Sunday of the Samaritan Woman: The Pitcher (Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Mani)

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman:
The Pitcher
 
By Metropolitan Chrysostomos III of Mani

She came to Jacob's well with her pitcher to draw water. The water from which, whoever drinks, will thirst again. However, the Samaritan woman, in the depths of her existence, seeks some other water to quench her thirst. But she does not know it. She thirsts. "The well is deep." She begs the unknown, the great Unknown: "Lord, give me this water." What water?

May: Day 19: Teaching 2: Venerable Cornelius of Komel

 

May: Day 19: Teaching 2:
Venerable Cornelius of Komel
 
(We Are All Wanderers On Earth)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Venerable Cornelius, who we commemorate today, was born in 1445 in Rostov, from the wealthy Kryukov family, who served in the chambers of Maria, the wife of the Grand Prince Vasily the Dark. When Cornelius's parents died, he retired to the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery and at the age of thirteen accepted obedience. The abbot appointed him to be in charge of the bakery, and Cornelius worked willingly. In his free time from this work and prayer, he copied books for the monastery. But Cornelius did not remain long in the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, but "wished to become a wandering monk." After spending some time in his homeland, in Rostov, he went to Novgorod and lived for some time with Archbishop Gennady. Seeing the high life of Cornelius, Gennady wanted to ordain him as a priest, but the Saint considered himself unworthy of this rank and settled in solitude near Novgorod. When word spread about the strict desert life of Cornelius, and people began to come to him from everywhere, the Saint withdrew first to the Savvatievskaya Hermitage (now Tver province), then to the Vologda Komelsky Monastery. Having chosen a remote place 45 versts from Vologda, Cornelius settled there and lived alone for some time; then monks began to flock to him there too. Then Cornelius received ordination as a priest from Metropolitan Symeon and built a wooden church in the name of the Entry of the Mother of God and several cells. Here he had to endure many griefs from robbers, who attacked him more than once, beat him and once almost took his life. The monk was also distressed by the displeasure of some of the monastery brethren, who were dissatisfied with the strictness of the rule that Cornelius had introduced (in its main features this rule was similar to the rule of Pachomios the Great); there were even attempts on the life of the monk, fortunately unsuccessful.

May: Day 19: Teaching 1: Holy Blessed Prince John of Uglich, in Monasticism Called Ignatius, the Wonderworker of Vologda

May: Day 19: Teaching 1:
Holy Blessed Prince John of Uglich, in Monasticism Called Ignatius, the Wonderworker of Vologda
 
(Temporary Misfortunes Are God's Blessings)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Our Russian saint, Prince John of Uglich, who is commemorated today, lived more than three hundred years ago. The Grand Prince of Moscow Vasily suspected his relative, Prince Andrei of Uglich, of treason and ordered him to appear in Moscow. Although the treason was not proven, Andrei was put in chains and imprisoned, where he soon died. Because of their father, his children, Demetrius and John, completely innocent, were also taken into custody, on only one unfounded suspicion. They were transferred from prison to prison until, finally, the prison in the city of Vologda was chosen as their permanent place of imprisonment; here, in severe confinement, the innocent sufferers spent more than thirty years.

Homily on the Fifth Sunday After Pascha: The Samaritan Woman (Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov)

 

Homily on the Fifth Sunday After Pascha: The Samaritan Woman

By Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov

(Delivered in 1964)

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

Christ is Risen!

Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, our Lord Jesus Christ came to earth, taught people goodness and truth, gave us His gospel, showed the example of His life and promised not to leave us orphans without help and instruction. And therefore we must believe that there is no occasion in our life, no matter in which the Lord Himself, either by the Gospel commandment, or by the Apostolic commandment, or by the example of His life, does not teach us how to act. On the contrary, He teaches us daily and hourly how we should live in order to please God.

Thus today's Gospel reading serves as the greatest edification and guidance for us in our spiritual life, teaching us how to manage our path to salvation. The Gospel we read today contains a conversation between the Lord and the Samaritan woman. The reason for this conversation was the following circumstance. Our Lord Jesus Christ, after the Passover feast, was walking from Jerusalem to Galilee through the Samaritan region. Tired from the long journey and the midday heat, the Lord sat down to rest at a well near the city of Sychar. And at that time a Samaritan woman came for water. It was at the sixth hour, or according to our reckoning at the twelfth hour of the day.

Homily on the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman (Righteous Alexei Mechev)

 

Homily on the Sunday of Woman*

By Righteous Alexei Mechev

Our Lord Jesus Christ tirelessly taught His disciples and listeners. Therefore, huge crowds of people constantly followed Him, thirsting to listen to His holy teaching.

And now He preaches at the well. He is tired after a long journey and a hot day. A Samaritan woman comes to the same well for water. The Lord enters into a conversation with her about true prayer, about where one should pray to God, gives her instructions about eternal life, and convicts her of secret sins.

The Samaritan woman, hearing a reminder of her intemperate life, dissolute and with an unlawful husband, was touched by this to the depths of her conscience and heart, did not justify herself, but from an excess of grateful feeling exclaimed: “Lord! I perceive that You are a Prophet” (John 4:19), and led the whole city to meet the Lord.

