FIRST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST - SUNDAY OF ALL SAINTS

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

How Can We Be Saved?

Many people sometimes say: “How can we be saved? We are worldly people, sinners; all our lives we bustle about and sin: cares and concerns have overwhelmed us.” It is sad, brethren, to hear such words from an Orthodox Christian. Pagans who lived before the coming of Jesus Christ into the world, who did not know His teaching, had not been baptized into the Orthodox faith, and had not partaken of the Holy Mysteries, might have spoken in this way. But we, the beloved children of Christ, ought neither to think nor to speak thus, for the path to salvation has been shown to us. It is spoken of, for example, in the Gospel that you heard today during the Liturgy. Let us read it once more and reflect upon what we have read: 

 

“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I also will confess before My Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies Me before men, him I also will deny before My Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 10:32–33).

Do you hear? The Lord requires of the one who seeks salvation that he be His confessor before men. But what does this mean? To understand this, listen to how the Holy Apostle Paul speaks of the same thing: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved” (Rom. 10:9). This, first of all, is what it means to be a confessor of Christ: not only to believe in Him in your soul, but also openly to declare with your lips that you believe in Him; not to conceal your faith from others, not to be ashamed of it, but boldly and openly to show yourself to be a Christian. We speak plainly and fearlessly that our earthly fatherland is Orthodox Russia. In the same plain and fearless manner, confess that you believe also in another Fatherland—the Heavenly One—and that you walk under the protection of the Lord who is in heaven. Yet this alone is not enough to be a true confessor of Jesus Christ. He Himself said elsewhere: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matt. 7:21). Therefore verbal confession alone is not enough for the Lord—He also expects from us confession in deed, so that all our actions may accord with His will, and so that we may likewise openly and boldly show ourselves everywhere and always to be Christians by our deeds. Judge for yourselves: if one of you had a son who praised his father with words but offended him by his actions, would not his father say to him, “My son, your affectionate words are not enough for me; prove by your deeds that you love me”? So too we say: “We are an Orthodox people; we are not Jews or Tatars,” but we must demonstrate by our deeds that we are an Orthodox people, enlightened by the light of Christ’s gospel. A living example for us in this regard is the holy confessors of Christ. They lived long ago, in those centuries when the Church of Christ was still persecuted by pagan emperors. These pagan emperors searched everywhere for Christians and brought them before their tribunals. “Who are you?” they asked the Christian. “What is your name?” “I am a Christian,” the holy champion of the faith of Christ courageously replied, and fearlessly went to the most cruel tortures and to death itself for his Orthodox faith. This is what it means to be a confessor of Christ.

On the Observation the Apostles’ Fast

When Was the Apostles’ Fast Established?

The institution of the Apostles’ Fast dates back to the earliest times of the Orthodox Church.

The ecclesiastical establishment of this fast is mentioned in the Apostolic Constitutions:

“After Pentecost, celebrate one week, and then fast; for justice requires both rejoicing after receiving the gifts of God and fasting after the relaxation of the flesh.”

This fast became especially established when churches dedicated to the Foremost Apostles Peter and Paul were built in Constantinople and Rome, which at that time had not yet fallen away from Orthodoxy. The consecration of the church in Constantinople took place on the feast of the Apostles, June 29, and from that time the day became especially solemn both in the East and in the West. In the Orthodox Church, the custom became established for pious Christians to prepare for this feast through fasting and prayer.

From the fourth century onward, references to the Apostles’ Fast become increasingly frequent in the writings of the Fathers of the Church. It is mentioned by Saint Athanasios the Great, Saint Ambrose of Milan, and, in the fifth century, by Saint Leo the Great and Theodoret of Cyrrhus.

Homily for the Sunday of All Saints (Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Mani)

Homily for the Sunday of All Saints

By Metropolitan Chrysostomos III of Mani

Today is the Sunday of All Saints! After the Lord's Feast of Pentecost, All the Saints come before us as vessels of Grace, as fruits of the All-Holy Spirit. All Saints! The known and the unknown. Unknown, of course, to us, but known to God — known by God. All the Saints stand before us. We venerate them, honor them, and glorify them today, on the Sunday of All Saints.

And these Saints are from the earliest centuries, from that Protomartyr Saint Stephen, all the way to the Saints of our own century, to Saint Luke the Surgeon, Archbishop of Crimea and Simferopol. Saints of every age, of every level of education; holy men and women who received the titles Apostles, Missionaries, Fathers, Teachers, Martyrs, New Martyrs, Venerables, and Confessors. A “cloud of witnesses,” as the Apostle Paul tells us. And as we hear so beautifully in the hymn, we ought to cry out and say: “Rejoice, assembly of the Prophets!... Rejoice, choir of the Apostles!... Rejoice, multitude of the Martyrs!... Rejoice, swarm of the Fathers!” All the Saints stand before us.

Yet, my brethren, have we ever stopped to think, when we stand before the icon of a Saint, what thoughts may perhaps pass through our minds? Perhaps some, when standing before a Saint, before the icon of a Saint, simply come and go, passing by either with contempt or with indifference. Others stand before the icon and think about the iconography itself, that is, its artistic style —w hether it is Byzantine or Western. Perhaps they think about the century in which the icon was painted. They may see only the outward appearance and never proceed to the depth of its meaning.

