was destined to die for our redemption from sin, the curse, and death – not by any other means, but through the cross, the most disgraceful and tormenting death, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish forever, but have eternal life. And for the feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, we read the Gospel of Luke about a certain woman named Martha who received the Lord into her home, and about how another woman, listening to the word of the Lord, blessed the Mother of God by loudly proclaiming among the people: "Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You" (Luke 11:27). – A simple yet worthy blessing!

September: Day 8: Teaching 2: Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos

September: Day 8: Teaching 2: 
Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos
 
(That God Can Act Independently of the Laws of Nature and Perform Miracles)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The pious parents of the Mother of God, Joachim and Anna, were barren during their fifty years of marriage, and having reached a ripe old age, they no longer hoped to have children according to the law of nature. But their barrenness greatly grieved them, especially because many reproached them for it and said that the Lord did not favor them because of some of their secret sins. Therefore, they earnestly prayed to the Lord that He would deliver them from reproach and grant them fruit according to His goodness, as He once granted it to Abraham and Sarah. The prayer of the righteous was heard, and their patience was rewarded with the special mercy of God: for when the time appointed by Providence came for the birth of Her Who Herself was to bear the Savior of the world, then God sent His angel to announce to Joachim and Anna that this God-chosen maiden would be born of them. And truly, righteous Anna, who was then already about seventy years old, supernaturally conceived and at the appointed time gave birth to the Most Holy Virgin Mary. Thus, the birth of the Mother of God, which took place not according to the ordinary law of nature, but by the special action of God, clearly shows that "where God wills, the order of nature is overcome."

Prologue in Sermons: September 8

Both the Uneducated and Those Who Do Not Live in Monasteries Can Be Saved

September 8

By Archpriest Victor Guryev 

Some Christians think that in order to be saved, one must either go to a monastery or study the entire Divine law, and that without this, they say, one cannot be saved. Such people are mistaken. It is, of course, true that it is perhaps easier to be saved in a monastery than in the world, and it is also true that a Christian must study the Divine law; but if a person cannot, due to circumstances, go to a monastery and cannot study the entire Divine law, this does not mean that such a person will not be saved. On the contrary, examples show that both the illiterate and those living in the world have found great grace from God and have become especially close to Him; and this, of course, should convince us of the truth that both the uneducated and those living in the world can be saved.

Prologue in Sermons: September 7

What is Needed to Achieve Eternal Blessedness

September 7

(A Story From the "Leimonarion" About the Struggle)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev 

"Once," the monk Athanasios recounted, "the thought came to me: what awaits in the future life for those who struggle here for their salvation? With this thought, I felt as if I were in ecstasy, and someone came to me, saying: 'Follow me,' and led me to a wondrous place filled with light, and set me before such marvelous doors that their beauty is beyond description. I heard a multitude of people behind the doors, continuously praising God."

 

Truly, brethren, wonderful, indescribable is the life in the Kingdom of Heaven! There, people shine like the sun in the Kingdom of the Heavenly Father (Matt. 13:43); there, for them is peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17); there, they serve the Lord and behold His face… And there is no night, nor do they need the light of a lamp or the sunlight; for the Lord illuminates them (Rev. 22:3-5). There, finally, are such blessings and joys that we cannot even imagine (1 Cor. 2:9).

Synaxis of New Martyrs and Confessors of Kazakhstan

The Synaxis of New Martyrs and Confessors of Kazakhstan and Alma-Ata is celebrated on the first Sunday after September 3 (16).

In the 1930s–1950s, one of the most terrible units of the GULAG, Karlag (Karaganda Corrective Labor Camp), was located in Kazakhstan. Among its prisoners were many Orthodox bishops, priests, monks, and laymen who died for Christ. At the beginning of the 21st century, it was possible to collect a lot of materials about the exploits of Kazakhstan's new martyrs.

In February 2008, Metropolitan Methodius (Nemtsov) of Astana received the blessing of Patriarch Alexy II to establish a separate day for celebrating the Synaxis of New Martyrs and Confessors who suffered in the land of Kazakhstan. It was decided to hold the celebration on the first Sunday after the day of remembrance of the first martyr of the land of Kazakhstan – Bishop Pimen of Vernoye. The celebration of the Synaxis was included in the calendar by the patriarchal blessing on February 28, 2008.

Homily Two on the Sunday Before the Exaltation of the Holy Cross of Christ (St. John of Kronstadt)

Homily Two on the Sunday Before the Exaltation of the Holy Cross of Christ

By St. John of Kronstadt

"No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven" (John 3:13).