Saint Athanasios of Christianopolis and the Lake Full of Frogs

While touring his Metropolis, Saint Athanasios the New, the Wonderworking Bishop of Christianopolis (+ 18th cent.; feast day May 17), arrived in Megalopolis.* There was the Church of the Transfiguration near which was a large lake full of frogs.

After Vespers, the Saint stayed there to spend the night in the open air, as he was accustomed to do in the summer to find peace.

Throughout the night, however, he was unable to close his eyes because the large number of frogs croaked, making a great noise. Therefore, he barely managed to close his eyes for a moment.

May: Day 17: Holy Apostle Andronikos and Junia His Helper

May: Day 17:
Holy Apostle Andronikos and Junia His Helper
 
(On Familial Love)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Andronikos, whose memory is celebrated today, was one of the Seventy Apostles and a relative of the Apostle Paul, who lovingly mentioned him in his letter to the Romans (chapter 16:7). “Greet Andronikos and Junia, my kinsmen and fellow prisoners, who are renowned among the apostles and were in Christ before me.” Andronikos preached the gospel in various countries and was Bishop in Pannonia. He suffered a martyr’s death, and his relics, like those of Saint Junia, were later found in Eugenia (a locality near Constantinople).

II. The "familial love" that existed between the now celebrated Holy Apostle Andronikos and the Apostle Paul is instructive for everyone. On the contrary, what could be more outrageous than when relatives live among themselves worse than enemies, avoid meeting, quarrel at every meeting, and especially when they engage in some kind of litigation over property interests. This is no longer Christian, but worse than pagan.

The Only Two Churches Dedicated to Saint Theodore the Sanctified in Greece

Saint Theodore the Sanctified was a disciple of Saint Pachomios the Great and his successor, who reposed in 367 AD. He is commemorated by the Orthodox Church on May 16th. Because he is a relatively unknown Saint of the Church and most churches dedicated to Saint Theodore belong to the soldier saints, there are only two churches in all of Greece dedicated to him - one on the island of Crete and the other on the island of Ithaca.

The photos posted here are all from the church in Crete.

1. Crete

The Church of Saint Theodore the Sanctified in Crete is specifically located in the area of Ano Moulia, Heraklion. The origins of this chapel date back at least five centuries to the years of Venetian rule in Crete. This conclusion arises from the minimal sample of frescoes that have survived inside, which constitute an infinitesimal sample of the rich iconographic decoration that the chapel once had. These few frescoes are blackened and the scenes they depicted are not visible. The temple is small and single-naved and inside it has a very simple wooden iconostasis.

May: Day 16: Venerable Theodore the Sanctified

May: Day 16:
Venerable Theodore the Sanctified
 
(On How Shameful It Is To Leave the Church During a Sermon)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Venerable Theodore, called the Sanctified, whose memory is celebrated today, was a disciple of the Venerable Pachomios and had deep knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. When he was only twenty years old, the Venerable Pachomios ordered him to deliver a sermon to the brethren. Theodore, without any disobedience or objection, led the conversation and said much for the benefit of the monks. But some of the elders did not want to listen to Theodore and said: “What is this? Even every novice teaches us!” And, leaving the assembly, one after another they went to their cells. When Theodore finished his speech, Pachomios sent for those who had left and asked why did they leave the conversation? The elders answered: “Because you appointed a youth to teach us, who have lived in the monastery for many years.” Hearing this, Pachomios sighed deeply and said: "Have you not understood that the devil has caught you in his net? After all, you have destroyed all your virtue with pride. You did not leave Theodore, but fled from hearing the word of God and were deprived of the grace of the Holy Spirit. I am not younger than you, but I also listened to him with great attention." With these and similar instructions, the Venerable Pachomios finally brought the proud elders to their senses, and they no longer exalted themselves and humbly listened to the teachings of Theodore.

May: Day 15: Teaching 2: Venerable Pachomios the Great

May: Day 15: Teaching 2:
Venerable Pachomios the Great
 
(On Getting Away From Heretics)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Venerable Pachomios the Great, whose memory is celebrated today, lived in the 4th century in Egypt and is revered as the first founder of monastic communal living, for before him, in the early days of Christianity, hermits, anchorites and other ascetics who knew neither monasteries nor communal living lived alone.

Having achieved a high degree of spiritual perfection and receiving from an angel who appeared to him in the form of a schema monk the rules and guidelines of ascetic life, Venerable Pachomios founded several monasteries near Tabenna, a place located on the banks of the Nile. Venerable Pachomios spared no effort and wisely governed the numerous brethren, whose number some believe to have been up to 10,000. Pachomios possessed all the qualities necessary for a leader: a higher calling, illumination, and extraordinary gifts of grace. His distinguishing traits were meekness and forbearance. His conversations with the disciples were akin to that of a father with his children.

May: Day 15: Teaching 1: Holy and Pious Prince Tsarevich Demetrius of Uglich

May: Day 15: Teaching 1:
Holy and Pious Prince Tsarevich Demetrius of Uglich
 
(The Mysterious Judgements of Justice and God's Goodness)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Three centuries have passed since the terrible event took place – the murder of the innocent eight-year-old boy, the heir to the Russian throne, Tsarevich Demetrius, whose memory is celebrated today. His martyrdom followed, perhaps, at the very same moments in which we now, reverent before the inscrutable ways of God's Providence, recall this sorrowful end of his.

