The Memory of the Blessed Mary the Egyptian
Nektarios Thanos “… her many sins have been remitted, because she loved greatly” Luke 7, 47. On the Fifth Sunday of Lent, the Church honours the memory of a “street-walker”, a woman who led such a dissolute life that the word “prostitute” is more of a euphemism rather than an...
4th Sunday in Lent
Protopresbyter Nikolaos Patsalos After the middle of this period , then, the Church provides appropriate additional help in our ascetic efforts, which differ in accordance with the capacities of each one of us, by presenting the perfect figure of asceticism, Saint John of the Ladder, that great asceticwho really...
Fighting a Cross-Less Christianity
One of the most difficult things for human persons to face is rejection. Think of a time in your life when you felt rejected. Think of the feelings you had – sadness, betrayal, alienation and aloneness, and, for even a moment, a bitter lack of love and confidence in oneself....
Saint Gregory Palamas and the Hesychasts (2nd Sunday in Lent)
Pavlos Mouktaroudis The second Sunday in Lent is devoted to Saint Gregory Palamas (14th century), a hesychast from the Holy Mountain and later Archbishop of Thessaloniki. Saint Gregory Palamas defended the hesychasts of the Holy Mountain who were being mocked and attacked by the person who expressed the spirit...
The Importance of Friends and a Prayer Answered in Christ’s Way
Welcome to The Daily Prayer Team messages, each day includes a passage of scripture, a reflection and a prayer. Sponsored by Saint John Greek Orthodox Church in Tampa, FL. And when Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that He was at home. And many were gathered together, so...
‘Do not turn away your face’ (sung by Matthaios Tsamkiranis)
In Great Lent, the Orthodox Church, through its long, penitential services, seeks the mystical experience and approach of the Passion and the Resurrection. With this in mind, the hymns of this period are of an appropriate content, and present the events of our salvation to us the faithful. The joyful...
Τhe Τriumph of Orthodoxy
Saint Luke the Doctor Discourse on the First Sunday of Lent On the first Sunday of Great Lent, our Holy Church celebrates the triumph of Orthodoxy, of the correct faith, which trampled down all heresies and has been established for ever. This is why this Sunday is called the...
Understanding and Living Our Faith: How We Experience Lent and Fasting
“Many Christians, unaware of the great value of fasting, either keep the fast with difficulty or reject it altogether. We should not be afraid to fast but embrace it with joy.” (St. John Chrysostom) Fasting is so much more then abstaining from certain foods. Christ reminds us in the Gospels...
As We Begin the Great and Holy Lent
Welcome to The Daily Prayer Team messages, each day includes a passage of scripture, a reflection and a prayer. Sponsored by Saint John Greek Orthodox Church in Tampa, FL. Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have not come to...
Cheese Fare Sunday
Metropolitan Panteleimon of Antinoes Today, is Cheese-fare Sunday, which sees the closing of the period of Triodion. Tomorrow, with God’s blessing and help, we embark upon the forty day Fast of Great Lent. Great Lent is a time of spiritual struggle for Orthodox Christians. The aim of this struggle...