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]
[2/2] Dear Ones, don't wait until you feel strong and worthy to come to Holy Orthodoxy. Come now, with all your sins and human weaknesses. Come Home to the Orthodox Church, a place of healing, of forgiveness, and of love -- the very doorstep of our everlasting Home in Heaven. Come now.
—Nikolai Harris
—Nikolai Harris
Salvation is nothing less than the Sonship and Theosis (Divinization) of mankind. This is the message of St Irenaeus (130-202) (Aug 23), the third link in an unbroken chain of the Apostolic Succession. The second link was Saint Polycarp of Smyrna. The first link was the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian.
Saint Gregory of Tours credits the preaching of St Irenaeus for transforming all of Lugdunum (Lyons) into a Christian city.
"By sharing in the ways of the Apostles,
you became a successor to their throne.
Through the practice of virtue, you found the way to divine contemplation, O inspired one of God;
by teaching the word of truth without error,
you defended the Faith, even to the shedding of your blood.
Hieromartyr Irenaeus, entreat Christ God to save our souls."
Saint Gregory of Tours credits the preaching of St Irenaeus for transforming all of Lugdunum (Lyons) into a Christian city.
"By sharing in the ways of the Apostles,
you became a successor to their throne.
Through the practice of virtue, you found the way to divine contemplation, O inspired one of God;
by teaching the word of truth without error,
you defended the Faith, even to the shedding of your blood.
Hieromartyr Irenaeus, entreat Christ God to save our souls."
"Eve was seduced by the word of the [fallen] angel and transgressed God's word, so that she fled from him. In the same way, [Mary] was evangelized by the word of an angel and obeyed God's word, so that she carried him [within her].
And while the former was seduced into disobeying God, the latter was persuaded to obey God, so that the Virgin Mary became the advocate (advocata) of the virgin Eve." + St Irenaeus of Lyons (Aug 23)
And while the former was seduced into disobeying God, the latter was persuaded to obey God, so that the Virgin Mary became the advocate (advocata) of the virgin Eve." + St Irenaeus of Lyons (Aug 23)
A monk on Mount Athos was once asked: “What do you actually do in church?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?
“Yes, we do nothing.”
“Then why do you go to church?”
“Does a child do anything while it lies in its mother’s womb? It simply dwells there, is nourished, and grows until the time comes to be born. We do the same. We remain in the Church and pray; in the Church, we are nourished through the Holy Mysteries and, with the help of God’s grace, we grow and develop until the time comes to be born into eternal life.”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?
“Yes, we do nothing.”
“Then why do you go to church?”
“Does a child do anything while it lies in its mother’s womb? It simply dwells there, is nourished, and grows until the time comes to be born. We do the same. We remain in the Church and pray; in the Church, we are nourished through the Holy Mysteries and, with the help of God’s grace, we grow and develop until the time comes to be born into eternal life.”