St Herman once asked Russian naval officers docked at Kodiak, Alaska: "What do you love more than anything else and what do you wish for your happiness?”
After listening to a variety of answers, St Herman responded: “For our own good and benefit, let us at least promise to try to love God more than anything else, and to obey His holy will!”
After listening to a variety of answers, St Herman responded: “For our own good and benefit, let us at least promise to try to love God more than anything else, and to obey His holy will!”
The Tsar Ivan the Terrible was feared by everyone. It is said Ivan feared only one person on earth, Basil, the fool (yurodivi) for Christ (Aug 2). St. Basil, who roamed the streets of Moscow in rags, was unafraid to address to the Tsar's face his murderous atrocities. Yet, not only did Ivan not harm Basil, he gave him gifts.
This Y.V. Grafov painting "St Basil Miracle Worker of Moscow" calls to mind an old icon of the saint at Moscow's St Basil's Cathedral, showing the saint clad in only a loincloth and beard.
O Christ our God, Grant us the courage to be fools in the eyes of the world, so we may be wise in Your Kingdom.
This Y.V. Grafov painting "St Basil Miracle Worker of Moscow" calls to mind an old icon of the saint at Moscow's St Basil's Cathedral, showing the saint clad in only a loincloth and beard.
O Christ our God, Grant us the courage to be fools in the eyes of the world, so we may be wise in Your Kingdom.
In August, 2021, a raging wall of fire appeared ready to consume the Holy Monastery of Saint David the Elder in Drymonas, Greece. Flames 30 to 40 meters high were met with an invisible, holy and impenetrable shield causing the wall of fire to stop literally at the monastery’s doors.
By the prayers of many faithful and through the intercessions of the monastery’s holy founder, our Venerable and God-bearing Father David of Euboea, (David the Elder), and St Iakovos Tsalikis of Evia, the raging wildfire was stopped.
The miracles of St David have been numerous at the monastery over the centuries. People with physical, psychic and spiritual diseases have been healed by leaning down to venerate the Saint’s holy skull.
By the prayers of many faithful and through the intercessions of the monastery’s holy founder, our Venerable and God-bearing Father David of Euboea, (David the Elder), and St Iakovos Tsalikis of Evia, the raging wildfire was stopped.
The miracles of St David have been numerous at the monastery over the centuries. People with physical, psychic and spiritual diseases have been healed by leaning down to venerate the Saint’s holy skull.
An annual miracle occurs on the Feast of the Transfiguration (6/19 Aug) at Mt Tabor, where our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ appeared in His divine glory before the Apostles Peter, James, and John (Mt 17:1-9, Mk 9:2-8, Lk 9:28-36). After the all night vigil, at about 4 am, an unusual cloud, described as having a "different" quality covers the mountain. The Mt. Tabor area is very dry and gets little rain, yet each year the miraculous cloud arrives. People bring fruit and leave it out for the cloud's moisture to cover it.
"When, O Christ our God, Thou wast transfigured on the mountain, Thou didst reveal Thy glory to Thy Disciples in proportion as they could bear it. Let Thine everlasting light also enlighten us sinners, through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O God Thou Bestower of light, glory to Thee."
"When, O Christ our God, Thou wast transfigured on the mountain, Thou didst reveal Thy glory to Thy Disciples in proportion as they could bear it. Let Thine everlasting light also enlighten us sinners, through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O God Thou Bestower of light, glory to Thee."
The Most-Holy Theotokos was prepared for her death, announced to her by the angel Gabriel as she visited Gethsemane to honour her Son. At the commemoration of the Dormition of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos (Aug 15/ Aug 28 ), let us remember that we also have an end, a dormition.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us!
Most Holy Theotokos, save us!
Not too many years ago the Abbess of a convent of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, a woman of righteous life, was delivering a sermon in the convent church on the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God. With tears she entreated her nuns and the pilgrims who had come for the feast to accept entirely and wholeheartedly what the Church hands down to us, taking such pains to preserve this tradition sacredly all these centuries—and not to choose for oneself what is “important” and what is “dispensable”; for by thinking oneself wiser than the tradition, one may end by losing the tradition.
Thus, when the Church tells us in her hymns and icons that the Apostles were miraculously gathered from the ends of the earth in order to be present at the repose and burial of the Mother of God, we as Orthodox Christians are not free to deny this or reinterpret it, but must believe as the Church hands it down to us, with simplicity of heart.
+ Blessed Father Seraphim
Rose
Thus, when the Church tells us in her hymns and icons that the Apostles were miraculously gathered from the ends of the earth in order to be present at the repose and burial of the Mother of God, we as Orthodox Christians are not free to deny this or reinterpret it, but must believe as the Church hands it down to us, with simplicity of heart.