Translation of the Relics of the Holy Great Martyr Theodore the Stratelates in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church

By Fr. George Dorbarakis

1. Saint Theodore lived during the time of Licinius. He was born in Euchaita and was from there by origin, though he lived in Heraclea of Pontus. He was handsome in body, but even more beautiful in soul, adorned with eloquence, knowledge, and every other kind of wisdom; for this reason some called him Vryorhetor (‘the Powerful Orator’). After passing through every kind of torture, the Saint left his blessed body upon the earth, a body which pours forth streams of healings upon all who approach it with faith. His holy spirit, however, dwells in the heavens. It is the translation of this precious and holy body that we celebrate today.

2. As is often the case, the feast of the translation of the relics of the Great Martyr Theodore contains virtually nothing concerning the actual event of the translation itself. The entire Service is devoted instead to the exaltation of the Saint’s holiness and virtues. Here the hymnographer, Saint Theophanes, repeatedly makes use of the Saint’s very name in order to emphasize that he is “one who bears the name of the gifts of God” (Ode I and elsewhere). He also focuses on the martyrdom that Theodore endured.

Prologue in Sermons: June 8

 

The Pious Should Not Despair When They Suffer Without Fault

June 8

(The Martyrdom of the Holy and Glorious Great Martyr Theodore Stratelates)
 
By Archpriest Victor Guryev

During times of severe affliction, many even among the pious lose heart, become faint in spirit, and say: “God has abandoned me; otherwise He would see what I am suffering and would come to help me!”

Is this so? No. The Lord sees everything, knows everything, and will never allow His servants to be tempted beyond what they are able to bear. And if He does permit afflictions to come upon them, sometimes very grievous ones, it is solely in order to grant them a higher reward in heaven as those who have endured to the end.

As proof of this, let us take something from the account of the sufferings of the Holy Great Martyr Theodore Stratelates. When he had been crucified and, besides the terrible agony of being nailed to the cross, endured other dreadful tortures as well, he finally, exhausted in both body and spirit, cried out:

Homily for the First Sunday After Pentecost, or Sunday of All Saints (St. Cleopa of Sihastria)

Homily for the First Sunday After Pentecost, or Sunday of All Saints

On the Veneration of the Saints and the Angels

By St. Cleopa of Sihastria

"God is wondrous in His Saints, the God of Israel" (Psalm 67:35 LXX).

Beloved faithful,

You have heard in the Holy and Divine Scriptures the words: "As for the saints who are upon His earth, the Lord has made all His desires wondrous in them" (Psalm 15:3 LXX). For this very reason we Orthodox Christians honor the saints of God, knowing that God accomplishes His will in a wondrous manner through them.

From the beginning I must tell you that the Orthodox Church distinguishes between worship, which is due to God alone, and veneration or honor, which we offer to His saints and angels who minister to the salvation of our souls. The Holy Apostle Paul teaches us this when he says: "Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who shall be heirs of salvation?" (Hebrews 1:14).

The purpose of the veneration of the saints is to glorify God through them, according to the testimony of Holy Scripture which exhorts us: "Praise God in His saints" (Psalm 150:1 LXX).

Homily Two for the First Sunday After Pentecost, the Sunday of All Saints (Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov)

Homily Two for the First Sunday After Pentecost, the Sunday of All Saints 

By Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov

(Delivered in 1964)

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

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day, which concludes all the great feasts — the Bright Resurrection of Christ, the glorious Ascension of the Lord, and the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles — the Orthodox Church celebrates the memory of all the saints who have pleased the Lord throughout the ages and who now triumph in Heaven in their victory over sin and evil. They are, as it were, the firstfruits of humanity, redeemed by the Most Pure Blood of Christ and renewed by the grace of the Holy Spirit of God, brought to God the Father through Jesus Christ. They are the blessed fruits of the sufferings, the crucifixion, the glorious Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, the descent of the Holy Spirit of God, and His abiding presence in the Church.

Among the saints glorified today by the Church are people from every land and every age, of every rank and station, every calling and condition, every office, sex, and age. There are kings and commoners, masters and servants, clergy and laity, soldiers and civilians, peasants and craftsmen, husbands and wives, young men and maidens, rich and poor, noble and humble, learned and unlearned — and all of them lived upon the earth just as we do.

Homily for the Sunday of All Saints (St. Sergius Mechev)

Homily for the Sundal of All Saints 

By Holy Hieromartyr Sergius Mechev

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

On the first Sunday after Pentecost, the Holy Church commemorates all the saints, honoring the martyrs, the blessed, the venerable ascetics, and all the righteous who have shone forth throughout the ages.

If on the day of Holy Pentecost we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit, if we celebrate the day of the Church's foundation — for from that moment the life of the Church begins — then on the first Sunday after Pentecost the Holy Church continues this celebration of the Holy Spirit, for today she commemorates those who have constituted and continue to constitute the Body of the Church. She commemorates the true members of the Body of Christ, those who, while still alive and still upon the earth, acquired within themselves the Holy Spirit of God.

When our Lord Jesus Christ was on earth, He did not leave His disciples any written teaching. He came in order to create the Church as His own Body. “I will build My Church, and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it.” He came in order to give life to mankind: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”

Homily One on the Sunday of All Saints (St. Justin Popovich)

Homily One on the Sunday of All Saints 

By St. Justin Popovich

(Delivered in 1965 at Ćelije Monastery)

Today is the Sunday of All Saints. Today the Church celebrates all the Saints from time immemorial, all holy beings, beginning with the Angels, Archangels, Cherubim, and Seraphim, and then all the holy people from the beginning of the world until this very day.

