July: Day 31: Holy Righteous Eudokimos

July: Day 31:
Holy Righteous Eudokimos
 
(On the Means of Preserving Chastity)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Eudokimos, whose memory is celebrated today, was born in the ninth century in Cappadocia to pious parents Basil and Eudokia. His pious parents also taught their son piety. He was a warrior, but his favorite activities were fasting, prayer, reading sacred books, and the most diligent assistance to the poor, widows, and orphans. Burning with love for God, he desired the highest perfection in spiritual life, and so gave a vow of chastity before God. His chastity extended to the point that he avoided even talking with women. Of women, he conversed only with his mother. Such a strict manner of his behavior made him known to the Emperor Theophanes, who appointed him commander in the Charsianon region. The new high position of service did not change the good pious direction in Eudokimos, he therefore succeeded even more in Christian exploits. But he did not live long on earth, and he had barely reached the age of 33 when he peacefully gave up his soul to God. 

The Holy Great Martyr Marina Who Miraculously Saved Nikisiani

By Athanasios Kafalis

Going up the main road of Nikisiani, which leads to the central square of the Town Hall, next to the village's Rural Hospital, is a jewel of ecclesiastical art, the Sacred Chapel of the Holy Great Martyr and Wonderworker Marina.

It is a small chapel, in the Byzantine style, with its carved iconostasis and its wonderful iconographies.

Entering the small chapel, among the icons of the iconostasis, there is also a portable icon of the Saint, of unknown date but certainly more than two centuries old, as time has left its strong imprints on the holy icon.

Saint Marina is called a Wonderworker and the faithful residents of Nikisiani know this very well, since according to local tradition, Saint Marina prevented the destruction of the village during the difficult years of the First Bulgarian Occupation.

Homilies on the Books of Holy Scripture: The Prophetic Books of the Old Testament (Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos)

Homilies on the Books of Holy Scripture 

The Prophetic Books of the Old Testament 

By Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou

(Sunday, July 27, 2025)

After the historical books that we saw in previous sermons, there are the prophetic books in the Old Testament, which were written by blessed people called Prophets. In addition to the Kings who politically governed the Israelite people and the High Priests who performed religious ceremonies, there were also the Prophets, who performed miraculous works.

In the Hebrew language, Prophets firstly means those who speak in the name of God. Secondly, it characterizes those who spoke with divine inspiration and enthusiasm for the return to God of people who had strayed from Him. Thirdly, it denotes those who see God, but also all the future things that were to happen to Israelites and Gentiles, mainly they saw and predicted the coming of Christ at the appropriate time.

In these three senses the Prophets were the “foreseeers”, the “seeers” of God, they had communion with Him and prayed saying: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” And afterwards, when they received a word from God, they spoke to the people with the phrase: “Thus says the Lord.”

Holy Hieromartyr Polychronios, Bishop of Babylon, and Those With Him

(Feast Day - July 30)

The Hieromartyr Polychronios, Bishop of Babylon; the Presbyters Parmenios, Helimas, and Chrysotelis; the Deacons Luke and Moukos; the Persian Princes and Martyrs Abdon and Sennes; and the Martyrs Olympios and Maximos* suffered in the 3rd century during the persecution of Christians by Emperor Decius (249–251). Having defeated the Persians and taken control of their land, Decius found many Christians there and began to persecute them. The Bishop of Babylon, Saint Polychronios, along with his presbyters Parmenios, Helimas, and Chrysotelis, and two deacons, Luke and Moukos, were captured and brought before the emperor. He commanded them to offer sacrifices to idols. However, Saint Polychronios boldly replied to Decius: "We offer ourselves as a sacrifice to our Lord Jesus Christ, and we will never bow to your worthless idols made by human hands." For these words, the enraged Decius threw the confessors into prison. 

During the second interrogation, Saint Polychronios remained silent. Then Decius remarked to the presbyters: "Your leader has become mute." Saint Parmenios replied, “The holy bishop is not without a voice, but he does not wish to defile his pure lips and cast pearls before swine” (Matt. 7:6). In a rage Decius commanded that Saint Parmenios’ tongue be cut out. In spite of this, Parmenios spoke clearly to Saint Polychronios, saying, “Pray for me, Father, for I behold the Holy Spirit upon you.”

July: Day 30: Holy Apostles Silas and Silouan

July: Day 30: Teaching 1:
Holy Apostles Silas and Silouan
 
(Prison Confinement Should Encourage Repentance That Leads to Salvation, Therefore It Should Be Endured With Patience and Submissiveness to the Will of God.)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Apostles Silas and Silouan, together with the Apostle Paul, preached the word of God. Sent by the Apostles from Jerusalem to Antioch to stop the dispute that arose among the believers concerning the ceremonial law of Moses, Silas from that time did not separate from the Apostle Paul until his arrival in Corinth; together with him, during the apostolic teachings, he endured many sufferings and imprisonment. Upon his arrival in Corinth, he was made bishop, and labored much for the planting of the faith, supporting his preaching with signs and wonders. Silouan was a bishop in the Macedonian city of Thessaloniki, where he suffered much for the faith of Christ and died a martyr.

II. a) Pay attention, brethren, to the sufferings of the Holy Apostles Silas and Paul during their imprisonment in the city of Philippi. For casting out a spirit of divination from a young girl, who was bringing great profit to her master through false prophecies, the Holy Apostle Paul and Silas were imprisoned. The jailer, not satisfied with merely placing them in the "inner prison," also bound their feet in stocks. What did the Holy Apostles do, tormented by beatings, suffering from wounds, unable to find any rest from the painful stocks restraining their legs, at a time when even the unwearied and healthy take to rest? "At midnight, however, Paul and Silas, praying, sang hymns to God." 

Prayer for the Cessation of the War in Ukraine

By Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Mani

Lord our God, the All-Wise, the Almighty, and the Most Merciful, we beseech You and implore You, we who are sinful and unworthy servants of Yours: listen to the voice of our supplication at this hour and cease the raging war in the fields, villages, towns, and cities of Ukraine. Look down from heaven, O Lord, and behold the pain and sorrow of Your creatures, the tears in their eyes, the turmoil of their souls, as well as this death among them.

You know that iniquities and sins have overwhelmed our heads; therefore, be gracious, grant hope and strength. Enlighten the minds and direct those in authority to know themselves and do Your holy will, for "blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God." Send angels from Your holy dwelling place as guardians over all who have fled to a foreign land from the conflict, and grant them patience and consolation.

Prayer for the Cessation of the Heatwave

By Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Mani

O Lord our God, the Almighty and Most Merciful, the Creator of all visible and invisible creation, who sustains the universe with Your great power and governs the world with Your Divine Providence. The bestower of all goodness, You, the great and wondrous One, behold us, Your wretched servants, for we are sorely afflicted not only by day but also throughout the night, being terribly tormented by the heat.