History tells us that Tsarevich Demetrius, while playing a child's game in the afternoon in the white courtyard near his palace, on May 15, 1591, was unexpectedly struck by an assassin's knife and died a martyr's death, covered in his own blood.

II. Who conceived such lawlessness, and what they sought, we leave to inquire of those who are especially called to investigate the past; but now in the temple of the All-Knowing and Almighty, without whose will not a hair of our head perishes, "let us reverently reflect for our edification on the mysterious judgments of His justice and goodness," according to which He allowed such a terrible crime to be committed in our land, which brought with it so many troubles and national disasters. The Providence of God, which especially protects His Anointed Ones and their race, did not this time turn away the blow aimed at the murder of an innocent youth, with whose death the ancient famous race of princes and tsars of Russia was to be cut short and extinct forever.

Mid-Pentecost Highlights the Key Elements of our Faith

By Fr. George Dorbarakis

The somewhat forgotten and undervalued by Christians of our time feast of Mid-Pentecost (in contrast to the Byzantine era, where it was celebrated in an exquisite manner, so much so that it was considered the feast of the empire: the emperor, dressed in his "royal" regalia, would go with a grand procession to the Church of Saint Mokios, where the Patriarch was waiting for him, in order to participate in the festal Divine Liturgy) comes to highlight to us key elements of our faith, without which we cannot truly be characterized as Christians. In addition to emphasizing the importance of the two great feasts it connects, the Resurrection and Pentecost, it proclaims in an intense manner the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ, which, however, is understood to the extent that man has accepted it not theoretically and from afar, but existentially and personally: that is, that the Lord, precisely because He is God who became man, now functions as the center of man's life, which means that after Christ, the faithful cannot live, move, speak, or think without taking Him into their consideration. In other words, the Christian is (must be) a Christ in the world and Christ is (must be) seen in their existence by every other person on earth. This is the truth to which the Apostle Paul also testifies, when he not only confesses that “Christ lives in me” as the center of his life, but also that every Christian constitutes “an epistle of Christ to the world, which is thus read by other people.”

The Relics of Saint Isidore of Chios

According to the Orthodox tradition, the body of Saint Isidore remained in Chios until the 12th century, when it (a portion) was transferred to Constantinople and placed in the Church of Hagia Irene. Roman Catholic tradition says that Saint Isidore's body (a portion) was stolen by the Latin priest Cebrano Cebrani from Chios (his discovery of the relics took place on December 7, 1124), when Doge Domenico Michiel was wintering in Chios, and taken to Venice in 1125, where it was hidden in the palace of Doge Domenico Michiel.

It was re-discovered in the early fourteenth century and exposed to public veneration in Saint Mark's Basilica, where also a chapel was built dedicated to the Saint. In 1356, the relics of Saints Isidore and Myrope were moved by the Latins to their chapel in the Church of Saint Mark in Venice, thus connecting this martyr from Alexandria with the Apostle Mark who preached the gospel in Alexandria. His relic is kept in a niche above the altar of the Chapel of Saint Isidore in Saint Mark's Basilica.

The Seal of the Pilgrims of Saint Isidore of Chios

 

Saint Isidore was martyred on the Greek island of Chios in 251 AD. This bronze seal dating back to the 6th century, kept in the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, was used by pilgrims heading to the miraculous well of Chios, represented on the right side, into which the body of the Saint had been thrown. The Saint is placed in the center, while on the left there is a boat, in reference to both sailors of which Isidore is the protector and the pilgrims' journey to the island. The inscription reads: ΙΣ ΧΡ / + Ο ΑΓΙΟΣ ΗΣΙΔΩΡΟΣ / ΔΕΧ ΕΥΛΟΓΙ (Jesus Christ / + Saint Isidore / Receive a blessing). This stamp, used to produce pilgrim tokens, has a backward inscription that becomes legible when imprinted in clay.

Chios is the place of origin of the seal, but it was discovered in Thessaloniki. Henry Walters, founder of the Walters Art Gallery (now the Walters Art Museum) in Baltimore, Maryland, purchased the seal in 1912 and after his death in 1931 it was placed in his museum. 

May: Day 14: Holy Martyr Isidore of Chios

May: Day 14:
Holy Martyr Isidore of Chios
 
(Traits of a True Confessor of Christ)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Today we celebrate the memory of the Holy Martyr Isidore. Saint Isidore was a native of Alexandria and lived in the third century. He served in the Roman army. During the reign of Decius, a decree was proclaimed throughout the Roman Empire commanding, under pain of torture and death, universal worship of idols. Isidore was to perform the worship equally with other soldiers, but he courageously confessed himself a Christian. “They can kill my body,” he said during interrogation, “but no one has power over my soul. Let them torture me: I have a true God, Who will be with me even after my death.” After many tortures, Isidore was deprived of life by beheading (251). His body, abandoned without burial, was committed to the earth by his friend Ammonios. Later, part of the relics of the Holy Martyr Isidore were transferred to Constantinople and placed in the Church of Hagia Irene.

