December: Day 26: Teaching 4: Synaxis of the Most Holy Theotokos

December: Day 26: Teaching 4:
Synaxis of the Most Holy Theotokos
 
(The Inner Image of the Mother of God)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. On the day of the Synaxis of the Most Holy Theotokos, that is, the gathering of believers for the glorification of the Mother of God, it would be appropriate, brethren, to make at least the weakest attempt to depict before you the inner image of the Mother of God.

II. Truly, my brethren, what astonishes us in the Most Pure Virgin is not so much the immaculate and pure beauty of her external body, but the inward perfection of her soul: "for all the glory of the King's daughter is within." The virtues of the Most Holy Theotokos and the grace of the Holy Spirit, which purified her for the great work of being the Mother of God, placed her above all, not only righteous and holy people, but even the heavenly powers. Her zeal for prayer and pious pursuits, Her ever-virginal purity and chastity, Her faith in the promises of God, Her constant attentiveness to the ways of God's Providence, Her boundless devotion to the will of God, Her good-natured endurance of difficult life circumstances, Her unwavering courage amidst the greatest temptations and sorrows, Her maternal care and warmth of heart towards her relatives, and most importantly Her unconditional humility in everything: these are the highly moral perfections that were constantly manifested in Her - from infancy to Her dormition!

December: Day 26: Teaching 2: The Second Day of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ

December: Day 26: Teaching 2:
The Second Day of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ
 
(Instructive Lessons From the Gospel Account of the Magi Who Came to Worship the Newborn Savior of the World)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The birth of our Lord Jesus Christ was unknown and humble: His cradle was a manger, His dwelling a cave in the field, and then a simple house. Nevertheless, the glory of the wondrous Infant God was not hidden from a select few; thus, after the shepherds of Bethlehem, the Magi, or wise men of the East, guided by a star, hasten to venerate the newborn King of the Jews. Many centuries have passed since then, and the glory of Christ the Savior has embraced the entire world: He is worshiped by both wise men and simple men, both East and West, and all lands and peoples of the earth. But in the presence of countless worshipers of the Lord Jesus Christ, among whom we, brethren, are counted, let us not overlook the first — the few — of whom the Gospel itself tells us: the Magi. The Eastern sages truly set an example for all of us of how proper worship can be offered to Christ God, born of the Virgin.

Prologue in Sermons: December 26

The Lord Is Especially Merciful To Sinners Who Sincerely Repent and Atone For Their Sins Through Good Deeds

December 26
 
(It Is Not Proper to Lend Credence to Slander)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

Saint John the Theologian teaches: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). What do these words mean? They mean that if we sincerely repent of our sins, the Lord will forgive us and cleanse our hearts from the filth of sin. Is this true? 

2025 Pastoral Encyclical for Christmas (Metr. Hierotheos of Nafpaktos)

Pastoral Encyclical

Sacred Metropolis of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou

Christmas 2025

Beloved children in the Lord, Christ is born,

The feast of Christmas is celebrated within the atmosphere of the Church and in the Divine Liturgy, with the festal hymns and the divine Communion of the Body of Christ. Any other festive expression that is cut off from this atmosphere cannot help our spiritual concerns. The feast, as it is celebrated by the Orthodox Church, is a manifestation of God who became man in order to raise up “the image that had fallen,” and it is a manifestation of divine Grace for the salvation of man.

“Theophany” and “Epiphany” are two words that express the meaning of the feast. The word Theophany comes from the passage of the Apostle Paul: “God was manifested in the flesh” (1 Tim. 3:16), and the word Epiphany comes from another passage of the Apostle Paul: “The saving grace of God has appeared to all men…” (Titus 2:11). With these two words are characterized the Birth of the Son and Word of God as man and the Baptism of Christ in the River Jordan.

Homily Three on the Nativity of Christ (St. John of Kronstadt)

Homily Three on the Nativity of Christ 

By St. John of Kronstadt

“For this reason God came down to earth, 
that He might raise us up to heaven.”
(Akathist to the Theotokos, Kontakion 8)

In these words of a church hymn the purpose is indicated for which God the Word came to earth in the flesh: namely, that He might once again raise to heaven man, who was created for heaven and who fell and was slain by sin, enslaved by earthly passions — on the just condition that man, having realized his extreme delusion and the ruinous nature of the path he chose, should turn with all his heart to God from whom he fell away, repent with all his heart, renounce worldly attachments, love God, and live on earth in a heavenly manner, insofar as this is possible with the help of divine grace. Such is the purpose of the coming of God to earth in the flesh which we celebrate today. He came to turn away from us the utmost dishonor of sin and passions, by which we enslaved ourselves of our own will; to deliver us from destructive bondage to the devil, from the righteous curse and eternal death; to regenerate us by the grace of Baptism, to adopt us as sons, and to grant us the Holy Spirit, by whose help we might live on earth in a manner worthy of our high calling as children of God.