Yes, Lord, before You we have sinned, we have transgressed, and we have committed injustice; we all know that all creation groans and suffers together until now, and there exists a predominance of particular high temperatures and an increased risk of thermal stress, which together impacts humans, animals, birds, and all that grows on Earth.

July: Day 29: Teaching 1: Holy Martyr Kallinikos

July: Day 29:
Holy Martyr Kallinikos
 
(Every Christian Can Contribute to the Spread of the Christian Faith Through Pious Words and Good Life)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Today the Holy Church celebrates the memory of the Holy Martyr Kallinikos. Saint Kallinikos was born in Cilicia and was raised in the Christian faith. He was deeply grieved, seeing that the people in their error worshiped soulless idols and did not know the true God, and decided to devote his whole life to preaching the holy faith. He went around many cities and villages, converting pagans from idols to Christ God. Among other things, he arrived in the Galatian city of Ancyra, and laboring there in the gospel of Christ, he won many for God. The unbelievers seized him, presenting him to the city governor as a corrupter of the people and a preacher of the forbidden law. The governor, an evil and cruel man and hater of Christians, began to severely reproach him for turning the people away from the gods, and then subjected him to cruel tortures, but the Martyr endured them patiently. Then they sent him to the city of Gangra to be burned there. The journey was difficult and torturous: exhausted and weakened by the tortures he had endured, he had to keep up with the soldiers who were riding on horses; iron boots with sharp nails caused him the most severe pain at every step. But the Martyr trusted in God, prayed to Him the entire journey, and God did not abandon him with His mercy. The weather was sultry; the soldiers accompanying him were exhausted from thirst and heat. Kallinikos, pitying them, turned to the Lord with prayer, and at his prayer there suddenly gushed water out of a stone. The pagans cried out: "Great is the God of Christians!" But then they brought him to the city where the execution was to take place. Seeing the fire prepared for him, he cried out joyfully: "I thank You, Heavenly Father, that You have deemed me worthy to suffer for Your name! Receive my spirit in peace." With these words, he entered the fire and gave up his soul to God. This was in the middle of the 3rd century. His body remained unharmed in the fire and was reverently buried by Christians.

A Miracle of Saint Irene Chrysovalantou in New York That Was Commemorated With a Shrine in Chios

Church of St. Irene Chrysovalantou in Olympi, Chios

My Saint Irene Chrysovalantou, I come after 29 years since the construction of your church here in my homeland, on the island of Chios, to tell the story of the miracle I experienced in America, where I lived and have lived for years.

Many years have passed since I built the church and this year, when I happened to meet the Nun who edits the publication of your Magazine, she told me that I had to tell the story of your miracle.

So it was a rainy day in April 1981. I came home from work on a Saturday afternoon and saw my wife who was 5 months pregnant looking upset and I said to her, "What's wrong?" and she told me that she had called the doctor and he told her to go to the hospital on Monday. The hospital wasn't far away and we were there on Monday morning.

After a while, I don't remember how long, time had stopped for me, because the doctor came and said to me: "I'm sorry, but I couldn't do anything for the child; the mother is fine."

Saint Prochoros the Deacon

Written information about Saint Prochoros is scarce. The only mention of his name is in the Acts of the Apostles (6:5), as one of the seven first Deacons ordained by the Apostles. A tradition states that he was the nephew of the Protomartyr Stephen. Apart from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, there is no other mention of his name in an official ecclesiastical document. 

He is traditionally numbered among the Seventy Apostles, and it is believed he first accompanied the Apostle Peter before joining the Apostle John in his missionary travels.

More information is found in the Apocryphal work "Acts, namely the Travels of Saint John the Evangelist, written by his disciple Prochoros." According to the said book, manuscripts of which date back to the 6th century and are preserved in the Monastery of Saint John in Patmos, Prochoros is presented as a disciple and follower of the Apostle John in Asia Minor, in Ephesus and in Patmos. While on the island of Patmos it is believed that the Apostle John dictated to Prochoros his Gospel.

July: Day 28: Teaching 1: Celebration of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God

July: Day 28: Teaching 1:
Celebration of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God

 
(The Great Perfections of the Blessed Mother of God)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Smolensk Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, called "Hodegetria", was painted by Saint Luke the Evangelist. It is called Hodegetria, that is, the Guide, because the Most Holy Theotokos appeared in Constantinople to two blind men and commanded them to go to Her temple, and when they were brought there, she granted them healing, and also because the icon accompanied the emperors on their campaigns against their enemies. From Jerusalem it was transferred to Constantinople. In 1046, the Greek Emperor Constantine Monomachos, giving his daughter Anna in marriage to Prince Vsevolod of Chernigov, blessed her with a copy of the Constantinople Hodegetria. In the 12th century, the son of Vsevolod and Anna, Vladimir Monomakh, transferred this icon to Smolensk. From that time on, the icon was called the Smolensk Icon. 

A Sick Woman Appealed to Saint Panteleimon and He Referred Her to Saint Athanasios Hamakiotis

By Metropolitan Nektarios of Argolidos 

 

Before the war,[1] Mrs. P. S. was sick and suffered from a high fever every day. The doctors could not help her.

One day she went to the Metropolitan Church of Marousi,[2] which was also her parish. She venerated all the icons.

At one point on the wall she saw the icon of Saint Panteleimon. She said to it with familiarity:

"Ah! you are here and I am suffering? My Lord has given you the grace. Make me well. Isn’t it a shame that I run to the doctors?"

Homily on the Seventh Sunday of Matthew: The Healing of Two Blind Men and a Mute Demoniac (Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov)

 

Homily on the Seventh Sunday of Matthew: 

The Healing of Two Blind Men and a Mute Demoniac

By Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov

(Delivered in 1964)

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

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today’s Gospel tells us about another miracle performed by our Lord Jesus Christ – the miracle of healing two blind men and a mute demoniac.

This is the Gospel story:

As the Lord was passing through the outskirts of Capernaum, two blind men followed Him and cried out, "Have mercy on us, Jesus, Son of David" ( Matt. 9:27 )! And when He came into the house, the blind men came to Him, asking for healing. And Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I can do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord!" Then He touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith be it done to you." And their eyes were opened. Jesus then sternly said to them, "See that no one knows about this." And they went out and spread the word about Him throughout all that land. And as they went out, they brought to Him a mute man possessed with a demon. And when the demon was cast out, the mute man began to speak. And the people marveled, saying, "Never has such a thing happened in Israel." But the Pharisees said, "This man casts out demons by the prince of the demons." And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people (Matt. 9:28–35).