May: Day 13: Holy Martyr Glykeria

May: Day 13:
Holy Martyr Glykeria
 
(On How One Should Pray)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Martyr Glykeria, whose memory is celebrated today, suffered around the year 177, during the persecution of Christians under the Emperor Antoninus. She was the daughter of a governor and a Christian. A pagan festival was appointed, during which all the inhabitants of the city (of Thracian Heraclea) were to participate in a sacrifice to the gods; Glykeria, as the most noble by birth, was proposed to be the head of the celebration.

Appearing there and standing on an elevated place so that the people could see her, Glykeria uncovered her face, and everyone saw the sign of the cross inscribed on her forehead.

"Lord!" she cried, raising her hands to heaven, "You, who appeared to the youths in the Babylonian furnace and delivered them from the fire, and stopped the mouths of the lions, and showed Your servant Daniel as the victor; Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, come to the aid of Your servant! Crush this idol and destroy the sacrifices to it."

Chapel of Saint Epiphanios in Limnatis of Cyprus

Just 20 minutes from the Cypriot city of Limassol, northeast of Limnatis, the ancient chapel of Saint Epiphanios is preserved, hidden in a ravine.

The chapel, although almost ruined, preserved remarkable frescoes from the 15th and 16th centuries. Due to its historical importance, it was placed under the auspices of the Department of Antiquities and in 1969 the damaged parts of the north and west walls were completed and its arch was also reconstructed.

In the surviving frescoes, one can distinguish the Platytera among Archangels, Hierarchs, Saint Stephen, the Apostle Paul, Saint Paraskevi and Saint George. On the hill above the chapel, a beautiful picnic area has been created, offering panoramic views of the area, giving additional reasons for a visit. 

May: Day 12: Teaching 2: Saint Germanos of Constantinople

May: Day 12: Teaching 2:
Saint Germanos of Constantinople
 
(It Is Necessary To Venerate Holy Icons)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Germanos, commemorated today by the Church, was born in Constantinople (8th century) and was the son of the senator Justinian. Emperor Constantine Pogonatos killed Justinian; fearing revenge on the part of his son, he gave him to the Church clergy. Germanos, although he did not enter into the service of the Church of his own free will, by his strict life earned the general respect of both the clergy and laity and achieved the rank of Bishop of the city of Cyzicus. For the defense of Orthodoxy against heretics, Emperor Philip exiled Germanos into exile; after Philip's death, he was returned and even made Patriarch of Constantinople, but not for long. When Emperor Leo the Isaurian incited persecution of icon veneration, Saint Germanos appeared as a staunch defender of icons, trying to reason with the emperor and comforting the innocently persecuted. In 730, the iconoclasts deposed him from the patriarchal throne and expelled him from Constantinople. Saint Germanos died in 740. At the Seventh Ecumenical Synod, Germanos was canonized.

May: Day 12: Teaching 1: Saint Epiphanios, Archbishop of Cyprus

May: Day 12: Teaching 1:
Saint Epiphanios, Archbishop of Cyprus
 
(What is the Easiest Way to Convert Unbelievers to Christ?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Epiphanios, Archbishop of Cyprus, who is celebrated today, had Jewish parents and was brought up in the Jewish faith. Once, when he was a youth, he met on the road a monk named Lucian, who was engaged in copying books, selling them and keeping part of the proceeds for himself and distributing the rest to the poor. And so Epiphanios saw a beggar approaching Lucian, throwing himself at his feet and crying out: “Have mercy on me, Man of God! Give me something, for I have not eaten bread for three days and have become completely weak.” Lucian takes off his clothes, gives them to the beggar and says: “Go to the city, sell them and buy yourself some bread.” This act of the pious monk so touched Epiphanios that he fell on his knees before him and declared to Lucian that he wanted to become a Christian. Then he invited Lucian to his home, showed him his property and again began to beg him to make him a Christian. After Lucian left, Epiphanios persuaded his sister to accept Holy Baptism, and both of them, seeing Lucian again, already with tears asked to be quickly illuminated by the Christian faith. Lucian taught them the truths of the Christian faith and then brought them to the Bishop, who granted them Holy Baptism. Then Epiphanios distributed his property to the poor and took upon himself the monastic life.

Homily One on the Commemoration of the Enlighteners of the Slavs and Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodios (St. John of Kronstadt)

Homily on the Commemoration of the Enlighteners of the Slavs and Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodios

By St. John of Kronstadt

"Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct" (Heb. 13:7).

Today the entire Orthodox Church, especially the Slavic Church, celebrates the memory of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodios, who enlightened all the Slavic lands with their teachings and led them to Christ.

What treasure is more precious than the treasure of the faith of Christ, the Orthodox faith? Truly, there is no more precious treasure than the treasure of the true faith: because the true faith gives us knowledge of the true God, and unites us with God, and in union with God there is also blessedness; therefore, the Author of our faith, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, calls faith in Him both a treasure hidden in a field, and a priceless pearl. And this treasure of the true faith was handed down to us, in our native language, by the aforementioned two equal-to-the-apostles and native brothers, Saints Methodios and Cyril. Our ancestors, like all Slavs, Moravians, Serbs, Czechs, Poles and others, were idolaters in ancient times, giving glory befitting the one, living God to soulless idols. Thus the Russians worshipped Svarog or Perun, Dazhbog or the sun and fire and many other imaginary gods and idols, sacrificed living children to Perun, as the Jews once did to Moloch; they did not know about the sweetest Savior of men, Jesus Christ the Son of God, and about the eternal life granted to those who believe in Him, and they perished in their polytheistic or godless faith.

