Valerian and Gallienus. Asterius’s steadfast faith set him apart at a time of intense persecution against Christians in the Roman Empire.
Although he was a Roman senator, Asterius nonetheless held firmly to the Christian Faith, in spite of the persecutions occurring during those times.
Once, while in Palestine, he came to the city of Caesarea Philippi, where by custom a pagan feast was made with the offering of sacrifice to an idol. The demon residing in the idol made the sacrifice disappear, and this was looked upon as a great wonder. Saint Asterius expelled the demon by prayer. The sacrifice ceased to be invisible, and the pagans ceased to celebrate this impious festival.
Saint Asterius also happened to be present at the sufferings of the Martyr Marinus (December 16). When the execution was over, he took off his senatorial garb, spread it upon the ground and wrapped the head and body of Saint Marinus in it. On his own shoulders he carried the martyr’s relics to the grave and reverently consigned them to earth. For doing this, he was himself sentenced to death and beheaded in the year 260.
St. Asterius, pray for us!
Although he was a Roman senator, Asterius nonetheless held firmly to the Christian Faith, in spite of the persecutions occurring during those times.
Once, while in Palestine, he came to the city of Caesarea Philippi, where by custom a pagan feast was made with the offering of sacrifice to an idol. The demon residing in the idol made the sacrifice disappear, and this was looked upon as a great wonder. Saint Asterius expelled the demon by prayer. The sacrifice ceased to be invisible, and the pagans ceased to celebrate this impious festival.
Saint Asterius also happened to be present at the sufferings of the Martyr Marinus (December 16). When the execution was over, he took off his senatorial garb, spread it upon the ground and wrapped the head and body of Saint Marinus in it. On his own shoulders he carried the martyr’s relics to the grave and reverently consigned them to earth. For doing this, he was himself sentenced to death and beheaded in the year 260.
St. Asterius, pray for us!
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“Thus the present state of our souls foreshadows the future. The future will be a continuation of the present inward condition, only in a modified form as to its degree: for the righteous it will be turned into the fulness of eternal glory; for sinners, into the fulness of everlasting torment.”
St. John of Kronstadt
Our life here is given to us to get prepared for the future eternity. Our soul neither stays in a fallen state or we do our best to cleanse our soul, restore our union with God while we can.
St. John of Kronstadt
Our life here is given to us to get prepared for the future eternity. Our soul neither stays in a fallen state or we do our best to cleanse our soul, restore our union with God while we can.
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St. Macarius the Great. In the West knowledge is considered as something good and praiseworthy. But the great Father of Christian monasticism in a divine vision was informed that those who had knowledge, but sinned, suffer deeper in hell, than pagans. It's necessary to have the Orthodox approach to knowledge. It's a topic for explanation, not trivial.
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We were created in the image of God and are meant to reach the likeness of God, so we are called to attain virtues. And intuitively all people feel that this is right , but only in Christ we are able to gain it in full.
"For virtue is a light and buoyant thing, and all who live in her way "fly like clouds" as Isaiah says, "and as doves with their young ones"; but sin is a heavy affair, as another of the prophets says, "sitting upon a talent of lead"." - St. Gregory of Nyssa
"For virtue is a light and buoyant thing, and all who live in her way "fly like clouds" as Isaiah says, "and as doves with their young ones"; but sin is a heavy affair, as another of the prophets says, "sitting upon a talent of lead"." - St. Gregory of Nyssa
The Vologda land has for centuries been the center of Orthodox culture, a place of solitary prayer and spiritual exploits. Here, among lakes and boundless forests, ancient monasteries, preserving centuries-old traditions of faith and holiness, rise up. The St. Ferapontov Monastery with frescoes by Dionisy, the mighty walls of the Kirillo-Belozersk Fortress, the Spaso-Prilutsky Monastery - each of them is associated with great ascetics, miracles and important pages of Russian history.
St. John of Kronstadt would often visit his homeland of Vologda, and when the people asked him to teach them how to live, he would tell them to turn to St. Alexander, a great man of prayer.
St. Alexander (Badanin)
was born in Nikolsk, Vologda Province, in 1846, to very pious parents. His father was a deacon at the Sretensky Cathedral in Nikolsk.
Vologda has always been one of the main centres of Russian lace tatting, and in the 19th century it became the most famous one. It was that time when lace-makers began to tat lace patterns in the form of wonderful stars and snowflakes. Vologda lace reminds of hoarfrost on winter glass, which will disappear under the first rays of the March sun. It looks like a thin spider line, which will be torn by a waft of wind. They are like symbols of something innocent and momentary.