Homily on the Holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon (St. John of Kronstadt)

Homily on the Feast of the Holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon and on the Birthday of Her Imperial Majesty Empress Maria Alexandrovna

By St. John of Kronstadt

"Go therefore and learn what this means: I desire mercy, and not sacrifice?" (Matthew 9:13).

Celebrating the memory of the Holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon and the birthday of the Most Pious Empress, what would be more appropriate and edifying to offer a conversation about from the church pulpit than about the mercy for which the Holy Great Martyr was famous during his life and which he miraculously shows to this day to all who resort to him with faith and zeal. A word about mercy is all the more appropriate now that we see this Christian virtue as if embodied in the Empress, this true mother of the Russian people.

So, a brief word about mercy. What virtue is most characteristic of a Christian and constitutes a primary obligation? Mercy. The Only Begotten Son of God, who came down from heaven to earth due to unfathomable mercy toward perishing sinners, and shed His blood for them in the redemptive suffering on the cross, Himself persuades us to be merciful to one another: "Be therefore merciful, as your Heavenly Father also is merciful" (Luke 6:36). "Go therefore and learn what this means: I desire mercy, and not sacrifice?" You know that the entire life of Jesus Christ was a continuous manifestation of the greatest benefactions to suffering humanity: He healed all kinds of diseases, cast out evil spirits from people, gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the mute, the ability to walk to the lame, restoring uprightness to the hunchbacked. He raised the dead and provided unspeakable joy to those who mourned for them. He preached to the people daily, enlightening their minds and hearts with salvific truths. He healed the souls of sinners oppressed by sins and forgave their transgressions. He called out to all sinners: "Come unto me, all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). To His Disciples and Apostles, He bestowed the grace to perform similar acts of mercy: "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils; freely you have received, freely give" (Matthew 10:8). All these deeds they performed before the eyes of many witnesses. After the Apostles, this same gift was also received by many believers in the Lord Jesus Christ in fulfillment of His promise: "These signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover" (Mark 16:17-18). Or: "He that believes on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do" (John 14:12). Thus, the Saints performed numerous miraculous deeds of mercy.

Homily Two for the Seventh Sunday of Matthew (St. John of Kronstadt)

 

Homily Two for the Seventh Sunday of Matthew
(7th Sunday of Pentecost)

By St. John of Kronstadt 

"Then Jesus touched their eyes (the two blind men), and said, 'According to your faith be it done to you.' And their eyes were opened" (Matt. 9:29–30).

The Gospel story of today tells us, beloved brethren, about the miraculous healing by the Savior of two blind men and a mute demoniac whose tongue was tied by a demon. This happened in the outskirts of the city of Capernaum, after the resurrection from the dead of the daughter of Jairus, the ruler of the Jewish synagogue. These two blind men followed Jesus Christ and cried out: "Have mercy on us, Jesus, son of David!" "And when He was come into the house, the blind men came to him. And Jesus said to them, 'Do you believe that I can do this?' They said to him, 'Yes, Lord.' Then He touched their eyes and said, 'According to your faith be it done to you.' And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly said to them, 'See that no one knows it.' And they went out and spread word of Him throughout all that land” (Matthew 9:27–31). The matter is clear: the blind men suddenly received their sight at one word of the Savior, the Creator of man; the Light and Giver of light Himself, spoke a word – and the word became a deed. He said something creative: "Be it done to you" – and the former blind are now able to see. And He gave such a wonderful gift for the faith of the blind men alone, without any merit on their part: "According to your faith be it done to you." So pleasing to God in man is one simple, sincere faith in the omnipotence of God! Faith works so powerfully! Such miracles happen through faith! Do you and I have faith? If we do, then we too cannot help but see in ourselves the wondrous works of God, both in our souls and in our bodies. The Lord is with us even now, according to His Divine promise: “Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20), He said to the disciples before His ascension into heaven. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8). I see the wonders of His mercy and power in me every day and I praise His mercies daily, for they are without number.

July: Day 27: Teaching 1: Holy Great Martyr Panteleimon

 

July: Day 27: Teaching 1:
Holy Great Martyr Panteleimon
 
(Do We Know What the Essence of our Faith Is and Do We Live By Faith?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Great Martyr Panteleimon, celebrated today, was born in the city of Nicomedia in the third century. At birth he was called "Pantoleon," which means "all-lion." Subsequently, the first name was replaced by another, "Panteleimon," which means "all-merciful." .We will call him by this last name, which explains the virtues by which the Holy Martyr was especially famous. Indeed, the Church venerates Saint Panteleimon as an unmercenary physician, a compassionate healer of both spiritual and physical ailments.

Panteleimon was brought up in the Christian faith from childhood, for his mother was a Christian; she explained the commandments of the Lord to the child and tried to instill in him an aversion to paganism. But, unfortunately, the pious mother died when Panteleimon was still a child, and his father was a zealous pagan. He began to take care of his son, took him to the temple of idols, and the lessons of the good mother were apparently erased from the child's memory.

Homily on the Holy Great Martyr Paraskevi - Sacred and Godless Letters (Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos)

Homily on the Holy Great Martyr Paraskevi  
 

Sacred and Godless Education 

By Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou

The Holy Great Martyr Paraskevi is a great saint of our Church, who is honored in the month of July and I can add that she is a saint who is especially honored in our Metropolis. Many parish churches and chapels bear her name and blessed Christians honor her memory. The holy churches are filled on this day, people embrace her holy icon, perform the mysteries and prepare themselves appropriately to commune with the Body and Blood of Christ. This is important, because with the Divine Liturgy and with the Divine Communion we are sanctified and we imitate in practice the life of the saints.

The martyrdom of Saint Paraskevi was terrible and inconceivable to the human mind. No one could make her deny Christ, because she had personal knowledge of His Grace and His presence. She preferred to die rather than deny Christ. The question is, to what is this great faith of hers due, who did not consider either threats or martyrdom and remained faithful to Christ. The synaxarion gives us a detail that is important for the interpretation of this personal faith of hers. He writes: “After the Saint learned the sacred letters, she always studied the Scriptures and, staying in the church of God, was engaged in holy prayer.”