Why does the Church celebrate All Saints today? On the first Sunday after Pentecost, the first Sunday after the Feast of the Holy Trinity, the Church celebrates All Saints in order to show that the Saints are confessors of the Holy Trinity, that their entire life in this world was from the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit; that this world was created to become the Kingdom of God.

Today the Church unveils the souls of all the Saints and tells us their secret: by what they lived, for what they lived, how they lived in this world, and how they became sanctified. Through them the Church has revealed to the world the mystery of the human person, showing that man was created to become a temple of the Most Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Man was created to become the dwelling place of the Lord Christ in the Holy Spirit together with God the Father.

Homily Four for the Sunday of All Saints (St. John of Kronstadt)

Homily Four for the Sunday of All Saints 

By St. John of Kronstadt

“Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Mark 8:34).

What are You saying, Lord? Whoever wishes, You say, to follow You must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow You? Every one of us would like to be where You are, yet not everyone wishes to walk the path that You walked, that is, the narrow, sorrowful, and suffering path. Most especially, very few, very few indeed, are willing for Your sake to deny themselves, to deny their sinful and corrupted will, their passion-ridden heart, or their passions and lusts. Although these have wearied us, although they are destructive to us, they still somehow remain dear to us, and it is painful and difficult to part with them completely. No, the sinner does not desire to follow after You, Lord, but rather after his own heart, after its ruinous inclinations, and after the world which lies in evil.

But the word of the Lord is true and unchangeable. Whoever desires to follow the Lord, that is, to walk the path of righteousness and truth, the path leading to eternal life, must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Him.

But why does the Lord say, “if anyone desires”? Because He compels no one by force to follow Him, but leaves each person free to choose the path of salvation. To every person has been given the freedom to choose good or evil, life or death.

Homily One on the Sunday of All Saints (St. Innocent of Kherson)

Homily One on the Sunday of All Saints

By Saint Innocent, Archbishop of Kherson and Tauride

Today is the feast in honor of All Saints, and we have gathered to celebrate it in the midst of the dwelling place of all — the dead! Is this a fitting place for a feast? I think it is most fitting indeed; for the dead are closer to the saints than we are, if only because, having been released from the bonds of the flesh, they dwell with them in the same invisible world. The dead are also closer to the saints than we are because, like the saints, they no longer sin — or at least they do not sin as we sinners do. Looking at the matter from this perspective, I do not even know, brethren, which place ought more properly to be called a cemetery: the place where the departed rest, or the place where we, the living, are gathered. For here, among so many who have died according to the flesh, there are without doubt not a few who are alive in spirit; while among us, who live according to the flesh, God alone knows whether there are any who are not dead in spirit.

Thus, the place of our celebration is most appropriate to the feast; and those acted most wisely who dedicated this church, intended especially for prayers on behalf of the departed, to the memory of All Saints. For by doing so, the souls of those who rest here have been entrusted to the powerful protection of All Saints, so that every soul may have among them a special intercessor suited to itself. You also acted wisely, brethren, in gathering here in such numbers, in this place of all the departed, to celebrate the feast of All Saints; for both the saints and the dead teach us who are living one and the same important truth: “Mortals, live for God and for virtue; without this, whatever you do, whatever you acquire, whatever distinction you attain, all is vanity and nothingness.”

Discourse Against the Accusers of the Clergy (St. Gregory of Derkoi)

Saint Gregory, Metropolitan of Derkoi, who is commemorated on June 3rd, was hanged in Constantinople together with Patriarch Gregory V in 1821, in retaliation for the proclamation of the Revolution in the Morea. On Sunday, July 13, 2014, the residents of the village of Zoumbata (the settlement of Moira, Patras), his birthplace, erected a bust in honor of their fellow countryman and ethnomartyr, the unveiling of which was performed by Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Patras. Today, I am translating from the booklet Gregory, Metropolitan of Derkoi: Sermons and Hymnographic Compositions, published by the Patras newspaper O Ekklisiologos, no. 365, June 21, 2014, and edited by the monks of Nezerita, his discourse against those who slander the clergy. The booklet has one more sermon and a poem by the Holy Metropolitan.

Discourse Against the Accusers of the Clergy

Composed and delivered by Saint Gregory, Metropolitan of Derkoi,
on the day when the memorial services were being held
for his departed predecessor, the blessed Ananias.

“Why does this man speak blasphemies in this manner? 

Who can forgive sins except God alone?” (Mark 2:7)

I do not know, my Christians, whether you have ever taken notice of this, whether you have ever reflected that when our Lord first began to dwell among men in this world—when, having gathered His disciples and apostles, He went forth to preach the Gospel, when He began to work miracles and teach the divine truths of the heavenly kingdom—there immediately arose so many opinions concerning Him, so many diverse judgments among men regarding His person. Some praised Him and exalted Him to the heavens, while others accused Him and cast Him down to the depths. Some worshiped Him as the true Son of God, while others avoided Him as a companion of Beelzebul. Some wished to crown Him King of Israel, while others ran to stone Him as an enemy of God and a deceiver. Some hastened to hear Him as a glorious prophet, while others desired to bind Him as one who led the people astray and corrupted their minds. Some, seeing Him, rejoiced in Him and loved Him, while others, seeing Him, hated Him and became His enemies. Some proclaimed Him holy, while others reviled Him as a blasphemer.