May: Day 11: Teaching 2: Holy Hieromartyr Mokios

May: Day 11: Teaching 2:
Holy Hieromartyr Mokios
 
(What Does the Memory of the Early Days and the Past Fate of the Church of God Teach Us?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. During the terrible persecution under Diocletian, in the Macedonian city of Amphipolis there lived a priest named Mokios, whose memory is celebrated today. Full of ardent zeal for God and love for his neighbors, he could not indifferently see sacrifices to idols, and loudly exhorted the people to abandon false gods. When the proconsul, or judge of that region, arrived in the city, the pagans brought him a complaint against Mokios: "There is a Christian teacher here," they said, "who deceives the people, persuading everyone to believe in a crucified and dead man, and many listen to him. Thus, if this is not prevented, the whole city will follow him, and the temples of the gods will be abolished."

The proconsul summoned Mokios to him and began to persuade him to renounce Christ; his admonitions were in vain. Then he ordered Mokios to be cruelly tortured; they tore his body with iron claws, but he remained calm and exclaimed: “Master, reigning forever and shining upon us with rays of truth, reveal to Your servants Your Divinity, and grant me the strength to suffer for Your commandments.”

May: Day 11: Teaching 1: Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodios

 

May: Day 11: Teaching 1:
Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodios
 
(Lessons From Their Lives:
a. We Must Have Brotherly Love and Unanimity, and
b. Cherish our Faith Above All Else)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saints Cyril (in the world Constantine) and Methodios, whose memory is celebrated today, were the children of Leo, the Grand Duke of Thessaloniki, a Slav who received a high education from the Greeks. Their mother's name was Maria. The eldest of the brothers, Methodios, first ruled a Slavic region near Thessaloniki, and then withdrew to Asia Minor, to Mount Olympus, for feats of piety. Cyril studied first at home, then in Constantinople, together with the young Emperor Michael, under the famous learned man Photios, who later became Patriarch. For his extensive knowledge he was called a Philosopher. After completing his studies, Cyril was first a bookkeeper at the Hagia Sophia Cathedral, then taught philosophy. But the world did not bind him to itself, and soon Cyril, leaving all his worldly pursuits, settled with his brother on Mount Olympus.

Homily on the Sunday of the Paralytic (Metropolitan Nikodemos of Patras)

Homily on the Sunday of the Paralytic

By Metropolitan Nikodemos of Patras

“Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up” (John 5:78).

In the lives of individuals and societies, there are many necessities and problems. In order to overcome and solve them, after God, many factors contribute. And first among them is the human agent, as we shall see.

The paralytic, about whom today’s Holy Gospel speaks, hopes in God. And he awaits the miracle of his healing, for 38 consecutive years, lying on a bed, near the miraculous pool of Bethesda. He awaits the joyful hour of healing and his release from his long-term immobility and confinement to the bed of pain.

But he experiences countless disappointments. While “an angel descended from time to time into the pool and stirred up the water, (and each time) “the first one who stepped in after the stirring of the water was made well,” he was left with the complaint that “another one steps in before him” and is healed.

Sunday of the Paralytic: Do Not Say You Are Alone (Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Mani)

Sunday of the Paralytic: 

Do Not Say You Are Alone

 

By Metropolitan Chrysostomos III of Mani

"I have no one," said that tortured paralytic, where he sat and waited for the miracle, near the sheep gate in Jerusalem. He said it to himself for thirty-eight years and then his eyes would water. There was no sadness painted on his face but something more - bitterness. The disappointing bitterness of loneliness. No one was there to lift him up and put him in the pool when the angel came from heaven. He was alone in a flood of people. With the cry of the suffering of his physical problem and the pain of abandonment. But he also expressed this complaint of loneliness to Christ. And the Lord healed him. He said to him: “Take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well, and he took up his bed and walked (John 5:8-9).

May: Day 10: Holy Apostle Simon the Zealot

May: Day 10:
Holy Apostle Simon the Zealot
 
(About Love for God)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Apostle Simon, whose memory is celebrated today, is also called the Canaanite, because of his origin in Cana of Galilee, where the Savior showed the first example of miracles, turning water into wine at a wedding feast, at which He and His Most Pure Mother were among the invited guests. Simon is called a Zealot in the sense of being a fervent advocate of faith, according to the translation of that same word: Cana, which in Hebrew means fervor and diligence.

Based on legends, it is assumed that he preached the faith in Egypt and Britain, where he suffered a martyr's death, being crucified on the cross.

Saint Dimitri of Rostov believes that the Holy Apostle Simon (the groom at whose wedding feast the Lord performed His first miracle) received the name Zealot because he was inflamed with “such zealous love” for Christ that he left his bride for him, betrothed his soul to the immortal Christ and was numbered by Him among His twelve apostles.

The "Coal" of the Prophet Isaiah

 

By Metropolitan Chrysostomos III of Mani

He is the first of the “major prophets.” The “most loud” and the so-called “fifth evangelist.”