July: Day 26: Teaching 2: Venerable Moses the Hungarian

July: Day 26: Teaching 2:
Venerable Moses the Hungarian
 
(Means to Avoid Sins Against the Seventh Commandment of the Law of God)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Venerable Moses, whose memory is celebrated today, came from Hungary, which is why he is called Hungarian, and was the brother of Saints George and Ephraim and served with them under the Holy Prince Boris, brother of the Holy Prince Gleb. When villains killed his master, he hid from the murderers. In 1018, the Polish king Boleslav captured Kiev and took many boyars captive, including Moses. In captivity, the Saint languished in prison for 6 years. But here he completely surrendered himself to the Lord and vowed to remain celibate forever. It happened that a young, beautiful widow of a Polish nobleman saw Moses in prison and, struck by his beauty, since Moses was very handsome, decided to seduce him, promising freedom and wealth. Moses however answered: "Adam, Samson, Solomon and Herod suffered from women; and will I be free if I enslave myself to a woman? I do not need riches, nor honors, nor any of the blessings of this world. Above all this for me are purity and chastity." But this did not stop the wicked wife. She ransomed the captive, took him into her house, dressed him in rich clothes and began new temptations. But Moses, like Joseph, threw off his rich clothes, turned his face away from the seductress and prayed to God to strengthen him in the feat. Then the Polish woman ordered Moses to be locked up in a stuffy dungeon and starved to death, thinking thereby to force him to sin. Many persuaded Moses to marry the Polish woman; but he answered: "I made a vow before God to lead a chaste life until the grave and to be a monk. You know what is said in the Gospel: 'Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for My name’s sake will receive a hundredfold and inherit eternal life' (Matthew 19:29)." Seeing that imprisonment had no effect on Moses, the Polish woman released him and showed him all her vast estates; but she could not entice the righteous man with this either. Then she began to threaten him with terrible torments, saying: “I will not let you out of my hands alive.” “God is my protection, I fear nothing,” Moses answered, and he himself took monastic vows. When the Polish woman learned of this, she ordered him to be cruelly beaten and finally disfigured him so that he almost bled to death and suffered greatly for the rest of his life. God punished the immoral woman: a rebellion occurred in Poland, and she was killed. Moses received his freedom, went to the Cave of Saint Anthony, and here after 10 years of fasting and prayer he died. Here his relics rest, to which those suffering from carnal passions successfully resort for help.

July: Day 26: Teaching 1: Holy Venerable Martyr Paraskevi

July: Day 26: Teaching 1:
Holy Venerable Martyr Paraskevi
 
(Why Are Our Prayers Often Not Heard by God?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The parents of the Holy Martyr celebrated today Paraskevi, Agathon and Politia, were Romans, who through their fervent prayer to God received an only daughter, whom they named Paraskevi, since she was born on a Friday. Paraskevi suffered cruelly for her confession of Christ during the reign of Antoninus, in the 2nd century. Thrown into a cauldron of oil and resin, she remained unharmed; throwing this liquid into the eyes of the curious emperor, she blinded him, then at his request she granted him sight, and by her sufferings, accompanied by miracles, she converted many to Christ. After her torment she was beheaded.

The Church of Saint Anna in Trebizond

The Church Saint Anna (Greek: Ἁγία Άννα, Turkish: Küçük Ayvasıl Kilisesi) is the earliest of the churches that survive today in the Turkish city of Trebizond (Trabzon), dating to the 6th or 7th century. It has not seen service in over a century, but has recently (2021-22) been thoroughly restored. With whitewash removed, all remaining fresco's have now become visible. The church is accessible to the public free of charge during daytime hours. 

It is a monument directly linked to the actions of officials, who at various times contributed to its renovation or made simple donations. The importance of the church is also underlined by its timelessness: for about 700 years, from the 9th to the 15th century, interventions and donations were made to it, as the inscriptions testify.

The cemetery character - tombs and inscriptions that commemorate the date of death of specific persons - dominates in Saint Anna. The same is true of other, very important churches in Trebizond: in Hagia Sophia, in Theoskepastos, in Chrysokefalo. However, if the last three monuments are intertwined with the local imperial dynasty of the Great Komnenoi, Saint Anna seems to constitute the funerary institution of local officials.

July: Day 25: Teaching 1: Saint Olympia the Deaconess

July: Day 25: Teaching 1:
Saint Olympia the Deaconess
 
(The Essence of the Teaching on Christian Philanthropy)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Olympia, whose memory is celebrated today, was the daughter of noble and wealthy parents who lived in Constantinople in the 4th century. Left an orphan from childhood, she was raised by the intelligent and virtuous Theodosia, aunt of Saints Amphilochios and Gregory of Nazianzus. In her early youth, having lost the groom to whom she was betrothed, Olympia wished to devote herself to the service of the Church and her neighbors. However, many sought the hand of the highly educated, rich and distinguished by her beauty Olympia; the Emperor Theodosius the Great himself wished to arrange her marriage with his relative Elpidios, but she refused even such a brilliant marriage, despite the fact that she had to suffer much for this contradiction to the will of the emperor. When Theodosius was leaving for war at that time (in 388), he ordered the prefect of the capital to take custody of Olympia's estate, on the pretext that she was allegedly squandering it... This was hard for her, because she was thus deprived of the means to help the poor, which was a great joy for her. And so, insulted and upset, Olympia decided to write to the emperor: “Sovereign! You have shown me a favor that is worthy not only of a sovereign, but also of a bishop: by the guardianship that you have appointed over my estates, you have freed me from many burdensome cares. But for my greater peace of mind, be pleased to order that all my property be used for the benefit of the Church and the poor. I have always feared vain vanity, to which a man who gives away his wealth is easily inclined. This is a temporary benefit: contentment with myself and the honor of people could deprive me of true spiritual and eternal blessings..." Returning to the capital in 391, Theodosius ordered that Olympias’ estates be returned to her, noting that “such an intelligent and virtuous person as Olympia would be better able than anyone else to manage her property.”

Saint Athenagoras and His Writings

 

By Vladimir Lovyagin 

In the inscription to the Apology, which scholars believe belongs to Athenagoras himself, he identifies himself as an Athenian and a Christian philosopher. Unfortunately, history has preserved no further details about the life of this apologist. Only two writers mention Athenagoras: Saint Methodios of Olympus (+ 311) and Philip of Side (+ 431). The former cites a passage from Athenagoras' Apology;* the latter said only a few words, which are highly questionable; Eusebius and Jerome remain silent about this writer.** Philip of Side remarks: "The head of the Alexandrian school was Athenagoras. He lived during the times of Hadrian and Antoninus, and presented his Apology in defense of Christians. He professed the Christian faith even at a time when he still donned the philosopher's toga and was a leader in the academy."

Intending to write against Christianity, in order to more surely achieve his goal, he commenced reading the holy books, and, captivated by the grace of the Holy Spirit, became a preacher of the very doctrine against which he had risen. His pupil was Clement of Alexandria, from whom Pantaenus learned. (See Dodvel. Dissertation on Irenaeus, at the end.) However, this is almost the only evidence, and much of it is contested, because in its private testimonies, it directly contradicts the account of the Church historian Eusebius, who lived before Philip and whose historical writings far surpass the meager compilation of Philip, which is poorly regarded according to the opinions of Socrates (Ecclesiastical History, Book 17, Chapter 27) and Patriarch Photios (Codex XXXV), and is grandly titled the History of Christianity. For instance, Philip incorrectly asserts that Athenagoras was the head of the Alexandrian school; for in that case, it is incomprehensible how the works of such a renowned figure could remain unknown even to Eusebius. Furthermore, Clement of Alexandria was not a teacher, but a student of Pantaenus, as clearly indicated by Eusebius (Ecclesiastical History, Book 5, Chapter 10) and Photios (Codex CIX).