Homily on the Feast of Pentecost (Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Mani)

 

 

Homily on the Feast of Pentecost 

By Metropolitan Chrysostomos III of Mani

The Book of the Acts of the Apostles describes with precision the historical event of the descent and visitation of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Specifically, it states:

“When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. Suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared unto them divided tongues as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:1–4).

All the faithful were gathered together with one soul in the same place, in Jerusalem, and suddenly, without anyone expecting it, there came a sound from heaven like the roar of a mighty wind. This sound filled the entire house where all the disciples were gathered. Then tongues appeared to them, as though flames of fire were being distributed, and upon the head of each one of them rested a single tongue. Thus the whole of their being, their entire inner world, was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Holy Martyr Loukilianos and Those With Him in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church

By Fr. George Dorbarakis

Saint Loukilianos became known to the broader Church through the renowned and holy Elder of our times, Father Paisios the Athonite. Shortly before 1980, when he moved to the Koutloumousiou Cell of Panagouda, and before he had even unpacked his few belongings and ecclesiastical books from their boxes, he decided to perform the service of the day, June 3, using his prayer rope. When the time came to commemorate the saint whose feast was being celebrated, he became perplexed because he could not remember which saint it was. Then, to his amazement, he saw two men appear in his cell, one younger and the other older. He immediately recognized the younger one: it was Saint Panteleimon. The other, however, he did not recognize. When he asked who he was, the second Saint replied, “I am Saint Loukilianos.” The Elder did not hear clearly and asked again, “What? Saint Loukianos?” “No,” repeated the Saint, who was unknown to him, “Saint Loukilianos.” Then the Saints disappeared.

The Elder was deeply moved that God had responded even to an unspoken thought of his. Yet he wished to verify the vision. He searched through the boxes, found the June Menaion, and saw with great emotion that indeed, on June 3, our Church celebrates Saint Loukilianos. From that time on, the Elder honored this Saint in a special manner and kept an icon of him in the humble chapel of Panagouda.

Prologue in Sermons: June 3

To Those Who Cannot Get Along in One Place and Are Looking for Something New

June 3

(The Teaching of Saint Ephraim on the Impropriety of a Monk Moving from Place to Place)
 
By Archpriest Victor Guryev

There are many, very many people in the world who live by the proverb, “It is better where we are not,” and who continually move from one place to another. In most cases, this is not praiseworthy. What most often compels us to change our place of residence? General dissatisfaction with life, laziness, the pursuit of gain, an inability to get along with others, or, finally, envy of our neighbors. All these are blameworthy motives. Only pressing necessity can justify the desire to change one's place. Therefore, if you wish to leave where you now live, first examine whether your motives are pure and whether necessity truly compels you to do so. Reflect carefully, reflect as a Christian; and if your motives are indeed pure and necessity genuinely requires it, then go. But if not, it is better to remain where you are, for otherwise you will not avoid sin, and you certainly will not receive God's blessing or happiness in a new place.

Homily on the Day of the Holy Trinity, or Pentecost (Fr. Daniel Sysoev)

Homily on the Day of the Holy Trinity (Pentecost) 

By Fr. Daniel Sysoev

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

I congratulate all of you on the feast of Pentecost, on the day of the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, on the day of the manifestation of the Consubstantial and Indivisible Holy Trinity!

On the day of Pascha, the Lord granted His disciples a gift from His Spirit. This was not yet the fullness of that gift; nevertheless, it foreshadowed today's feast, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles in the form of tongues of fire and thereby transformed them, remade them, leavened them anew, made them new beings, participants in a new life, and brought them — and through them all of us — into the Kingdom of God on earth.

It is noteworthy to recall the Resurrection of Christ. The Apostles were sitting in a small locked room, “for fear of the Jews” (John 20:19), discussing the disappearance of the body from the tomb. Suddenly Christ passed through the locked doors and gave them the Life-Giving Spirit, who delivers them from their sins. By His breath Christ dispelled the stale air of that room. In reality, this entire world is one vast stale room in which mankind lives under the oppression of death, bound by space and time, shackled by corruption and decay. Wherever a person goes, he carries destruction and corruption with him.

Homily One on the Third Day of Pentecost (St. Justin Popovich)

Homily One on the Third Day of Pentecost 

By St. Justin Popovich

(Delivered in 1965 at the Ćelije Monastery)

 

There would be no Lord Christ in this world after His Crucifixion and Resurrection if the Holy Spirit had not descended upon the Apostles and founded the Church of Christ. What is the Church of Christ? The Church of Christ is nothing other than the testimony to the Risen and Ascended Lord Jesus, a testimony given by the Holy Spirit through the Holy Apostles, through holy men. Such is the Church of Christ in this world. More than that, the Church is Christ's unceasing testimony through all Christians of every age, a testimony concerning the Risen and Ascended Lord Christ.