Before Jesus Christ, no one among mortals ascended to heaven, except Him, the Son of Man who descended from heaven. No one ascended to heaven because it had been closed to humanity since the transgression of Adam: for Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts, and the wicked shall not come near Him, nor shall the workers of iniquity stand in His sight (Ps. 5:5–6). Only the Son of Man, who descended from heaven and is in heaven, has ascended with His humanity, for He fulfilled all righteousness for us with His humanity united to the Divinity, and when He was baptized in the Jordan and prayed, the heavens, long sealed by Adam's sin, were opened to Him first; and He, after His suffering, death, and resurrection, ascended to heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father, showing us the way to ascend there as well. You might say that Enoch and Elijah were taken up to heaven. No, not to heaven, but only to the abodes of the righteous, only as if to heaven, according to the expression of Sacred Scripture. What, then, follows from what has been said? That heaven, our true homeland, for which we were created, is now once more opened for mankind by the Son of God, and people have become children of God in Christ. Therefore, strive, brethren, toward the open heaven, in the likeness of the saints who have pleased God since ancient times and have inherited the heavenly homeland; do not dream that the earth is your homeland, rather live as pilgrims and sojourners, and be ready every hour to pass through death to your homeland.

The Location Where the Miracle of the Archangel Michael in Chonae Took Place

By Vasilisa Phillips-Pohil

The ancient city of Colossae is probably known to every Orthodox Christian in one way or another. It was here, on the territory of modern Turkey, that an unprecedented miracle occurred.

In this city, to whose residents the Apostle Paul once wrote, there was a church in the name of Archangel Michael, built by a local resident in gratitude to the Archangel for healing his daughter at a healing spring that flowed nearby. A pious man, Archippus, served as a sexton at this church for 60 years. With his righteous life, he converted many to Christianity.

At that time, Christianity was not yet officially recognized, and many pagans were irritated by the fact that people flocked to the Venerable Archippus and converted to faith in Christ. Then the "wicked people," as Saint Dimitri of Rostov tells us, decided to destroy the temple: they united two mountain rivers into one channel and directed their flow towards the church. The Venerable One refused to leave the holy place and began to pray to the Archangel Michael to save the temple from destruction. And then a miracle happened. The Archangel Michael appeared in front of the church, stopped the flow of water with the sign of the cross, and then cut it in two with a blow of his staff on a stone. All the water flowed into the resulting hole. From then on, the city received a new name - Chonae, which means "fissure" or "hole."

Holy Hieromartyr Maxim Sandovich (+ 1914)

St. Maxim Sandovich (Feast Day - September 6)

By Father Edward Pehanich

Saint Maxim was born in 1886 in Zdynia in the Lemko region of Carpatho-Rus which was then a part of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy in present day Poland. His father, Tymofej, was the cantor of Zydnia’s Greek Catholic church. After completing his education in the nearby town of Jaslo and Nowy Sacz, he entered the Greek Catholic Basilian monastery in Krakow. Dissatisfied with the attempts to Latinize the Eastern rite to make it more acceptable to the Roman Catholic majority and also attempts to denationalize the Rusyns, he crossed the border into the Russian empire and entered the famed Orthodox monastery at Pochaev. It was while at the monastery that his outstanding potential attracted the attention of the illustrious Bishop Anthony (Khrapovitsky) who enrolled him in the Orthodox seminary in Zhitomir.

He completed his seminary studies in 1911 and that same year married Pelagia Grigoryuk and was ordained to the Holy Priesthood. At that time in the Lemko region there was a growing movement away from the Greek Catholic Church to the Orthodox Faith of their ancestors. Fr. Maxim returned home to serve the Orthodox faithful in the villages of Hrab, Vysovatka and Dovhe. After serving his first Divine Liturgy in Hrab on December 2, 1911, the Austrian authorities, suspicious of the Orthodox Faith for its alleged “Russian sympathies,” issued an order forbidding any further Orthodox services. Father Maxim ignored the order and continued to conduct services in village homes. He was repeatedly fined and held under temporary arrest. Before Pascha in 1912, he was again arrested with his friend and spiritual father, Father Ignatij Hudyma, and held in prison for two years in a Lviv prison until their trial began on March 9, 1914. After being found not guilty he immediately returned to his native village and continued to minister to his Orthodox parishioners.