July: Day 24: Holy Martyrs Boris and Gleb

 

July: Day 24:
Holy Martyrs Boris and Gleb
 
(On Ambition)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Martyrs Boris and Gleb, celebrated today, were the sons of the Equal to the Apostles Prince Vladimir and suffered death from assassins sent by their brother Svyatopolk the Accursed, who wanted to seize the Kiev throne and saw strong opponents in the brothers. After a bloody battle with the other brothers, Svyatopolk fled from the borders of Russia and, pursued by the wrath of God, wandered in madness through various countries and died in the Bohemian steppes, having acquired for himself the shameful name of "the Accursed."

II. It is not difficult to see, Christian brethren, that the accursed Svyatopolk committed his terrible crime – fratricide – as a result of the ambitious desire that had taken hold of him to be the first among the princely brothers. Thus, ambition was at the root of the crime he committed.

Saint Thyrsos, Bishop of Karpasia, the Anchorite

By Archimandrite Photios Ioakeim

Among the multitude of holy bishops who illuminated the invisible firmament of the Church of Cyprus, is included the select circle of holy shepherds of the Diocese of Karpasia, within which our God-bearing Father Thyrsos, Bishop of Karpasia, the anchorite, undoubtedly holds a prominent place. The other co-enthroned holy bishops of Karpasia are our God-bearing Fathers Philon, Synesios and Sosikrates.

The surviving historical-literary sources for the person and life of Saint Thyrsos are unfortunately meager. For example, he is not included in the so-called Synodikon of Orthodoxy of the Church of Cyprus — as are certainly not included several bishops of the island, known from other sources. The oldest hagiological source for Saint Thyrsos is the so-called Penteorton manuscript of the Karpasite monk Akakios, which he wrote in 1733 and in which he included Services and short synaxaria of five saints of the Diocese of Karpasia, among whom was Saint Thyrsos. The same traditions and similar Services to the manuscript of Akakios are also included in the manuscript of the Metropolis of Kition, written in 1805 by Antonios Teirmentzoglou, a pilgrim, who in this case copies Akakios, but in a free manner.

  

July: Day 23: Teaching 2: Holy Hieromartyr Apollinaris, Bishop of Ravenna

July: Day 23: Teaching 2:
Holy Hieromartyr Apollinaris, Bishop of Ravenna
 
(What Does It Mean To Believe in the Savior?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Apollinaris, whose memory is now celebrated together with the Martyrs Trophimos and Theophanes, came from Antioch to Rome with the Apostle Peter and was made Bishop of Ravenna by him. Arriving here, Apollinaris stayed with a soldier, Irenaeus, and preached to him about Jesus Christ. Irenaeus said: “My son is blind; if you preach the truth, heal him, and I will believe in your God.” Apollinaris ordered the blind youth to be called and, in front of all his household, having blessed him with the cross, he said loudly: “O God, omnipresent! Bring the knowledge of Your Son into this city and let not only the fleshly but also the spiritual eyes of these people be enlightened; let people know You and Your Son Jesus Christ.” He had barely finished praying when the youth regained his sight and fell with his parents at the feet of Apollinaris. Irenaeus was baptized with his entire household. 

July: Day 23: Teaching 1: Holy Prophet Ezekiel

 

July: Day 23:* Teaching 1:
Holy Prophet Ezekiel
 
(About the Resurrection of the Dead)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Today we celebrate the memory of the Holy Prophet Ezekiel. He lived during the reign of the Judean King Josiah and was taken captive to Babylon in the twenty-sixth year of his life. In the fifth year of the captivity, Ezekiel received a divine command in a wondrous vision from God to preach to the Jews and persuade them to repentance. Ezekiel beheld the opened heavens and amidst them a great bright cloud. In the latter vision, the Prophet saw four living creatures; each had four faces - that of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle; the creatures had wings and wheels adorned with eyes, with each having four wings, two hands, and one wheel. Above the heads of the creatures was a crystalline vault, upon which a shining throne was elevated. On the throne sat One who had the appearance of a man. Filled with fear and awe, the Prophet fell to his face and heard the voice of the Lord speaking to him: "Arise, son of man, I will speak with you."

Homily on the Holy and Equal to the Apostles Myrrhbearer Mary Magdalene (St. John of Kronstadt)

 

Homily on the Holy and Equal to the Apostles Myrrhbearer Mary Magdalene and the Name Day of the Most Pious Empress Maria Alexandrovna and the Most Pious Tsarevna Maria Feodorovna

By St. John of Kronstadt

"Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" (John 20:15).

Blessed tears, blessed seeking! Mary Magdalene weeps for the Lord who died for us, for they have taken the Lord from the tomb, and she does not know where they have laid Him. She searches for the Lord or His most pure Body, in order to express due reverence and love to the Body of the Life-giver – to anoint it with fragrant ointment, even though it itself is more fragrant than all scents, though the deceased Himself grants fragrance to all earthly existence. I repeat: blessed tears, blessed seeking! Oh, if only we would weep for the Lord in such a manner when, due to our sins, He is taken away from us – from our hearts – we should weep for our sins, due to which our Most Holy Lord Jesus Christ is removed from our souls, for He cannot tolerate the slightest darkness and impurity of sin in His animated temple, that is, in a Christian. Oh, if only we sought Him with such diligence, with such fervor and love, as Mary Magdalene did! Such tears, such searching would be the most fragrant ointment for our Lord and Savior, and although we do not possess material myrrh, nonetheless we would resemble the Myrrhbearers, bearing spiritual myrrh in our hearts, by which I mean – faith, diligence, and love for Christ, as well as diligence towards our own salvation.

July: Day 22: Teaching 1: Saint Mary Magdalene, Equal to the Apostles

July: Day 22: Teaching 1:
Saint Mary Magdalene, Equal to the Apostles
 
(The Aspects of Her Life That We Can and Must Emulate)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Myrrhbearer and Equal to the Apostles Mary Magdalene, whose memory is celebrated today, is called "Myrrhbearer" because she was among the women who came to the tomb of Jesus Christ to anoint His most pure body with myrrh, "Equal to the Apostles" because she, like the Apostles, preached the name of Christ and His teaching, and "Magdalene" because of her place of birth in the city of Magdala. She was deeply grateful to Jesus Christ for healing her from demonic possession. She was one of the women who followed Jesus Christ during His ministry to the human race, and loved Him so much that she was not afraid to stand at the cross with the Mother of God during the crucifixion of the Lord. After the Resurrection of the Lord, she and the other women went to the tomb to anoint His body with precious myrrh. For this reason the Lord rewarded her by appearing to her before everyone else after His Resurrection, though after the Mother of God, and commanded her to tell His disciples about His resurrection.