The Nativity of Christ: Homily 2: On the Divine Services of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ (Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko)

1. The Feasts of the Lord

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko 

I. The Nativity of Christ

Homily No. 2. On the Divine Services of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ

I. The solemn ringing of bells today, earlier than usual, awakens you, Christian, and calls you to the house of God for the morning doxology. Do not be lazy to rise and go there together with your family. The event which we solemnly commemorate today occurred very early — in the deep stillness of the night; our Lord was born at the time when the Bethlehem shepherds were keeping watch over their flock by night (Luke 2:8). The shepherds were deemed worthy to hear the angelic glad tidings and the heavenly doxology: go, you too, to the flock of Christ, and from the lips of the Church you will hear the same glad tidings and the same doxology. Immediately before Matins the Great Compline is read today. This bears witness that our ancient brethren and fathers, on this Great Feast, continued their prayers and chants throughout the whole night. Compline is usually joined with Vespers, but in ancient times, on this feast, Vespers and Compline were so prolonged that Compline merged into Matins, and all three services together constituted, in the proper sense, an All-Night Vigil.

Prologue in Sermons: December 25

For Those Entering Military Service

December 25
 
(Our Venerable Father Nicholas the Monk, a Former Soldier)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

When, brethren, the time comes for military recruitment, the majority of those preparing to enlist usually spend their time in an extremely indecent manner. Drunkenness, singing, fighting, and all manner of disorder are seen and heard everywhere. This debauchery has always been so widespread that it has even become proverbial. "He reveleth like a recruit," is commonly said of a man who has fallen into the depths of evil. Brethren, you who are going to serve your Tsar and your Fatherland! Is this how you should act? Is this not a holy and divine work? Truly so. And where the work of God is, is there room for debauchery, filth, and demonic worship? No, brethren, we must conduct ourselves there with all reverence and the fear of God; for it is said, "Cursed is everyone who does the work of God carelessly" (Jer. 48:10). Remember, too, that by joining the military, you are putting your very life on the line; if not today, then tomorrow you could be sent against the enemy, and your life will hang by a thread. And if so, do you really think that God will be your protector when, as now, you offend His Majesty with your unjust behavior? No, brothers, if you wish to survive the war and return safe and sound, then conduct yourself chastely, overcome your impure passions, and have the fear of God in your hearts. Otherwise, do not expect God's mercy.

December: Day 25: Teaching 3: The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ

December: Day 25: Teaching 3:
The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ
 
(On the day of the Nativity of Christ, Christians should bring gifts to their Savior following the example of the Eastern sages: instead of gold - faith, instead of frankincense - gratitude and praise to God, and instead of myrrh - a willingness to do good to people.)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Today we celebrate the Nativity of the Savior of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ. For 5,508 years, people awaited this event. All these millennia, the Lord prepared the world for the Savior's birth. By the end of these millennia, one might say the entire universe, both on the basis of divine revelations and due to the awareness of spiritual weaknesses, awaited the heavenly Redeemer. The Nativity of Christ the Savior occurred as follows. Before His coming, the Jews were under Roman rule. The Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustus, ordered a nationwide census, and every Roman subject was required to register in his hometown. Joseph and his betrothed, the Holy Virgin Mary, were from Bethlehem but lived in Nazareth, so they set out from Nazareth for Bethlehem. Unable to find room at an inn, they stopped to spend the night in a cave outside the city. Here the Lord was born and, wrapped in swaddling clothes, was laid in a manger. The shepherds of Bethlehem were the first to learn of the Savior's birth. An angel appeared to them and told them that Christ the Lord had been born. They were also privileged to see angels praising God and crying out, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those whom He is pleased." They were the first to worship the newborn Savior when they arrived at the cave. After them, the Magi (wise men) of the East learned of the Savior's birth and came to worship Him. They brought gifts to the newborn Christ: gold, as to a king; frankincense, or precious incense, as to God; and myrrh (an aromatic ointment), as to one about to die.

The Nativity of Christ: Homily 1: On the Divine Services on the Eve of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ (Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko)

1. The Feasts of the Lord

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko 

I. The Nativity of Christ

Homily No. 1. On the Divine Services on the Eve of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ

I. As the feast of the Nativity of Christ draws nearer, the beloved names of the Virgin Mary and Joseph are heard ever more frequently in the Church’s hymns; ever more often the Church transports our remembrance to the sacred cave of Bethlehem, points us to the star of the Magi, and calls us to worship the God-Child, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.

II. a) Five days before the feast its forefeast begins. The services from the Octoechos are set aside, and in their place stichera and canons of the forefeast are sung. “The Sun that never sets is coming to shine forth from the virginal cloud and to illumine the whole world,” sings the Church. “Let us hasten to meet Him with pure eyes and pure deeds… God the Word, borne on the cherubic shoulders, having clothed Himself in flesh, comes to be born of the tribe of Judah. Prepare youself, O Bethlehem! Open, O gates of Eden! Adorn yourself, O house of David—Ephratha! Behold, the Tree of Life has blossomed in the cave from the Virgin; her womb has appeared to us as a noetic paradise. By partaking of its fruit we shall not die as did Adam, but shall live: Christ is born to restore the fallen image!… Rejoice, prophets; exult, patriarchs; Christ is born, the King of heaven comes to the earth.”