Therefore, today it was said in the Holy Gospel that the Lord Christ was powerfully declared to be the Son of God by the Holy Spirit through the Resurrection from the dead.¹ He was powerfully declared indeed—by Him alone, only by Him. For what kind of testimony could have been given by the frightened disciples who hid themselves from the Jews? They had scattered; there were many doubts and much unbelief concerning Christ's Resurrection. They did not want to believe.² Thomas demanded to touch the Risen Lord³—he was full of fear and trembling. But when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Holy Apostles on the day of Holy Pentecost, then the Heavenly Power, all the Heavenly Powers, filled the souls of the Holy Apostles, filled all the faithful, filled the Church of Christ, and laid the Holy Trinity as its foundation, for the Holy Trinity is the foundation of the Church.

The Lord was powerfully proclaimed—but by whom? First, by fishermen, by simple men. No one could say: "Look, they attended great and lofty schools, studied philosophy and science; that is why they are so mighty and powerful, why they testify so forcefully." What do you expect from fishermen? What from farmers? Profound words of wisdom? No, such things were not found among them. "What we have seen and heard, that we testify," proclaims the Holy Apostle Peter together with all the Holy Apostles.⁴ "What we have seen and heard, what our hands have touched, what our eyes have beheld, what our ears have listened to—that is what we preach: Christ the Lord, Risen from the dead."

Yes, we do not preach ourselves; we preach nothing of our own. But then there comes the great witness, glorious and splendid, highly educated and the most learned of all—Saul, who through the Holy Spirit became Paul. What do we hear from him? What testimony does he give? What strength, what power! Yet he too renounces himself: "I am nothing. I am the greatest and foremost of all sinners."⁵ I know only one thing: that the Lord came into this world, was crucified for me, rose again, and ascended into heaven in order to give me Eternal Life. Yes, that alone He grants; only the Lord Christ grants Eternal Life. Even if you are a great sinner, faith—faith in Him—saves you. You have heard the wondrous Good News of Saint Paul, who says: "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes."⁶ I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ.

What are the philosophers of this world? What are the sciences? How does the scientist end his life? The philosopher? The sage? In a grave, in death—which means in corruption, worms, and decay. Therefore I am ashamed of every philosophy, of every science; I am ashamed of everything that does not conquer death in this world.

The Good Lord, the Risen Christ, through the Holy Spirit grants us eternal salvation, grants eternal goodness, grants the true Gospel—the Gospel of Christ, the Gospel of Eternal Truth. Eternal Truth came into our earthly world and proclaimed: "I am the Truth."⁷ I am the Way to Eternal Truth, the Way to Eternal Life. "I am the Light of the world,"⁸ the righteousness of this world, the righteousness of God in this world. People, has any greater gift ever visited you? Has the earth, has any human being, ever been gladdened by such wondrous tidings? No! Certainly not!

Therefore, therefore I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, says the Holy Apostle, for it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes.

The power of God: every sin flees from that power; every death flees from that power; every devil flees from that power. It is the power of God unto salvation for everyone—not human power. There are many powers, but the Spirit is one. God is one, who works all things in all.⁹ God—the Holy Trinity.

What are the powers that the Holy Spirit grants? They are powers that destroy and annihilate every sin, every death, every devil, every hell, every torment, every affliction of this world. When they cleanse a human soul, when they drive out from it death and sin and every devil and every demon, then these divine powers of the Holy Spirit fill our souls with the Truth of God, the Righteousness of God, the Goodness of God, the Beauty of God, the Joy of God, and the Eternal Life of God. Such are the powers that the Lord Christ has given us through His Holy Spirit. What is that Power with which the Church of Christ was clothed on the day of Holy Pentecost—the Power from on high?¹⁰ Those divine powers become ours; they become mine, and yours, and every person's, on one condition: that we believe in the Lord Christ, in the Holy Trinity—the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

 

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These holy powers, these divine powers, the Lord has left to His Church, and each of us can receive them through the Holy Mysteries and the holy virtues. Every Holy Mystery—Holy Baptism, for example—and indeed the entire Holy Trinity participates in our salvation.¹¹ We are baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and everything demonic flees from us, while we are filled with God, with God Himself, with all the divine powers. In Holy Communion, we are filled with the whole Lord Christ. What sort of Power, then, is within us? A holy Power! It comes from the Lord; it is His gift. But how we receive these holy powers depends upon us.

What must we do in order to bring these divine powers into our souls, to cleanse ourselves from every sin, and to fill ourselves with every divine Power: Eternal Life, Eternal Truth, Eternal Righteousness? Today we heard in the Holy Gospel the Gospel of the Beatitudes. This holy Gospel tells us that we Christians are filled with divine powers, with holy divine powers, when we practice the holy virtues in our lives. In the nine Beatitudes the Lord has encompassed all the virtues of the New Testament, all the virtues of heaven.¹²

The first virtue is humility: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”¹³ The poor in spirit are those who humble their earthly spirit before the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, and who feel and affirm: My spirit is nothing compared to the Spirit of God; my spirit, if it is to become something, if it is to be perfected, must be completed by the Holy Spirit, must be perfected by Him, must be filled with Him. And the path to this is humility. To humble one's mind, one's entire self before the Lord Christ, before the Holy Trinity, and to live according to the Holy Gospel: Blessed are the humble, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. And when you humble yourself, you often endure great suffering. You may have to humble yourself before a person who is perhaps quite unworthy, but for Christ's sake you do it, and you do so with great struggle and effort. Yet the Lord grants wondrous consolation; the Comforter Spirit fills your soul with blessedness. That is why the Savior placed as the first condition, as the first call to holy virtue—what? Humility.