Homilies on the Books of Holy Scripture: The Historical Books of the Old Testament (Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos)

King David flanked by Wisdom and Prophecy

Homilies on the Books of Holy Scripture 

The Historical Books of the Old Testament 

By Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou

(Sunday, July 20, 2025)

In this summer’s Sunday sermons, we are referring to the books of the Holy Bible, the Old and New Testaments. We have already spoken of the Pentateuch of Moses, and today we will speak of the remaining historical books, which form a unity among themselves in the Old Testament. This unity includes the following books: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 to 4 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, 1 and 2 Ezra, Nehemiah, Tobit, Judith, Esther, and 1 to 3 Maccabees.

These books cover a long period of time, from the death of Moses, which occurred in the 13th century BC, and extend to the 2nd century BC with the Maccabean revolt, that is, they refer to 11 centuries of Israelite history. As one can understand, an analytical report cannot be made in this brief sermon, but interesting points will be briefly highlighted, so that we may have a general acquaintance with these books.

When Saint Parthenios of Radovisdiou Met Saint Kosmas Aitolos

A unique encounter with spiritual and historical depth is preserved through the tradition and memory of the inhabitants of mountainous Arta.

This is the meeting of Saint Parthenios, Bishop of Radovisdiou (July 21), with Saint Kosmas the Aitolos (August 24), which, according to many historians and folk tales, took place in the village of Velentziko in Arta.

Saint Parthenios, one of the seven great Saints honored in Arta, was born in the early 18th century in Vatsounia of Karditsa, and was ordained Bishop during the difficult period of the Ottoman Empire. His diocese, Radovisdiou, also included areas of the present-day prefecture of Arta, with its seat initially in the mountainous village of Vrangiana in Evrytania and later moved to Velentziko.

July: Day 21: Venerable Fathers Symeon and John his Fellow Ascetic

 

July: Day 20:
Venerable Fathers Symeon and John his Fellow Ascetic
 
(How Should We Regard the Calamities That Befall Us, Seemingly Without Any Fault On Our Part?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Venerable Symeon, a fool for Christ's sake, whose memory the Holy Church celebrates today, lived in great friendship with a certain virtuous and God-pleasing deacon, John. One day, the following temptation happened to this deacon: in the city where he lived, some villains killed a man at night and, unnoticed by anyone, threw his corpse into the deacon's yard.

When the day came and the people saw the deacon with a dead body, then a rumor spread throughout the city that the deacon had killed a man. The rumor reached the city governor, and he began to judge the deacon as a murderer. The latter could not find anyone who could prove his innocence, and the deacon was sentenced to a shameful death by hanging. The unfortunate man was led to the place of execution. At this time, one of the residents ran to blessed Symeon and exclaimed: “Look, fool! Your friend and benefactor, Deacon John, has been sentenced to death. After all, no one cared for you as much as he did, and if he dies, then you will perish of hunger!” And then he told the reason for which the deacon was condemned. Venerable Symeon immediately hid in a secluded place where he was accustomed to pray, and began to earnestly ask God to deliver the deacon from mortal misfortune. The blessed one's prayer was heard. The real murderers were revealed, and the deacon received forgiveness at the very place of execution, perhaps a few moments before it was carried out.

Homily on the Paralytic Who Was Lowered from the Roof (Patriarch John VIII Xiphilinos of Constantinople)

Homily on the Paralytic Who Was Lowered from the Roof 

(6th Sunday of Matthew - Matt. 9:1-8) 

 

By Patriarch John VIII Xiphilinos of Constantinople (+ 1075)

The souls of those who imitate the diligence and industry of bees in a God-loving way are attracted by the sweetness of divine words and reap from them useful and most beneficial things, flying like them over the meadows and collecting from all the evergreen herbs and flowers what is most useful there. And from some words they gather the flower of temperance; from others that of justice; from others that of wisdom; from others that of courage; from others the flower of sympathy and philanthropy towards fellow-servants; from here that of meekness and leniency; from there that of patience and forbearance in suffering. And in general, gathering from everywhere everything that contributes to the salvation of the soul, they deposit it in the hive of the heart, process it and prepare there the honey of virtues, which is "sweeter than honey and the honeycomb."

Let us, therefore, imitate them, my brethren, and when we come to this divine and beautiful meadow, the Church, let us not use our coming here as an occasion for discussions among ourselves, but let us study the Divine Scriptures, which are read for our salvation, and let us seek the spiritual benefit that flows from them, diligently, with great attention and an inquisitive disposition. In this way, sometimes being admonished about this virtue, sometimes being taught about that one, sometimes hearing exhortations about another, and constantly being educated and trained in this atmosphere, we will be able to achieve the virtues ourselves and offer to God the sweetness and illumination that is born from them within our souls, like honey and the honeycomb. For the Divine Scripture always teaches and promotes the things that are God-loving and salvific, and there is nothing in it that does not contribute to the benefit of the soul. So, since this is how things are, let us learn from the words of today's Gospel how great an evil sin is, and that it harms the soul greatly, but it is also the root cause of most physical illnesses.

Homily One for the Sixth Sunday of Matthew (St. Luke of Simferopol)

Homily One for the Sixth Sunday of Matthew

Matthew 9:1-8

(Delivered on August 5, 1945)

In recounting the healing of the paralytic, the holy evangelists Mark and Luke state that when he was brought to the Lord, they could not enter the house where the Lord Jesus Christ was, due to the multitude of people. Therefore, they climbed onto the roof, removed the tiles, and lowered the paralytic on his bed before the Lord.

What a remarkable, audacious, and unprecedented event! 

For when they tore off the roofing, clay and dust fell upon the heads of all those sitting in the house, including that of Jesus Christ. Any other person in His position would certainly have been outraged, would have sharply replied to the audacious individuals who showered Him with dust. Yet the Lord Jesus Christ uttered not a single word of reproach to them. Instead of reproach, He performed the greatest act of kindness – He healed the unfortunate sick man, proclaimed that his sins were forgiven, and commanded him to take up his bed and carry it home.

Homily Two for the Sixth Sunday of Matthew (St. John of Kronstadt)

Homily Two for the Sixth Sunday of Matthew
(6th Sunday of Pentecost)

By St. John of Kronstadt 

During today’s Sunday Liturgy, beloved brothers and sisters, the Gospel of Matthew was read about the healing by our Lord Jesus Christ of a paralytic lying on a bed. I will convey to you this Gospel story in Russian, copied from that very Gospel: 

“At one time Jesus came to His own city,” that is, where He lived, Capernaum. “And behold, they brought to Him a paralytic laid on a bed. And Jesus seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, ‘Child, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.’ Then some of the scribes said within themselves, ‘This man blasphemes.’ But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, ‘Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, "Your sins are forgiven you," or to say, "Rise and walk?" But that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins,' he then said to the paralytic - 'Rise, take up your bed and go home.' And he arose, and took up his bed, and went to his house. And when the people saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men" (Matthew 9:1-8). 

