"O Theotokos and Virgin, rejoice, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, for thou hast borne the Saviour of our souls.”
Undoubtedly, all Orthodox Christians know and love this prayer.
“Guard yourselves more often and more diligently, my dear children, with this invincible wall. With this prayer, we shall never perish. We shall neither burn in the fire nor sink in the sea,” Vladyka Seraphim (Zvezdinsky) wrote to his spiritual children from exile. “And if Satan, our adversary, should make us stumble on our way and knock us down, we shall sing the angelic salutation, and our sick souls, polluted by sin, shall be healed and made clean.”
The 20th century saw the formation of the Rule of the Theotokos in its modern form thanks to Hieromartyr Seraphim (Zvezdinsky). While in exile, Bishop Seraphim observed this prayer rule every day. He recommended expanding it by commemorating various events from the life of the Holy Virgin and adding private petitions to it, praying for oneself and for the whole world.
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From conversations with St. Paisios of Mount Athos.
Someone asked me, "Geronda, what is it that most unites husband and wife?" "Gratitude," I answered. They love each other for what they give as a gift to one another. The wife offers her husband trust, devotion, obedience. The husband offers his wife assurance and security that he can protect her.
Someone asked me, "Geronda, what is it that most unites husband and wife?" "Gratitude," I answered. They love each other for what they give as a gift to one another. The wife offers her husband trust, devotion, obedience. The husband offers his wife assurance and security that he can protect her.
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that if we do not strive in this short time, we will repent and suffer torment there forever and ever. Why are we negligent, my dear brethren? Why do we indulge in sloth, not preparing ourselves? Behold, the great and terrible day of the Lord is already near. Why do we not cast off every useless care and lighten ourselves from the burden of earthly things? Do you not know that the door is narrow and strait, and that the covetous cannot enter it? God loves the selfless, who have voluntarily subjected themselves to sorrows for Christ's sake, through struggle, vigil, and much suffering, and have prepared themselves to behold the Immortal Bridegroom in glory. Such will inherit the Heavenly Kingdom.
Behold, beloved, the door calls to us: "Come, hasten your journey to me." Behold, our mother, Jerusalem, lovingly speaks: "Come, my beloved children, come to me; may your number be multiplied, and in the Lord's bridal chamber may your faces be multiplied in light with the holy angels. May I see you in glory and splendor, in joy and gladfulness. Love me, my children, as I love you."
St. Ephraim the Syrian
Behold, beloved, the door calls to us: "Come, hasten your journey to me." Behold, our mother, Jerusalem, lovingly speaks: "Come, my beloved children, come to me; may your number be multiplied, and in the Lord's bridal chamber may your faces be multiplied in light with the holy angels. May I see you in glory and splendor, in joy and gladfulness. Love me, my children, as I love you."
St. Ephraim the Syrian
Constant success can destroy a spiritual person, therefore God's Providence is forced to send us all sorts of trials, failures, sorrows, illnesses, etc., so that a person, through thousands of examples, recognizes his weakness and surrenders himself entirely into the hands of God, and does not rely on himself.
Hegumen Nikon Vorobiev
Hegumen Nikon Vorobiev
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☦️🌟 From the Ancient Paterikon, compiled by St. Ignatius Brianchaninov 🌟☦️
There was a certain abbot, the father of a cenobitic monastery, a saint in life, adorned with all virtues, merciful to the poor. He prayed to God, saying:
"Lord! I know that I am sinful, but trusting in Your goodness, I hope to be saved by it. I implore this goodness of Yours, Master, do not separate me from my spiritual family in the age to come, but grant my children eternal life with me!" The saint often repeated this prayer. The Lord granted a solution to this prayer in the following way: another monastery, not far from theirs, was celebrating a feast. The abbot and his monks were invited to the feast. ...
There was a certain abbot, the father of a cenobitic monastery, a saint in life, adorned with all virtues, merciful to the poor. He prayed to God, saying:
"Lord! I know that I am sinful, but trusting in Your goodness, I hope to be saved by it. I implore this goodness of Yours, Master, do not separate me from my spiritual family in the age to come, but grant my children eternal life with me!" The saint often repeated this prayer. The Lord granted a solution to this prayer in the following way: another monastery, not far from theirs, was celebrating a feast. The abbot and his monks were invited to the feast. ...
He was reluctant to go, but he did so, hearing a voice in a dream, saying to him: "Go to the feast; only send your disciples ahead of you, and you yourself go alone behind them." When the time came, his monks went to dinner; on the way, they saw a beggar lying in the middle of it, paralyzed and covered in wounds. They asked about his illness; he tearfully answered them: "I was ill, and here a beast attacked me; having broken me, it went away, and there is no one to take me and carry me to the village." They said: "We are on foot; we can do nothing to you, for we have no donkey with us." Having said this, they left him and went away. After a short time, the abbot came and saw the beggar lying and groaning. Having learned the reason for his condition, he asked: "Did the monks pass by here a short time before me and see you?" The beggar replied, "They stood over me and asked me what had happened to me, and then left, saying, 'We are on foot—we can do nothing to you.'" The abbot said, "If it is possible for you, then let us walk together slowly." The beggar replied, "I cannot walk." The abbot said, "In that case, I will take you on my shoulders and, with God's help, carry you to the village." The beggar began to dissuade him, "Father! How can you carry me alone? The journey is long, but go there and follow me."