Blessedness would not be blessedness if you did not humble yourself. By humbling yourself before the Lord Christ, before His Holy Gospel, receiving Him wholly and entirely, together with the Holy Spirit and the Holy Trinity through faith and humility—behold, the Kingdom of Heaven is yours. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” Behold how seemingly small a virtue humility is, and yet you have brought the entire Kingdom of Heaven into your soul. What mercy! What a gift from the wondrous Lord Jesus, the only Lover of mankind! The holy virtue of humility, and within it the holy divine power that is invincible and all-conquering, cleansed of every sin, every death, every devil, fills the soul with Eternal Divine Truth, Eternal Righteousness, Eternal Life—with the entire Kingdom of Heaven. O man, what more could you ask of the Lord Christ? What more could you ask of the only true God? Behold, for one virtue, for one small effort, He gives you the whole Heavenly Kingdom.

And now the Good Lord speaks to you of a second virtue: “Blessed are the meek,”¹⁴ “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”¹⁵ Penitential mourning is the first characteristic of a true Christian. When, in the light of the Holy Spirit, a person examines himself and his soul, what does he see within himself? Weaknesses, infirmities, sins, defeats, falls. Then his eyes become fountains of tears; then they weep tears of repentance and contrition. The heart repents, the soul repents, the conscience repents, and the eyes pour forth tears.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Yes, the Comforter stands beside you and gathers your tears of repentance. Believe, believe that there is no sin, no multitude of sins, no collection of all the sins of this world, that cannot be washed from your soul and mine by tears of repentance. The gracious Comforter so wondrously stirs the soul and sets it in motion that tears begin to flow, flooding all the abysses of your soul, all the mountains and fires of your soul, and you wash away your sins through your penitential weeping. In this holy virtue you feel yourself to be a suffering sacrifice. In our afflictions He gives us blessedness; through the pangs of repentance, through tears of repentance, through the sufferings of repentance, He grants us tears of blessedness. You repent and feel how the Lord gently caresses your repentant soul. The gracious Comforter refreshes it with the dew of heavenly grace... And then, one after another, come all the Beatitudes.

Then there is the Beatitude concerning mercy—what a wondrous holy virtue, what a holy power! The heart of a Christian is full of the Savior's mercy, full of the goodness of the Comforter. The more a Christian labors over himself, the more merciful his soul becomes. “What is a merciful heart?” asks Saint Isaac the Syrian. “A merciful heart is a heart that prays for all creation, for every human being, for every sufferer, for every person. More than that—for every blade of grass, for every little plant, and even for the demons, that the Lord may save them...”¹⁶ Such is the tenderness of the heart of every true and holy Christian; such is the heart of God's saints, and of all Christians to a lesser degree. The more you strive for your heart to become merciful, the more you feel an ever greater blessedness spreading throughout your soul. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” And again, in your efforts to transform yourself into a merciful being, the Good Lord, the Holy Comforter, pours forth mercy through divine power, through holy and all-conquering power, and you become a hero, an invincible hero, whom nothing can harm. And so it is with all the Beatitudes.

These are the holy virtues, and through them the holy powers descend into our souls, and we ourselves are filled with God as we are filled with the holy virtues. This glad tidings is proclaimed to the world by the Chief Apostle Peter. In his Epistle he writes to Christians—to Christians of all times—and says: “All divine powers have been granted to us by the Lord Christ, all divine powers necessary for life both in this world and in the next,”¹⁷ both in this world and in the next. In the Church holy divine powers are bestowed, and therefore the Holy Apostle says that we must receive these powers.

How can we obtain them—you and I, Peter, Paul, John, Mark? How shall we acquire them, gain them, bring them into our souls? How? Through virtue, through labor, fleeing the corruption of this world, the pleasures of this world, the passions of this world, so that we may show, as he says, “in faith virtue, in virtue knowledge, in knowledge self-control, in self-control steadfastness, and in steadfastness love.”¹⁸ Thus all the virtues draw one another along, are bound together, and proceed one from another. And when we possess them, says the Holy Apostle, we become “partakers of the divine nature.”¹⁹ That means that we are deified; we fill ourselves with divine powers. Instead of sin and death and the devil dwelling within us, behold, there are divine powers, and through them and in them the Most Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit! This is the goal of our life. This is the goal of every human being: to deify himself, to fill himself with divine powers. As the Holy Apostle Paul says in the Epistle to the Colossians: “that we may be filled with all the fullness of God.”²⁰

That is why the Lord came into this world. That is why He took flesh upon Himself: to show that the little human body can contain the whole God and live by God in this world. Therefore we are obliged to fill ourselves with all the fullness of God. Divine holy powers are given to us through the divine holy virtues and the divine Holy Mysteries. Every holy virtue is accessible both to me and to you. What, then, depends upon us? Effort, labor, work, vigilance, growth in the virtues. None of us possesses perfect faith; we must strive for our faith to grow within us. None of us possesses perfect evangelical love; we must labor continually so that divine love may increase within us. None of us possesses perfect prayer; we must strive so that evangelical prayer may grow within us, that it may increase without ceasing.