Venerable David of Hermopolis, Who Was Formerly a Robber

Venerable David of Hermopolis (Feast Day - September 6)

 

By St. John Moschos

(Spiritual Meadow, Ch. 143) 

We came to the Thebaid and at the city of Antinoe we visited Phoebamon the Sophist for the benefit of his words. He told us that in the district around Hermopolis* there had been a robber whose name was David.** He had rendered many people destitute, murdered many and committed every kind of evil deed; more so than any other man, one might say. One day, whilst he was still engaged in brigandage on the mountain, together with a band of more than thirty, he came to his senses, conscience-stricken by his evil deeds. He left all those who were with him and went to a monastery. He knocked at the monastery gate; the porter came out and asked him what he wanted. The robber-chief replied that he wanted to become a monk, so the porter went inside and told the abbot about him. The abbot came out and, when he saw that the man was advanced in age, he said to him: "You cannot stay here, for the brethren labor very hard. They practice great austerity. Your temperament is different from ours and you could not tolerate the rule of the monastery." But the robber insisted that he could tolerate these things, if only the abbot would accept him. But the abbot was persistent in his conviction that the man would not be able. Then the robber-chief said to him: "Know, then, that I am David, the robber-chief; and the reason why I came here was that I might weep for my sins. If you do not accept me, I swear to you and before him who dwells in heaven that I will return to my former way of life, I will bring those who were with me, kill you all and even destroy your monastery." When the abbot heard this, he received him into the monastery, tonsured him and gave him the holy habit. Thus he began the spiritual combat and he exceeded all the other members of the monastery in self-control, obedience and humility. There were about seventy persons in that monastery; he benefited them all, providing them with an example.

Prologue in Sermons: September 6

There is No Sin That Can Overcome the Mercy of God

September 6

(The Story of our Venerable Father David, Who Was Formerly a Robber)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev 

Although, fortunately, it is rare, there are still people who, knowing the multitude of sins behind them, think that God will not forgive them, and, thinking so, they fall deeper and deeper into the depths of evil and do not care about their salvation. Brethren! This sin, called the sin of despair, is the most serious of all sins and inevitably leads a person to final destruction. No matter how sinful someone is, no one ought to ever despair of his salvation and ought to rather quickly resort to God with repentance. Your sinful wounds are grievous, but the Lord Jesus Christ is strong to heal the wounds of the whole world. Your sins are countless, but God's mercy to repentant sinners is endless. Believe me, many of the wicked who turned to God became servants of God and were honored with the gift of miracles during their lifetime. Many of the harlots and other great but repentant sinners are now blessed there, in the abodes of the Heavenly Father! Not wishing to tire your attention, from the many examples that could confirm the truth of my words, I will point out to you the one that our Venerable Father David represents to us.

September: Day 6: Teaching 2: Commemoration of the Miracle of Holy Archangel Michael in Chonae

September: Day 6: Teaching 2:
Commemoration of the Miracle of Holy Archangel Michael in Chonae
 
(Explanation of the Icon of the Archangel Michael with Moral Lessons Derived From It)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Celebrating in honor of the Holy Archangel Michael, let us turn our reverent attention to the icon of the Holy Archangel of the Heavenly Powers, and let us take advantage of the lesson that the Holy Church wants to teach through him to all believers.

II. a) On the icon, we see the Archangel Michael in a warrior's uniform. What does this signify? Why is a resident of heaven, where peace and love dwell, depicted as armed? But, brethren, there was once a battle even there – in the kingdom of peace and love. Who rose against whom and contended? One of the higher spirits, possessing great perfections – Lucifer, with arrogance and pride, rebelled against his Creator and the Lord of all; many other spirits were drawn toward him, and they formed a terrible militia of the insurgents against the celestial order. It was then that the champion of God's glory, the Archangel Michael, appeared among the angels. Gathering all the angelic orders and the hosts loyal to God, he proclaimed with a loud voice: "Let us stand aright! Let us stand with fear before the One who made us, and let us not think contrary to God." And, standing first among the innumerable hosts of incorporeal spirits, he sang a triumphant hymn: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts!" Soon after this, all the spirits of wickedness were cast down from heaven. This is why the Archangel Michael, as the chief defender of God’s glory, the conqueror of the devil and his angels, is referred to by the Holy Church as the foremost angel of the Heavenly Hosts, the oldest among the angelic ranks, the Archistrategos of the Heavenly Hierarchies! This is why he is always depicted in a warrior form, with a sword or spear in hand, having the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan (Rev. 20:2), crushed beneath his feet, a spirit of wickedness, whom he has vanquished and cast down.