The Prophet Isaiah was born around 770 BC, coming from a noble family. He lived in Jerusalem.

He was called by God to the prophetic office through a divine vision and his activity extends over a full fifty years with the power of his pen and his word.

Indeed, the Prophet Isaiah admonished the people and advised the rulers, stood as a consolation to the righteous and prophesied punishments for the impiety of the rulers and the people.

He lived during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah and Manasseh. The era was certainly extremely critical.

Furthermore, Isaiah became the bearer of very important divine revelations, which referred to the coming, the work and the salvation of mankind by the Savior and Redeemer, our Lord Jesus Christ.

He was a wonderful personality and the Book of Isaiah holds a prominent place in world literature, and he himself has been described as “one of the greatest orators of the world”.

Saint Christopher - A Carrier of God

By Fr. Augoustinos Vlachos

A few days ago, the face of the Saint whom our Church honors today, Saint Christopher, unexpectedly found himself in the spotlight, not because of his virtue but because of the issue of the profane “art” that was displayed in the National Gallery.*

Some, trying to justify those blasphemous icons, invoked the Church, saying: “But don’t you also paint saints with dog heads? Doesn’t that depiction offend you?”

So today after the Divine Liturgy, I was thinking about how much ignorance there is, how little we know the language and symbolism of our Church, and I don’t say this in a reproachful way, but with sadness. And the problem certainly does not lie with the well-intentioned (if there are any among them) who ask with sincerity, but with those who pretend to be experts, without knowing what they are saying, who throw out half-sentences and sketchy arguments to justify the unjustified.

Saint Hieronymos of Simonopetra and the Freemason, the Jehovah's Witness, the Evangelical, the Arrogant Intellectual and the Lawyer

By Monk Moses the Athonite

- The Freemason

A spiritual child of the Elder, in the first days after her marriage, was sadly informed that her husband was a Freemason. She immediately went to the Elder to tell him about it. He convinced her to bring him to the Ascension Monastery at the first opportunity. As soon as her spiritual father saw them coming one day, he welcomed them with fatherly affection and great joy. He embraced them both and, taking them by the hand, said to the husband: “From this moment on, you are also my own child and I will give an answer before God for you.” And he gave him permission to receive communion. He objected that he could not fast, and the Elder said to him: “Today eat meat, tomorrow fish, the day after tomorrow oil, and the next day receive communion.” When the couple wanted to leave for America, the husband went with tears to bid farewell to the Elder and wanted to kiss his feet, because with the love he showed him he found his salvation. They had correspondence from America, and in one of his letters the Elder wrote to them: “Keep it as my legacy, because it is my last letter, because I will not be around for another.” As he said, so it happened.

May: Day 9: Teaching 1: Translation of the Honorable Relics of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker

 

May: Day 9: Teaching 1:
Translation of the Honorable Relics of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker
 
(The Life of Saint Nicholas Is a Rule of Faith, an Image of Meekness and a Teacher of Temperance)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Nicholas of Myra, today celebrated in ecclesiastical hymns and readings, was born in the Lycian city of Patara, and in his youth was given over to the service of God under the guidance of his uncle Nicholas, the Bishop of Patara, who later elevated him to the rank of presbyter. During his uncle's journey to the Holy Land, Nicholas governed the Patara flock, and upon his return he himself went to Jerusalem and during the journey by his prayers twice calmed a storm. Returning from Jerusalem, he wanted to continue his service in his native city, but, by special inspiration of God, he moved to the city of Myra, where he was soon elected bishop and showed himself an example of "faith, meekness, and temperance." During the persecution of Christians by Diocletian, he, along with others, was subjected to imprisonment, in which he remained until the triumph of Christianity under Constantine the Great . At the First Ecumenical Synod, Saint Nicholas showed particular zeal in disgracing the heresy of Arius. Glorified by God with the gift of miracles, the great Saint died in old age, in 342, in the city of Myra, where his relics remained until their transfer to the Italian city of Bargrad (Bari) in 1087.

May: Day 8: Teaching 1: Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian

May: Day 8: Teaching 1:
Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian
 
(Christian Love is the Most Reliable Means to the Knowledge of God and the True Beginning of the Activity of a Christian)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. In honor of the individuals for whom celebrations are organized on designated days, it is customary to deliver encomiums that highlight their distinctive qualities, virtues, valor, and merits. What shall we say today in praise of the Holy Apostle John the Theologian, the beloved disciple and companion of Christ? Whatever eloquent and fruitful words one might express in commendation of his sacred and lofty qualities and actions, they will prove insufficient: "Who can recount your greatness, O virgin?" However, the inhabitants of heaven do not require human praise; what pleases them most is our adoption of the spirit and character by which they lived during their earthly existence. From our side, the best gift of gratitude to the Holy Apostle John the Theologian and the greatest expression of pious reverence towards him will be the assimilation of his spirit and his teachings.