A Christian is always growing, always striving, always advancing; he never stands still. Saint Gregory of Nyssa says: “A Christian never stands still. If he stops, he has already begun to go backward.” We are always moving forward. Before us lies Eternal Life, Eternal Divine Truth, and these must be acquired continually; they require unceasing labor. Never forget: blessed are those who fulfill the Gospel of Christ, the commandments of Christ. And all who labor in any virtue, who seek to strengthen it within themselves, and amid all trials and afflictions...²¹

Notes: 

1 Romans 1:4

2 Mark 16:11

3 John 20:25

4 2 Peter 1:16; 1 John 1:1–2

5 1 Timothy 1:15

6 Romans 1:16

7 John 14:6

8 John 8:12

9 Ephesians 4:4–6; 1 Corinthians 12:4–6

10 Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4–8; 2:4

11 A few words are inaudible on the tape. — Transcriber's note

12 Matthew 5:3–11

13 Matthew 5:3

14 Here, apparently by accident, the preacher had begun the third Beatitude (Matthew 5:5), but then returned to the second. — Editor's note

15 Matthew 5:4

16 See Fr. Justin's study, The Gnoseology of Saint Isaac the Syrian. — Editor's note

17 2 Peter 1:3

18 2 Peter 1:4–7

19 2 Peter 1:4

20 Colossians 1:10

21 The sermon is unfinished; the tape ended. — Transcriber's note

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.

 

Saint Nikephoros the Confessor of Constantinople in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church

By Fr. George Dorbarakis

Saint Theophanes, the hymnographer of Saint Nikephoros, with a verse that is at once bold and realistic, reveals to us the spiritual stature of the Saint whose feast is being celebrated:

“As Patriarch you stand next to the Patriarch, the divine elder Abraham O Nikephoros. On the second, Nikephoros found his allotted portion in Eden.” (Verses from the Synaxarion)

And he does not stop there. Not only Abraham, but all the great Patriarchs of the Old Testament, such as Isaac, Jacob, and Moses, honor Saint Nikephoros with odes and hymns, considering that he has been added to their own heavenly choir. 

“The choirs of the Patriarchs honor your holy memory, O Nikephoros, with hymns and songs; for they have received your glorious soul as an addition to their ranks.” (Kathisma at Matins)

Why is this so? We might have expected the Holy Hymnographer to tell us first of all that he was the child of a martyr — his father Theodore was a martyr. And yet, not a single reference is made to the saintly father. The Hymnographer, one might say, is dazzled by the holy life of Saint Nikephoros, and it is upon this that he focuses both his own attention and ours.

Prologue in Sermons: June 2

On the Fear of God and on the Fact that the Lord Receives Our Prayers in Every Place

June 2

(A Homily of Saint John Chrysostom)
 
By Archpriest Victor Guryev

In order that the virtuous life may not seem difficult to us, we must hold fast to the following: we must have the fear of God in our hearts, and we must pray more fervently, not being constrained by any particular place for prayer. This is evident from the following.

Saint Chrysostom says:

“If you have learned to sin, then impose upon yourself the fear of God, and you will overcome the habit of sin. Then it will not be difficult for you to conquer anger within yourself and forgive the one who has grieved you. Then it will not be difficult for you to pray to God and ask His mercy. Then you will speak no evil words against anyone. Then you will not envy your neighbor. Then you will learn to love everyone. Then it will be easy for you to avoid foul speech and slander, and you will not trouble others. Then you will not swear oaths. Then you will be merciful toward people.

SUNDAY OF HOLY PENTECOST

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

Jesus Christ on the Last Day of the Feast of Tabernacles

The Feast of Tabernacles, which commemorated the people's rest in the Promised Land after the labors of their wanderings, was a feast of the Law, since at that time special attention was given to its reading. In the prophecy of Zechariah it symbolically signified the time when all nations would gather in Jerusalem to worship the true God. On the last day of this feast, according to custom, there took place a symbolic pouring out of water from the Pool of Siloam (this water is mentioned in the same chapter of Zechariah and also by Ezekiel), which flowed beneath the Temple Mount, while the words of the Prophet Isaiah were sung: “Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters” (cf. Isaiah 55:1).

It was probably in reference to this meaning of the feast and its ceremonies that the Lord, appearing on that day in the assembly of the people, proclaimed: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink” (cf. John 7:37). And comparing Himself to the Temple from beneath which living water flows, He applies the same image to those who believe in Him. Just as He pours forth living water, so those who believe in His name, having received the Spirit, will not only possess this water within themselves, in their own hearts, but will also pour it out for others, spreading everywhere the light of the knowledge of God.

Homily One on the Second Day of Pentecost (St. Justin Popovich)

Homily One on the Second Day of Pentecost 

By St. Justin Popovich

(Delivered in 1965 at the Ćelije Monastery)

Behold the treasury of all blessings, and the treasury of all divine and heavenly powers, and of that Kingdom of God upon earth. For the Church of Christ on earth is indeed the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God for me and for you; and the King ought to reign both in my soul and in yours. If the Lord Christ and His Holy Spirit reign within us, then neither sin nor evil nor the devil will reign. Then we shall be able to overcome everything that separates us from God and the Lord, everything that separates us from Eternal Life, Eternal Truth, and Eternal Righteousness.