+ Blessed Father Seraphim
Rose
On August 15, Orthodox Churches throughout Alaska remain open for prayer with bells ringing out at noon to gather the faithful to pray the Akathist to the Theotokos.
Emphasizing that praying for leaders is “a spiritual duty, not a political act”, the Diocese of Alaska (Orthodox Church in America) has held three days Molebens for Peace with an Akathist to St. Olga of Kwethluk, St. Herman of Alaska, and to the Mother of God leading up to the August 15 historic meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
“In this hour we ask our Lord Jesus Christ to guide these talks with mercy, to calm enmity, and to end the shedding of blood” —Bp. Alexei
Emphasizing that praying for leaders is “a spiritual duty, not a political act”, the Diocese of Alaska (Orthodox Church in America) has held three days Molebens for Peace with an Akathist to St. Olga of Kwethluk, St. Herman of Alaska, and to the Mother of God leading up to the August 15 historic meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
“In this hour we ask our Lord Jesus Christ to guide these talks with mercy, to calm enmity, and to end the shedding of blood” —Bp. Alexei
“God is everywhere. There is no place God is not…You cry out to Him, ‘Where art Thou, my God?’ And He answers, “I am present, my child! I am always beside you.’ Both inside and outside, above and below, wherever you turn, everything shouts, ‘God!’ In Him we live and move. We breathe God, we eat God, we clothe ourselves with God. Everything praises and blesses God. All of creation shouts His praise. Everything animate and inanimate speaks wondrously and glorifies the Creator. Let every breath praise the Lord!”
St. Joseph The Hesychast (Aug 16)
St. Joseph The Hesychast (Aug 16)
Of his mother, St Nonna (Aug 5/ Aug 18), St Gregory the Theologian wrote lovingly: “What time and place of prayer ever eluded her? She was drawn to this each day before anything else, and she had complete faith that her prayers would be answered.” Through his mother’s wonder-working prayers, St Nonna’s husband Gregory the elder had a dream vision in his sleep in which, says the younger Gregory, “it seemed as though he was singing the following verse of David: I was glad when they said of me, let us go into the house of the Lord (Ps. 121: 1).” In the singing of the psalm was itself was was the actual desire to do so!” St Gregory’s conversion was no doubt the result of St Nonna’s fervent prayers.
The elder Gregory went to the First Council at Nicea, where he made known his conversion to Christ and was ordained presbyter and then bishop of Nazianzus. After he reposed at age one hundred, St Nonna almost never emerged from the church, departing this life while at prayer in the temple in 374.
The elder Gregory went to the First Council at Nicea, where he made known his conversion to Christ and was ordained presbyter and then bishop of Nazianzus. After he reposed at age one hundred, St Nonna almost never emerged from the church, departing this life while at prayer in the temple in 374.
“Dear Ones, don't wait until you feel strong and worthy to come to Holy Orthodoxy.”
The Orthodox Church doesn't expect you to be in good shape when you arrive -- especially when you first arrive. Good thing, too! I first came to Saint John the Wonderworker Orthodox Church in 2005, for Vespers -- as it happened -- for Saint John Chrysostom. I was just out of detox. In fact, I was shaking like a leaf throughout the service. Nevertheless, I knew in my heart of hearts that the Church was exactly where I was supposed to be. Following Vespers, Father David Lubliner sat by me, held my trembling hand, and heard my story -- without judgement; no, with overflowing kindness. He told me that I was welcome there at any time, and essentially took me under his wing from that moment. There followed a hard road, with several alcoholic relapses, and much pastoral counseling. Eleven years ago, Father David and I shared the great joy of my Baptism and Chrismation into the Church. [1/2]
The Orthodox Church doesn't expect you to be in good shape when you arrive -- especially when you first arrive. Good thing, too! I first came to Saint John the Wonderworker Orthodox Church in 2005, for Vespers -- as it happened -- for Saint John Chrysostom. I was just out of detox. In fact, I was shaking like a leaf throughout the service. Nevertheless, I knew in my heart of hearts that the Church was exactly where I was supposed to be. Following Vespers, Father David Lubliner sat by me, held my trembling hand, and heard my story -- without judgement; no, with overflowing kindness. He told me that I was welcome there at any time, and essentially took me under his wing from that moment. There followed a hard road, with several alcoholic relapses, and much pastoral counseling. Eleven years ago, Father David and I shared the great joy of my Baptism and Chrismation into the Church. [1/2]