The Honorable Forerunner and his Holy Parents Zechariah and Elizabeth (Archimandrite George Kapsanis)

The Honorable Forerunner and his Holy Parents Zechariah and Elizabeth 

By Archimandrite George Kapsanis

We all know the great mission that the Honorable Forerunner accomplished in the work of salvation and that he continues to this day with his unceasing prayers for the world.

But we must not forget that behind the Honorable Forerunner are hidden two blessed, simple and humble souls, Zechariah and Elizabeth. Those who had dedicated their lives to God. Those who longed for a child, but since the gift was not given to them, they did not lose their trust in God, nor did they grumble against God or become indignant, but were patient and offered their pain to God in prayer.

It was seemingly a dead end in the life of these two blessed elders. A sterility of which there was no human hope of overcoming. But where there seemed to be no way out, where there was no human hope, God performed His miracle. The barren, dead womb of Saint Elizabeth sprouted a glorious fruit.

Synaxis of the Orsha Icon of the Mother of God

The Orsha icon of the Mother of God (Feast Day - September 5)

For nearly four hundred years, the miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Orsha has been venerated on Belarusian soil. According to tradition, in 1631, the icon was revealed in a miraculous manner on the outskirts of the city of Orsha, near the confluence of the Kuteinka River with the Dnieper, during the construction of the Kuteinsky Theophany Monastery. Since that time, it has safeguarded the eastern 'gate' of Belarus and is regarded as the patroness of the monastery and the city.

Starting from the 17th century, there are numerous testimonies of assistance through prayers to the Mother of God before the Orsha icon. Thus, during the agonizing searches and difficulties in establishing the publishing house, the Orsha printer Spyridon Sobol received strength and comfort from the miraculous icon.

Prologue in Sermons: September 5

 

What We Give to God is Returned To Us a Hundredfold, Not Only in the Life To Come But Also in the Present One.

September 5

(On the Young Man Who Forged a Cross for Patrick, and Who Contributed Ten Gold Coins of His Own.)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev 

There is no doubt that what we sacrifice for God will return to us a hundredfold in the future life. For example, the Lord says to the rich young man: "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me" (Matt. 19:21). The same truth is revealed by the Apostle James in the words: "Mercy triumphs over judgment" (James 2:13). And finally, perhaps, the Apostle Paul testifies to the same thing, advising his disciple to command the rich that they should be rich in good deeds, so "that they may lay hold on eternal life" (1 Tim. 6:17-19). 

Holy New Martyr Theodore of Halicarnassus (+ c. 1800)

St. Theodore of Halicarnassus (Feast Day - September 4)

Saint Theodore was martyred for Christ in Halicarnassus, also known as Petroumi of Asia Minor, around the year 1800 at the age of about 30.

The Saint was arrested by the impious Ottomans and imprisoned in the Dungeon of Halicarnassus. During this period of his stay in prison, he was supported by Hierodeacon Joachim Askandalos (+ 1839), a pious and learned man and a monk of the Sacred Stavropegic Monastery of Saint John the Theologian in Patmos.

He was martyred in a horrible way, as can be seen from the beatings on his Honorable Skull and the rest of his Sacred Relics.

Prologue in Sermons: September 4

Not Only in Monasteries, But Everywhere You Can Be Saved

September 4*

By Archpriest Victor Guryev 

In the Prologue, for the 3rd day of September, in the homily of Saint Basil, among other things it is said: “Do not think that all are saved in monasteries. For many come to the virtuous life, but few of them accept its yoke.” What does this mean? That those are mistaken who, doing nothing for their salvation, think that if we lived in a monastery, only then would we be saved. And they are mistaken; for we repeat, although, according to the word of Saint Basil, many come to the monastery for the virtuous life, however, only a small number of them accept its yoke. From this it is obvious that the lazy man is bad everywhere: he was bad in the world, but it must be thought that he will be no better in a monastery. So, what should he do? First of all, give up his laziness, and wait to consider about a monastery. Give up laziness and you will be saved in the world; don’t give it up and you will perish both in a monastery and in the most distant desert.