The Church of Christ in this world is full of angels, full of Eternal Truth, the Eternal Righteousness of God, and the Eternal Life of God. How does she look upon the sinner? Just as the Lord said in the Holy Gospel: she looks upon the sinner as upon a sick man, and upon sin as our disease, the most terrible and dreadful disease. Yet nothing is easier than conquering sin; nothing is easier than being healed of this most terrible illness. How? Through the Holy Spirit and the Lord Christ.

Holy Martyr Justin the Philosopher in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church

By Fr. George Dorbarakis

 

1. Saint Justin was from Flavia Neapolis in Syria, the son of Priscus, son of Bacchius. He came to Rome during the reign of Emperor Antoninus. Opposing the error of idolatry, he presented written defenses on behalf of the faith and confession in Christ, by which he demonstrated the truth and power of this faith, while overthrowing the errors of paganism on the basis of Holy Scripture. Because he was envied by the philosopher Crescens, he was put to death, though only after first enduring many tortures. Saint Justin, because of the purity and holiness of his life, and having reached the highest summit of virtue and become completely filled with every kind of divine and human wisdom, left behind writings for all the faithful that are full of every wisdom and benefit. For they offer the knowledge of God to all who study them.

2. The Service of the day does not focus only on Saint Justin the Philosopher and Martyr. Since other martyrs also suffered together with him — such as Saints Justin (another martyr of the same name), Chariton, Charito, Evelpistus, Hierax, Peon, and Valerian — the hymns refer generally to all of them, and only to a small extent to Saint Justin the Philosopher alone. Yet Justin holds a unique place among them all, since he is "the founder of the first Christian theological school and a new and striking presence in the Church." This is because, although "part of his theological thought did not become part of the Tradition of the Church, the Church had no difficulty understanding and honoring him, since Justin the teacher, though only a layman, became a martyr of her faith, and because he was the first who, even without complete success, seriously attempted, with boldness and prudence, to set Christian truth in dialogue with philosophical thought, especially Platonism" (Stylianos Papadopoulos).

June: Day 1: Teaching 3: Venerable Dionysius of Glushetsk

 

June: Day 1: Teaching 3:
Venerable Dionysius of Glushetsk
 
(According to the Gospel, what should our charity be like?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Today the memory of the Venerable Dionysius of Glushetsk is celebrated. The Venerable Dionysius, known in the world as Dmitri, was born in the vicinity of Vologda in the year 1362. Who his parents were and how the first years of his life passed are unknown. Information about the Saint begins from the time of his monastic tonsure by Dionysius of the Holy Mountain, abbot of the Monastery of the Savior on Kamenny Island in Lake Kubenskoye. Dionysius remained in that monastery for nine years, and afterward sought a more secluded place and withdrew to the Glushitsa River. After some time, other ascetics began to gather around him and settled near his cell.

Seeing the increase of the brotherhood, Dionysius asked Bishop Gregory of Rostov for a blessing to establish a monastery. “Your desire is praiseworthy,” said the bishop, “for the Lord Himself taught: ‘Where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I in the midst of them’ (Matthew 18:20).”

Greek Customs and Traditions Associated with the Monday of the Holy Spirit

The Monday of the Holy Spirit (Δευτέρα του Αγίου Πνεύματος) is one of the most beloved feast days of the Greek springtime. Throughout Greece, the feast combines liturgical celebration with customs rooted in traditions from Byzantine and Ottoman times, local village life, Pontic customs, and in some cases even practices that some believe preserve echoes of ancient Greek communal festivals. While the feast is centered on the worship of the Holy Spirit and participation in the Divine Liturgy, it is also marked by pilgrimages, fairs, dances, athletic competitions, horse races, communal meals, and unique local celebrations.

The most widespread custom is attendance at the Divine Liturgy, especially in churches and monasteries dedicated to the Holy Trinity (Αγία Τριάδα). Since many Trinity chapels are built on mountains and hills, pilgrims often travel long distances, sometimes on foot, to attend the feast. After the services, large communal meals and festivals frequently take place. Roasted lamb, goat, local cheeses, bread, wine, and seasonal foods are shared. In many villages large cauldrons of food are prepared and offered free of charge to all visitors. This custom survives particularly in Epirus, Macedonia, Thessaly, and parts of Thrace.

Throughout rural Greece, the feast is associated with πανηγύρια (village festivals). Families gather, relatives return to their ancestral villages, traditional musicians perform, and local dances continue well into the evening. In many communities this is one of the most important annual social events. 

Prologue in Sermons: June 1

On Not Judging Priests

June 1

(A Homily of Saint John Chrysostom on How One Ought to Honor a Priest)
 
By Archpriest Victor Guryev

In parishes where there are many schismatics among the Orthodox, the schismatics usually do everything possible to separate the Orthodox from the Orthodox Church. To accomplish this, they stir them up against the priests. As soon as they notice the slightest fault in an Orthodox shepherd, they immediately begin proclaiming it everywhere: "Look at the kind of shepherd you have! See what he does and how he lives! How can anyone listen to such a man? How can anyone go to him for confession?" and so on. And simple-minded Orthodox Christians often yield to these evil suggestions against their spiritual fathers, abandon them, flee from the Church, and, becoming schismatics themselves, become slanderers of Christ's priests. Therefore, in order to stop the mouths of these malicious accusers, and to remove you, brethren, from their slanderous suggestions and calumnies against the shepherd, we present to you the following teaching of Saint John Chrysostom concerning how one ought to honor a priest.