Protopresbyter Themistoklis Mourtzanos ‘My world’s different for me than in the eyes of the world’ (Greek song) What meaning does a feast of the faith have these days? Most people see anything to do with the Church from a cultural perspective. Remnants left over from the past, useful, not always Read more…
Archimandrite Georgios Kapsanis, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Gregoriou † Remembrance of death (memento mori) helps us to overcome our former self because it brings humility into our soul. When we forget death, we suffer from the illusion that we’re going to be on earth forever, and this Read more…
Fr. Andreas Agathokleous The notion that God punishes those who sin, recalling a strict father who punishes his naughty children seems to be one which is difficult to banish from people’s hearts. Besides, the Church does, indeed, speak of punishment, ‘the outer fire’ and a number of Fathers urge Read more…
Metropolitan Dionysios of Servia and Kozani † From its earliest years, the Church has honored martyrs in blood and martyrs in conscience. ‘Martyrs in conscience’ were saintly monastics and ascetics who lived in the wilderness. There’s a difference between monastics and ascetics. Monastics are those who live all together Read more…
Archimandrite Peter, Abbot of Monastery of St John the Baptist, Essex UK Time is something tragic in the life of man because every new year measures how near his life is to its end. Is finally time a friend or an enemy, a blessing or a curse? The way Read more…
Protopresbyter Themistoklis Mourtzanos At the turn of the year, it’s customary to take stock. We look back at what’s happened, the pleasant and the difficult, the beautiful and the ugly, in an effort to consign to oblivion whatever hurt us, and to hold dearly in our heart what has Read more…
Protopresbyter Nikolaos Patsalos With the Lord’s feast of Holy Epiphany-Theophany, another beautiful and incomparable liturgical cycle of the year has been completed. The conclusion of the holy twelve days is sealed with the ‘Lights and Effulgence’, as the writer Alexandros Papadiamantis put it. After the experience of the ineffable Read more…
Dr. Haralambis Bousias Christ, our Redeemer, eternal love, is our merciful God, but also a tenacious beggar. He knocks at the door of our heart and entreats us to give him something. What does he ask for? He beseeches us: ‘Son, give me your heart’ (Wis. 18, 26). Alas, we Read more…
Archimandrite Ananias Koustenis On 7 January, the Church celebrates the Synaxis of the Honourable Forerunner and Baptist, John. It is the oldest feast of our Church for John the Baptist and it came from God. God enlightened the Fathers of the Church and they appointed the day after Epiphany Read more…
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, for He was before me.’ I myself did not know Read more…
Saint John Chrysostom Which baptism was performed, in His case? Not that of the Jews, nor ours, nor John’s. Why? You yourselves, from your own view of baptism, can see that He wasn’t baptized for any sins, nor because He needed the Holy Spirit; therefore, as we’ve shown, this Read more…
Athanassios Stogiannidis The celebration of Holy Theophany certainly has a most important place in the life of the Orthodox Church. This is because the order of service for the feast sets out in a very expressive way the prospects and horizons which are opened up to every human being Read more…