Elder Ephraim of Arizona † Every time we celebrate the Dormition of the Mother of God, it’s as if we’re having Easter – the Easter of the summer. Our Lady the Mother of God prepares Easter for us. A glorious crossing “from death to life”. A second Easter, holy […]
Saint Gregory Palamas If ‘the death of the saints is precious and the memory of the righteous is blessed’, with how much greater praise should we keep the memory of the ‘saint of the saints’ through whom the whole of sanctity came to them, that is the memory of […]
Now as they went on their way, he entered a village; and a woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving; and she went to […]
Monk Chariton of Karoulia The monastery was founded in 980 by the Iberian noble and distinguished general John Thornic, who essentially enlarged and renamed the old monastery of Clementos granted to him by the emperor Basil II. Of this earlier monastery’s only part of the katholikon seems to have […]
From the 1st to the 14th of August we fast in honor of Our Most Holy Lady, the Mother of God. It’s a strict fast, with fish eaten only on the feast of the Transfiguration of the Savior (6 August). If 15 August falls on a Wednesday or Friday there […]
For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, the son of the free woman through promise. Now this is an allegory: these women are two covenants. One is form Mount […]
Elder Efraim, Abbot of the Holy and Great Monastery of Vatopaidi, the Holy Mountain After the Lord’s Resurrection, it was Our Most Holy Lady who was the support of the Apostles and the newly-founded Church of Christ. It was she who taught the new Christians, guided them and comforted […]
Elder Efraim, Abbot of the Holy and Great Monastery of Vatopaidi, the Holy Mountain Every time we celebrate the Dormition of the Mother of God it’s as though we have Easter again. The summer Easter. Our Lady the Mother of God prepares Easter for us. A glorious crossing ‘from […]
Ioannis Foundoulis The feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God is celebrated on August 15 by the Christian world and is the greatest of those established by the Church in honour of the Mother of the Lord. It may be the oldest of all. The first evidence […]
The Entrance of the Virgin Mary in the Temple (Ta Eisodia) Now as they went on their way, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha received Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to His teaching. […]
Protopresbyter Antonios Christou Dear readers, once more, in one more article, I’d like to share with you a real-life incident which happened in the parish where I serve and which has to do with something that’s troubling us in general. Naturally, this particular case isn’t unique but is one […]
Feast of Saints Joachim and Anna There is Only ONE Needful Thing Icon of Saints Joachim and Anna with the Theotokos Yesterday we celebrated the Feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. The Gospel lesson that is read on the feast days of the Virgin Mary is always the […]