At the World Fair in Paris in 1937 the Vologda Lace Association was awarded a prize for the novelty and artistry of its lace articles; at the Brussels Exhibition in 1958 Vologda lace was awarded Gold Medal.
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The service of Liturgy is not only common prayer and way of worship, but it is living through and celebration the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Christ and it culminates in the mystery, The Sacrament of Eucharist.
“The Divine Liturgy is the way we know God and the way God knows us. Every Divine Liturgy is a Theophany. The Body of Christ appears. Every member of the Church is an Icon of the Kingdom of God. After the Divine Liturgy we must continue to Iconify the Kingdom of God, keeping His Commandments. The Glory of Christ is for Him to bear His fruit in every member.” - Saint Sophrony
“The Divine Liturgy is the way we know God and the way God knows us. Every Divine Liturgy is a Theophany. The Body of Christ appears. Every member of the Church is an Icon of the Kingdom of God. After the Divine Liturgy we must continue to Iconify the Kingdom of God, keeping His Commandments. The Glory of Christ is for Him to bear His fruit in every member.” - Saint Sophrony
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“The Church is called universal because she is not confined by place, not by time, nor by nation nor language. The Church communicates with all humanity.” (St. Nicholas of Serbia, Catechesis)
“Many rich and powerful men would pay dearly to see the Lord or His Most Pure Mother, but God does not appear in riches, but in the humble heart... Every one of the poorest men can be humble and come to know God. It needs neither money nor reputation to come to know God, but only humility. “
(St. Silouan the Athonite, Writings, I.11,21)
“Many rich and powerful men would pay dearly to see the Lord or His Most Pure Mother, but God does not appear in riches, but in the humble heart... Every one of the poorest men can be humble and come to know God. It needs neither money nor reputation to come to know God, but only humility. “
(St. Silouan the Athonite, Writings, I.11,21)
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Constant reminder from our Saints not to forget our reposed faithful.
“Pray to the Lord for the repose of the souls of your departed forefathers, fathers and brothers, daily in the morning and in the evening, in order that the remembrance of death may live in you, and that hope in the future life, after death, may not be extinguished in you, and that your spirit may be daily humbled by the thought of the transitoriness of your life.”
St. John of Kronstadt
When Christ Resurrected He defeated death itself, and the barrier between dead and living changed in some way. Departed ones are as the part of the Church as we are (talking about those who were baptized members especially). We believe that they also can pray for us as we pray for them. We should be aware that our prayer for the departed is first of all is an expression of our hope for God's mercy, and much depends on the person who passed away, his/her will as well. But they are in need in God's forgiveness and mercy as we are.
During Liturgy we pray “Again we pray for the blessed and ever-memorable, holy Orthodox patriarchs; and for the founders of this holy temple and for all our fathers and brethren gone to their rest before us, and the Orthodox here and everywhere laid to rest.”
“Pray to the Lord for the repose of the souls of your departed forefathers, fathers and brothers, daily in the morning and in the evening, in order that the remembrance of death may live in you, and that hope in the future life, after death, may not be extinguished in you, and that your spirit may be daily humbled by the thought of the transitoriness of your life.”
St. John of Kronstadt
When Christ Resurrected He defeated death itself, and the barrier between dead and living changed in some way. Departed ones are as the part of the Church as we are (talking about those who were baptized members especially). We believe that they also can pray for us as we pray for them. We should be aware that our prayer for the departed is first of all is an expression of our hope for God's mercy, and much depends on the person who passed away, his/her will as well. But they are in need in God's forgiveness and mercy as we are.
During Liturgy we pray “Again we pray for the blessed and ever-memorable, holy Orthodox patriarchs; and for the founders of this holy temple and for all our fathers and brethren gone to their rest before us, and the Orthodox here and everywhere laid to rest.”
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☦️🌟 Akathist to Christ's Resurrection: "Desiring to serve fallen Adam, our Savior, You appeared on earth, and not finding this on earth, You even descended to hell in search, so that, meeting You below, in the depths of the earth, he sings with all those being saved: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death and bestowing life on those in the tombs."
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☦️🕯️“The Most Holy Mother of God prays for us ceaselessly. She is always visiting us. Whenever we turn to Her in our heart, She is there. After the Lord, she is the greatest protection for mankind. How many churches there are in the world that are dedicated to the Most Holy Mother of God! How many healing springs where people are cured of their ailments have sprung up in places where the Most Holy Theotokos appeared and blessed those springs to heal both the sick and the healthy! She is constantly, by our side, and all too often we forget Her.”🕯️☦️
♰ Elder Thaddeus ♰
♰ Elder Thaddeus ♰
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