May: Day 7: Teaching 2: Holy Martyr Akakios the Centurion

May: Day 7: Teaching 2:
Holy Martyr Akakios the Centurion
 
(On the Holy Martyrs)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Akakios, commemorated today by the Church, a martyr of the 4th century, was a native of Cappadocia, a Roman centurion by rank, and suffered during the reign of Maximian. For his resolute refusal to sacrifice to idols and for his fearless confession of Christianity, Akakios was subjected to cruel tortures, beaten with ox sinews and tin rods, then thrown into prison, where the Holy Martyr remained without food for 7 days. From prison, in heavy chains, he was brought to Constantinople and here, after new tortures, he ended his life under the executioner's sword. Constantine the Great erected a church in honor of the Holy Martyr Akakios on the site of his burial.

May: Day 7: Teaching 1: Commemoration of the Appearance of the Sign of the Cross of the Lord in Jerusalem in 351 A.D.

May: Day 7: Teaching 1:
Commemoration of the Appearance of the Sign of the Cross of the Lord in Jerusalem During the Reign of Emperor Constantius
 
(Reflecting on the Cross of the Lord, we must not only thank the Lord for the salvation He has accomplished for us, but also pray to Him for the forgiveness of the sins we commit.)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Today we commemorate the appearance of the sign of the Cross of the Lord in Jerusalem, which was in the sky in the year 351. It was during the days of Holy Pentecost, that is, between Pascha and Pentecost, on the 7th of May, about the 3rd hour of the day. The Cross was made of light and extended over Golgotha, the mountain of Christ's crucifixion, to the Mount of Olives, from where the Lord ascended, about a two miles distance. The Cross was visible to the entire population of the city, and was visible for quite a long time during the day, and its light was stronger than the light of the sun's rays. The people hurried in crowds to the temples, and all trembled and prayed to the Lord. This heavenly phenomenon converted many of the Jews and pagans to Christ. It foretold that great cross which was to come upon the Church for twenty whole years after Constantine the Great from the emperors Constantius the Arian and Julian the Apostate.

The Vatican City State (Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos)

The Vatican City State

By Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou

The death of Pope Francis gave all the television networks and journalists the opportunity to praise Pope Francis’s humble attitude regarding his stay in the Vatican, his way of expressing himself on various contemporary issues and the instructions he gave for his funeral and burial. Every person has his own uniqueness, his gifts, his way of expressing himself and this is also the case with Pope Francis. Journalists and other analysts, as well as people who knew him, publicly praised him for these. However, we must not forget that, yes, people who hold a position play an important role, but in practice they cannot shape or change the institutional system of an organization of many centuries.

It is known that the Vatican is a State with all its powers, with a Prime Minister, Ministers, it exercises diplomacy in various countries with the Nuncios, it has a Bank - the so-called Vatican Bank - with the movement of enormous sums of money about which much is written from time to time. The clergy are divided into pastors and diplomats, the monastic orders have lost the hesychastic tradition and are concerned with social issues.

Beneficial Advice from Saint Sophia of Kleisoura

Saint Sophia of Kleisoura said:

"The eyes should see and not see.
The ears should hear and not hear.
The mouth should not blaspheme.
The mouth should have a key.
Do not transfer words from one person to another.
Have love for everyone.
Cover over things, that God may cover you.
Have much patience, much patience!"

***

The word that was constantly on her lips was the word of the Forerunner in the desert:

“Repent!”

Job Was Faithful Because He Was Not Bound To This World

By Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol

What can someone do to a person who has hope in God? Nothing!

What is fear? What is it that you fear? The fear of death? Christ abolished death! Where does fear lie? Where does the threat lie? There is only one threat for us. Our threat is one - to lose Christ. That is a threat.

If a person loses his relationship with Christ, indeed, whatever he acquires in his life is miserable. The person who has lost Christ in his life is miserable. And for the one who has found Christ in his life, everything else is secondary.

Righteous Job the Much-Suffering as a Model of Patience and Faithfulness for Saint Iakovos Tsalikes

The prayer that we say every Sunday at the end of the Divine Liturgy, "Blessed be the name of the Lord from now on and forevermore," comes from the much-contested Job. God took away everything from Job while he remained righteous and blameless, not laying the blame on God who allowed these trials, but patiently enduring whatever was sent and remaining firmly faithful to the Lord.

The Holy Elder Iakovos Tsalikes of the Monastery of the Venerable David in Evia also endured many trials in his life from early childhood, and no matter what tribulation he faced, he always remained righteous and blameless like Job, blessing God's holy name and enduring all things with patience and firm faith in the Lord. Concerning this he once said:

May: Day 6: Holy and Righteous Job the Much-Suffering

May: Day 6:
Holy and Righteous Job the Much-Suffering
 
(On Christian Patience)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Righteous Job, whose great patience is glorified in today's ecclesiastical hymns and readings, lived in Arabia 1900 years before the birth of Christ. He was a rich and famous man. He had seven sons and three daughters. His estate included seven thousand small cattle, three thousand camels, five hundred pairs of oxen, five hundred donkeys, and a great many servants. His children loved and honored him; all his neighbors and acquaintances paid him special respect. But this was not the glory of Job: he was rich in holy faith in God and good deeds; he was a merciful man and did much good to people. But in order to glorify the virtues of Righteous Job, the Lord allowed the devil to strike Job with the most difficult and bitter trial. And so Job was deprived of all his earthly wealth and happiness.