September: Day 4: Teaching 4: The Burning Bush Icon of the Mother of God

 

September: Day 4: Teaching 4: 
The Burning Bush Icon of the Mother of God
 
(How Should We Honor the Mother of God?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Among the titles by which the Holy Church honors the Most Holy Theotokos is the title "the Burning Bush." It is found in ecclesiastical hymns (Akathist Canon, Ode 6, Troparion 4). There is also a special feast day for the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos of the Burning Bush. On this icon, she has been depicted since ancient times as surrounded by a fiery glow. The aforementioned feast day is celebrated (September 4) on the day of commemoration of the Holy Prophet and God-seer Moses. This is undoubtedly because Moses was granted a vision that had a typological relation to the title of the Mother of God as the Burning Bush. Near Mount Sinai, in the desert, Moses, while tending his father-in-law's flock, saw a bush, i.e. a thorn bush, in which the Lord Himself appeared to him in a fiery flame. The bush burned, yet was not consumed. This miracle prefigured the mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God. The Virgin Mary served this mystery. She received in her womb the fire of the Divinity, and like the bush engulfed in flames, she remained unharmed; thus, the Virgin Mary preserved not only her life but also her virginity, remaining untouched by the Divine essence that dwelled within her.

Saint Babylas of Antioch Resource Page

St. Babylas of Antioch and the Three Children (Feast Day - September 4)

Verses

 

To Babylas. 

 

Babylas having previously sacrificed Christ,

Willingly sacrifices himself for Christ by the sword. 

 

To the Children.

 

Towards the great Master God the Word,

Do the children fervently hasten to the sword. 

On the fourth the Children and Babylas were struck with a sword. 

 

Holy Hieromartyr Babylas the Bishop of Antioch and the Three Children With Him

  

Holy Hieromartyr Babylas as a Model for our Lives

 

September: Day 4: Teaching 1: Holy Hieromartyr Babylas

 

September: Day 4: Teaching 2: Holy Hieromartyr Babylas of Antioch 

  

Homily on Saint Babylas of Antioch (St. John Chrysostom)

  

The Demons Fear the Relics of Saint Babylas

 

 

September: Day 4: Teaching 2: Holy Hieromartyr Babylas of Antioch

September: Day 4: Teaching 2: 
Holy Hieromartyr Babylas of Antioch
 
(Do Not Associate With the Wicked)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. From the life of the Holy Hieromartyr Babylas it is known that three of his disciples - Prilidian, Urban and Epolonius - loved their holy mentor more than their parents and together with him suffered for Christ, inheriting, thanks to the guidance of Saint Babylas, eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven. Their example teaches all young men to seek friendship not with the wicked, but with pious people. Friendship with the wicked can sooner or later expose both our soul and body to the greatest danger. Both the word of God and human life convince us of this.

An Eyewitness Account of the Translation of the Relics of Saint Nektarios

By Archimandrite Timotheos Kalaberidis

I came to the Monastery in October 1952, at the age of 55. The following year – specifically on September 2, 1953 – the Translation of the Sacred Relics of Saint Nektarios took place.

The translation, as it was decided in the summer, took place after dusk. It would have been 8-9, it was basically night. We had no electricity. We worked with lamps with petrol oil. Everyone, all around, with lit candles and lamps. At the beginning, the service was read. After we took out the holy relics, we placed them in basins. We washed them with rosewater and other perfumes. Some relics had the cloth stuck to them. We cleaned them. We did a Pannychida and placed them in the church for veneration. The fragrance that emitted all around cannot be described. What a thing that was! Amazing! We placed them in the middle of the church, the skull and the rest of the relics. We also put there the hierarchal miter, the staff and the dikirion and trikirion. People passed by and kissed them with emotion. The Bishop told me and Father Amphilochios Makris to take care of the decorum of the relics.

Prologue in Sermons: September 3

Against Anger and Resentment

September 3

(Holding Anger Against One's Neighbor Gives Place to the Devil) 

By Archpriest Victor Guryev 

 

A certain monk named Isaac recounted the following incident from his life. "One day," he said, "I quarreled with my brother and became angry with him. Meanwhile, while sitting at my handiwork, I remembered my quarrel, repented, and, troubled by the fear of accountability before God, I pondered: 'what should I do?' At that moment, a certain young man entered and, without making the sign of the cross as one ought, said: 'You have sinned and are troubled; surrender yourself to me and you will be at peace.' I, realizing that this was the devil, replied: 'Go away, for you are not from God.' He said to me: 'I pity you: you ruin your own soul, yet you are still mine.' I replied, 'No, I am not yours, devil; I am God's.' He then said: 'The anger of those who hold grudges and remember evil has been entrusted to us by God; yet you have been angry with your brother for three weeks.' I responded: 'You lie.' And he said: 'You harbor ill will against him; but those who hold onto grudges await the fire of Gehenna, and I am assigned to such people, and you are mine.' Hearing this, I immediately went to my brother, bowed to him, and reconciled with him. And what happened? Upon returning home, I found that the devil, unable to bear my reconciliation, in his malice had burned my handiwork and the mat that I usually laid down when I prayed."