What is the Church?

Elder Moses the Athonite †   For many people, the Church is identified with the parish and the actual building of the church. They think it’s a company, an association, an organization, a charity shop, a wonderful ideology which is financially sound and has very extensive property holdings. There are Read more

The Spiritual Struggle

Fr. Andreas Agathokleous 1. If somebody isn’t thinking and says something that annoys you, don’t get upset. Ignore them. Never mind what they said. Is that a reason for you to burn? In cases like that, say nothing. Instead of saying ‘That mother-in-law of mine’ll be the death of me’, Read more

The Tattoo on our Being

Fr. Andreas Agathokleous   A certain monk confessed to Abba Pimen: ‘My body’s grown weak but my passions haven’t’. The wise elder replied: ‘The passions are thorn-pricks’ [i.e. ‘tattoos’ in today’s parlance] (Sayings of the Elders) The Sayings of the Elders is a product of the monastic state which also applies to Read more