Saint Ephraim of the Sacred Monastery of the Theotokos on Mount Amomon

Sketch of St. Ephraim, by the hand of Photios Kontoglou

By Photis Martinos,
Grandchild of Photios Kontoglou

Saint Ephraim is celebrated today and the memories that awaken from our childhood are many.

It is known that Kontoglou maintained a very close and deep relationship with the Monastery of Saint Paraskevi as we called it then, that is, the Monastery of the Annunciation of the Theotokos, better known today as the Monastery of Saint Ephraim, on Mount Amomon in Nea Makri, Attica, and with its abbess Markella (Makaria) from Falatado, Tinos, whom the nuns called - and still call her - "Mother".

Whenever he could, he attended church at the Monastery with the entire "entourage" and he has even written a relevant article in ELEFTHERIA.

Of course, the Monastery had no relation to what it is now. Neither as a building nor in relation to its popularity today. It was a small, almost unknown Monastery in a deserted place, since Nea Makri was also a small village and not the city it is today. Perhaps that is why, or rather why indeed, Kontoglou loved it so much.

How Saint Irene Became the Patron Saint of the Greek Island of Santorini

In August 26-27 of 2024, the Permanent Holy Synod of the Church of Greece, during its meeting, approved the request of His Eminence Metropolitan Amphilochios of Thera, Amorgos, and Nisoi regarding the proclamation of Saint Irene, the Great Martyr, as the Patron Saint and Protectress of the island of Santorini. She is annually commemorated on May 5th.

The issue was also discussed in the Municipal Council of Thera, during the meeting of June 4th 2024, at the suggestion of the Mayor of Thera, Nikos Zorzos, who brought to the attention of the people a document from the Sacred Metropolis of Thera, which stated the following:

"Strogili, Kallisti and Thera were the ancient names of our island of Santorini. The name Santorini was established during the era of the Frankish Crusaders, and comes from the magnificent early Christian three-aisled basilica of Saint Irene (Santa Irini) in Perissa, the ruins of which were discovered in 1992. The basilica of Saint Irene in question was discovered under a ruined Middle Byzantine era church of the 8th/9th century, also dedicated to the Saint and is one of the most remarkable monuments of the Cyclades. It is noteworthy, in fact, that apart from these two churches, the Early Christian and the Middle Byzantine, at the location of Chones in Emporeio there is also a third Middle Byzantine church of the 9th century dedicated to the Holy Great Martyr.

The dedication of three monumental churches to the Early Christian, Saint Irene, from whom the island of Santorini essentially took its name, as well as others much later (in Kato Fira, in Messaria and elsewhere), demonstrates the reverence of the people of Thera towards the Saint, who is proposed to be established as the patron saint of the island, with the day of remembrance on May 5th of each year as an official day of universal celebration in Santorini.

Please request, if you agree, for the adoption of a relevant decision by your Municipal Council, so that the matter can be forwarded to the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece, for its consideration.”

 

Procession with the icon of St. Irene (May 5, 2025)

 

Following the relevant proposal of His Eminence Metropolitan Amphilochios of Thera, Amorgos, and Nisoi, and after a dialogical discussion, the Municipal Council unanimously decided to recommend to the Ministers of Interior and Finance the issuance of a Presidential Decree, by which:

1. Saint Irene is designated as the patron saint of the island of Santorini.

2. May 5 is established as a religious holiday for Santorini.

3. May 5 is designated as a holiday for all school units and services of Santorini, which may optionally take part in the religious events of celebration.

4. It is stipulated that the celebration events will include a general flag-raising from 8am of the previous day until sunset of the day of the celebration.

Procession with the icon of St. Irene (May 5, 2025)

It was also agreed that the decision of the Municipal Council be sent:

1. To the Ministers of Interior and Finance for the issuance of a Presidential Decree in accordance with the above.

2. To His Eminence Metropolitan Amphilochios of Thera, Amorgos, and Nisoi and through him to the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece.

The Permanent Holy Synod responded to the request of the Metropolis and thus Saint Irene is officially the Patron of Santorini with a day of celebration on May 5th. 

 

On May 5th 2025 was the first celebration of Saint Irene as the patron saint of Santorini, which was celebrated by the Metropolitan in the Metropolis Church of the Reception of the Savior in Fira.

 

 

 

May: Day 5: Holy Great Martyr Irene

May: Day 5:
Holy Great Martyr Irene
 
(Lessons From Her Life:
a. Parents should choose a pious mentor for their children;
b. One should believe in God's providence; and
c. One should participate in the spread of the Christian faith)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Irene, known as Penelope while a pagan, commemorated today in ecclesiastical hymns and readings, was baptized in her early youth by a disciple of the Holy Apostle Paul, the Holy Apostle Timothy († 93). The following is known about the circumstances of her conversion to the faith of Christ, from the story of her life by Saint Dimitri of Rostov. Brought up in a country palace, far from the distractions of city life, under the guidance of a venerable teacher and the elder Apeliannos, whom Irene’s father, a pagan, did not know that he professed the Christian faith. Penelope grew in all the virtues characteristic of true Christians, and thus the soil of her soul was completely prepared for the reception of the “good seed.” The time came, and the light of Christ shone in the soul brought up under Christian influence.