July: Day 20: Teaching 1: Holy Prophet Elijah the Tishbite

July: Day 20: Teaching 1:
Holy Prophet Elijah the Tishbite
 
(In What Ways Should We Imitate the Prophet Elijah?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Prophet Elijah lived eight hundred years before Christ and came from the city of Tishbe, which is why he is called a Tishbite. 

When the Jewish people gave themselves over to idolatry, Elijah predicted as a punishment for this that there would be no rain in the Jewish land, and there was none for three and a half years. 

During the barrenness that occurred due to drought, the Prophet Elijah was first fed by ravens, who brought him meat, and then lived with a widow from Zarephath. Although this widow had only a handful of flour and a little oil in a vessel, neither the flour nor the oil ran out the entire time that Elijah lived with her. This widow's son died, but Elijah begged the Lord to resurrect the boy. 

Out of his zeal for the faith in the Lord, Elijah killed the priests of Baal after they had brought a sacrifice to God, upon which fire came down from heaven, and then announced that rain would soon fall, which came true. 

The Life and Miracles of Seraphim of Sarov: What is True and What is Questionable

The fall from the bell tower in childhood, friendship with a bear, an attack by bandits, a thousand days of prayer on a stone — it is often said by skeptics that all these plots from the history of Seraphim of Sarov are too reminiscent of beautiful ancient tales. Indeed, one of the most famous Saints of the Russian Church is surrounded by an aura akin to that of a mythological hero. So, in his story, what is truth and what is legend?

Interview by Tikhon Sysoev
August 1, 2019

Recently, a substantial study dedicated to the detailed analysis of the life of the Sarov ascetic was published in the series "The Lives of Remarkable People." This book is the result of many years of meticulous work, and its publication has naturally become a true sensation. On the eve of the feast day of St. Seraphim of Sarov, "Foma" decided to speak with the author of this book, historian Valentin Stepashkin, about what is known regarding the life and deeds of one of the most mysterious Saints in the history of our Church.

July: Day 19: Venerable Macrina, Sister of Basil the Great

 

July: Day 19:
Venerable Macrina, Sister of Basil the Great
 
(The Fundamental Principles of Christian Upbringing for the Salvation of Oneself and our Children)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. An example of how beneficial a good religious and moral education is for a child, for a family, and for the whole of society in general, can be found in the life of our Venerable Mother Macrina, who is remembered today and who lived in the second half of the 4th century. The granddaughter of martyrs, the eldest daughter of Basil and Emmelia of Cappadocia, Macrina was raised by her parents, as it is said in her life, “not in Hellenic fables and poetic verses, as parents usually raised their children then (and as they partly raise children in our schools now), but from the Wisdom of Solomon and the Psalms of David and from other books of Divine Scripture, choosing such excellent verses that are both prayers and glorifications of God, and good moral teaching. And the singing of prayers, appropriate to each time and divided into parts, rising from bed and taking up some work, sitting down to dinner, and after dinner giving thanks: at midday and evening she did not pass without psalmody, and before going to bed she had the established prayer performed by her. Moreover, she was taught by her mother in the art of handiwork suitable for young ladies, and she was not allowed to spend her time in idleness and childish games, but was always engaged either in reading books or in manual tasks." This constituted the upbringing of the young Macrina.

July: Day 18: Teaching 2: Venerable Pambo

July: Day 18: Teaching 2:
Venerable Pambo
 
(Is It Possible To Please God Equally With Virtues That Are Different From One Another?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. In the days of Venerable Pambo, whose memory the Holy Church celebrates today, there lived in Egypt two brothers: Paisios and Isaiah, who were the children of rich parents. After the death of the latter, Paisios and Isaiah, having divided a large inheritance between them, said to each other: "What kind of life should we choose?" And in a general council they decided to choose the monastic life. So one of them distributed his property to the poor, monasteries and churches, then went into the desert and there spent his time in solitude in fasting and prayer. The other built a monastery, arranged a hospice and a hospital near it, and gave rest to all the pilgrims who came, served the sick, and fed the poor. Several years passed and both brothers died. After their death, among the monks who knew the brothers, a dispute arose regarding which of the brothers pleased God more. Some said that it was the hermit, while others praised the other more for having founded a monastery and serving the poor, the stranger, and the sick.

July: Day 18: Teaching 1: Holy Martyr Aimilianos

July: Day 18: Teaching 1:
Holy Martyr Aimilianos
 
(The Voice of Conscience)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Aimilianos, whose memory is celebrated today, a Slav by birth, was the slave of a nobleman of the Thracian city of Dorostolum. During a feast of the governor of all Thrace (a merciless despot who was entrusted with the persecution of Christians), Capitolinus with the officials of that city, on the joyful occasion that there were no Christians in the city, since, fearing his name alone, they all hid, Aimilianos entered the temple and smashed all the idols with a hammer, overturned the altars, and then, when the accusation of destroying a national shrine fell on a villager who happened to be passing by the temple, Aimilianos, turning to the people who seized him, said: “Let this man go, because it was not he, but I who smashed your soulless gods.”

To the question of Capitolinus directed towards Aimilianos, as to who taught him, and what made him decide on such a misdeed, Aimilianos answered that the Lord God and his soul commanded him to destroy the idols.

The governor ordered the Christian to be stripped and beaten, then condemned him to be burned. The Martyr fearlessly climbed onto the fire, which was laid on the bank of the Danube, and, standing in the fire, crossed himself, prayed, and calmly gave up his soul to God. This was on July 18, 362, during the reign of Julian.

July: Day 17: Holy Great Martyr Marina

July: Day 17:
Holy Great Martyr Marina
 
(On God's Love for Man)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Great Martyr Marina, whose memory is celebrated today, was the daughter of an idol priest in Antioch in Pisidia; having lost her mother soon after her birth, she was given by her father to be brought up by a wet nurse living in a village on the outskirts of the city. Here, when she was twelve years old, Marina had the opportunity to get to know the Christians who, escaping the persecution brought against them under Diocletian, hid in the mountains and deserts and, disguised as beggars, spread the word of God among the people. Thus Marina also heard the “good news” and accepted it with all her heart. Having heard about what Christ the Savior did for people and what He taught people for their salvation and eternal blessedness in union with Him in His kingdom, the young Marina loved Christ with all her soul and thought only about learning more and more about Him and learning to live according to His law.