The abbot replied, "As the Lord my God lives, I will not abandon you!" With these words, he placed the beggar on his shoulders and carried him. At first, he felt the burden's weight, like a normal person's; then the weight lessened, and then lessened even more, almost becoming imperceptible. The abbot was perplexed as to what was happening, when suddenly the one he was carrying became invisible. And a voice came to the abbot: "You constantly pray for your disciples, that they may be worthy of eternal life, but your deeds are one way, and theirs are another. If you want your request to be fulfilled, convince them to act as you do. I am the righteous judge: I reward each according to his deeds."
The Paterikon, by St. Ignatius Brianchaninov
The abbot replied, "As the Lord my God lives, I will not abandon you!" With these words, he placed the beggar on his shoulders and carried him. At first, he felt the burden's weight, like a normal person's; then the weight lessened, and then lessened even more, almost becoming imperceptible. The abbot was perplexed as to what was happening, when suddenly the one he was carrying became invisible. And a voice came to the abbot: "You constantly pray for your disciples, that they may be worthy of eternal life, but your deeds are one way, and theirs are another. If you want your request to be fulfilled, convince them to act as you do. I am the righteous judge: I reward each according to his deeds."
The Paterikon, by St. Ignatius Brianchaninov
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🔥🌟☦️ An instruction of the new chrysostom, a holy Bishop and hesychast
Get to know the spirit of the times, study it, so that you can avoid its influence if possible. "There is almost no true piety now," Saint Tikhon said a hundred years ago, "nowadays there is only hypocrisy." Fear hypocrisy, first in yourself, then in others: fear it precisely because it is the nature of the times and can infect anyone with the slightest deviation into frivolous behavior. Do not strive for public display, but in secret for your salvation, before the eyes of God — and your behavior will be cleansed of hypocrisy.
St. Ignatius Brianchaninov
Get to know the spirit of the times, study it, so that you can avoid its influence if possible. "There is almost no true piety now," Saint Tikhon said a hundred years ago, "nowadays there is only hypocrisy." Fear hypocrisy, first in yourself, then in others: fear it precisely because it is the nature of the times and can infect anyone with the slightest deviation into frivolous behavior. Do not strive for public display, but in secret for your salvation, before the eyes of God — and your behavior will be cleansed of hypocrisy.
St. Ignatius Brianchaninov
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☦️🎼 The 6th tone of the Octoechos is very special. It is characterized by a very solemn, minor, and somewhat flat sound. It is used in the hymn for the 12 Passion Gospels on Holy Thursday night, marking Christ's crucifixion. The melodic base of the 6th tone is on the note called "paw" or "ray," and it has a minor, almost "Arabian nights" sound quality.
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☦️🕯️FRAGMENTS ABOUT REPENTANCE☦️
In the Eastern Orthodox Church, repentance (Greek: metanoia, meaning “change of mind” or “change of heart”) is central to spiritual life. It’s not only about feeling sorry for sins, but about a deep transformation of the person — a turning from what is false, harmful, and self-centered toward what is true, good, and loving.
The Theological Meaning :
☦️Repentance restores communion with God. Sin is seen not as breaking a legal rule, but as damaging a relationship — with God, others, and oneself.
☦️It brings healing. The Church often describes itself as a “spiritual hospital.” Through repentance and confession, a person is spiritually healed and renewed.
☦️It leads to theosis (union with God). Repentance opens the heart to divine grace, helping a person become more godlike in love and purity.
The Result — in Orthodox Understanding
Spiritually: The soul is cleansed and reunited with divine life.
Personally: The person becomes more whole, more at peace, and more capable of love.
In the Eastern Orthodox Church, repentance (Greek: metanoia, meaning “change of mind” or “change of heart”) is central to spiritual life. It’s not only about feeling sorry for sins, but about a deep transformation of the person — a turning from what is false, harmful, and self-centered toward what is true, good, and loving.
The Theological Meaning :
☦️Repentance restores communion with God. Sin is seen not as breaking a legal rule, but as damaging a relationship — with God, others, and oneself.
☦️It brings healing. The Church often describes itself as a “spiritual hospital.” Through repentance and confession, a person is spiritually healed and renewed.
☦️It leads to theosis (union with God). Repentance opens the heart to divine grace, helping a person become more godlike in love and purity.
The Result — in Orthodox Understanding
Spiritually: The soul is cleansed and reunited with divine life.
Personally: The person becomes more whole, more at peace, and more capable of love.
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