Love for Jesus Christ burned so much in the heart of young Marina that she could not hide it and openly confessed her faith in the Crucified Savior, although she knew that she could be subjected to cruel persecution for this. And indeed, soon the ruler of the East, Olimbrius, having met her and learned that she was a Christian, demanded that she be brought to trial.

“I want nothing more than to remain a faithful servant of my Savior!” Marina answered him, “and I should not be afraid of your threats, they should not prevent me from accepting suffering for the One Who Himself suffered for people.”

Seeing the firmness of the Christian, Olymbrius ordered her to be tortured. And Marina's blood flowed under the crushing blows; her whole body was torn; many of those present, pitying her, tearfully urged her to obey the ruler, and he himself covered his eyes so as not to see the torn body of the Martyr.

After the tortures, Marina was taken to prison. Here she faced a new difficult trial: fear and despondency seized her soul. Her body was tormented and she began to be troubled by terrible visions, but God, who dwelt in her soul, protected her from temptation. He visited her with a joyful vision, in the midst of which Marina heard the words: "Rejoice, Marina, you have conquered the malice of the enemy. Rejoice! Soon, like the wise virgins, you will enter the chamber of the immortal Bridegroom.” And at the same time the Martyr felt that her wounds were healing and her strength was returning. She felt the presence of the invisible God and her whole soul was filled with inexpressible joy and grateful prayer. In such a wonderful state she spent the rest of her imprisonment in the dungeon and when she was brought again to trial, she amazed everyone who saw her in the full splendor of beauty and health, as if she did not endure the tortures that tormented her.

Seeing this, many pagans, recognizing the wondrous power of the true God, turned to Him. The number of those who converted increased even more at the sight of the mMrtyr's patience when she was given over to new tortures. The people, struck by the miraculous signs during her suffering, believed in Christ to the number of 15,000, and all of them were put to death by order of Olymbrius, who was frightened by such a spread of the followers of Christ's teachings persecuted by him. Marina, among others, was also beheaded.

II. Christian brethren! We have seen that the conversion of the holy martyr Marina, a former pagan, to Christ followed from what she learned from Christians about what the Savior had done for people: her heart was captivated by God's divine love for man, and she believed in the Lord Jesus Christ with all her heart and soul and loved Him more than her life. If the heart of the martyr was so touched by the reflection on God's love for man, then how much more should the heart of a Christian be ablaze with the power of ardent love for God, after it has learned by experience the countless deeds of God's love for man?

a) In all the works of God, visible to our eyes, traces of the love of the Heavenly Father for us, unworthy sinners, are clearly inscribed. We are surrounded on all sides by living witnesses of His fatherly providence and care for us.

"Shall we look up to heaven?" - stretched out over our heads as a testimony day and night of the greatness of God's goodness to us? From there the merciful Heavenly Father shines His sun on the evil and the good, and rains on the righteous and the unrighteous.

"Shall we look upon the earth?" - how many witnesses are there of the mercy of our Lord and God towards us! By His command it feeds us and warms us, and clothes us and adorns us, and gladdens and comforts us with its inexhaustible treasures.

"Shall we look upon the beasts?" - created for our service? We shall see how the Heavenly Father provides for all our needs. In a word, we cannot open our eyes without seeing in all, even the smallest, creatures, traces of God's goodness to us. And if our hearts were always pure, we could never open our eyes without a feeling of deep reverence for the ineffable love of the Heavenly Father for us. Only unfortunate obstinacy in sins, and pernicious distraction in the vanities of this adulterous and sinful world, makes our hearts so insensitive that for the most part we look upon the greatness of God's works without reverence for His mercy; and often we so forget the goodness of the Lord God, that He, in His mercy, as if forced, finds Himself, in order to awaken in us love for Him, without which we would perish, visiting us sometimes with misfortunes and troubles. But even when He chastises us, He does not cease to be our Father; His hand that strikes us is always filled with treasures of blessings, which He immediately showers on us, as soon as we turn to Him.

b) But no matter how great the love of God is, revealed in the creation of the world and man, and continually revealed in His fatherly providence for us and for all creatures, it is still, so to speak, very small in comparison with that ineffable love which the Heavenly Father showed in the redemption of the fallen human race.

The universe came into being from nothingness by the single word of the Almighty: "He spoke, and it was, He commanded, and it was created." One sign of God was enough for heaven with all its luminaries, and the earth with all its adornment, to appear in all its beauty; and in order to redeem fallen man, the Only Begotten beloved Son of God leaves heaven and His throne, descends to the earth, covered with calamities and burdened with a curse for the sins of men, in order to unite the wretched earth with the blessed heaven and to abolish the curse, to pour out upon it abundantly all the blessings of the Heavenly Father. With infinite humility He takes upon Himself our mortal flesh and Himself becomes man, so that by His humility He may destroy the accursed pride of our forefathers, the source of the fall and all evils, and restore our fallen nature to its former, or rather to its highest and inalienable blessed state. And with what ineffable love for mankind this our Mediator, the Lord and Savior Christ, seeks our lost nature, this lost sheep, so that having found it, He may make it a partaker of His divine nature! Neither labors, nor sorrows, nor sufferings, nor anything tire Him. With what love, finally, our loving Savior lays down His all-holy soul for the salvation of our souls, pouring out on the cross all His divine blood to the last drop!

c) And with what inexhaustible abundance this love of God is poured out into our hearts, when we ourselves do not close them with our unbelief! The Heavenly Father, for the sake of the infinitely great sacrifice of His only-begotten, beloved Son, who offered His whole self for our salvation, opens to those who believe in Him the boundless treasures of His heart, pours out on them His Holy Spirit, Who by His Divine power drives out the darkness of sin from our hearts and gives us the light of faith, arouses us to true repentance, helps us in our infirmities, comforts us in our sorrows, intercedes for us with sighs that cannot be uttered, establishes within us the Kingdom of God; and if we constantly follow His attraction, it makes us holy, pure, capable of eternal union with the all-holy God, for eternal, never-ending blessedness in the heavenly abodes of light and life.

III. But in order to truly become a partaker of the salvation obtained for us by the blood and death of Jesus Christ, it is not enough to bear the name of children of God and Christians, but it is necessary to have the qualities of the sons of God - truly loving God, faithfully fulfilling His commandments out of love for Him; for the love of the Heavenly Father for us, we must reciprocally repay Him with our love. And He requires nothing more from our hearts than that we faithfully fulfill His commandments out of love for Him for our own blessednes.

We beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, if not always, then as often as possible, to turn the tender gaze of your hearts to the Love crucified for us, until Christ is formed in us, that you may be true children of God, heirs of God, and co-heirs with Christ in all the treasures of eternal life and blessedness prepared for those who love Him.  

 

Source: A Complete Annual Cycle of Short Teachings, Composed for Each Day of the Year. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.