The Vasilopita (VasilOpita) is the main custom in Greece for New year. It’s one which we encounter throughout Greece, though naturally with local variations. These are mostly to do with the ingredients of the cake. In some places it’s a cake, though there are also parts where it’s a savory […]
Martyr Anastasius A Saint of this name is commemorated on December 5, in the Martyrologies, but neither the place nor the time of his passion is discoverable. When he saw the torments that the Martyrs gloriously endured, he ran into the arena and confessed his faith in Christ. He was […]
Have you ever been to somebody else’s birthday party? Maybe you watched as a friend or a brother or sister opened presents. Maybe you watched as he was excited with what he got. Were you happy for him? Or did you wish it was your day instead? In today’s Gospel […]
Archimandrite Varnavas Lambropoulos The cure of the blind man in Jericho is the last miracle Saint Luke relates before Christ’s entry into Jerusalem and His path towards His Passion. And it may be no coincidence that on Great Friday the hymnographer puts into Christ’s mouth the bitter complaint which […]
Alexandros Christodoulou, Theologian In his First Epistle, Saint John the Evangelist tells us that the aim of Christ’s redemptive work was the abolition of the devil’s dominion over human nature: ‘The Son of God appeared so that He might destroy the works of the devil’ (1 Jn. 3, 8). […]
Saint Ignatius Brianchaninoff I’m pouring out the words of my heart, which is leaping with unalloyed and inexpressible joy. Brethren, if you enter my words with pure thoughts, you’ll rejoice as if you were at a spiritual banquet. Faith in Christ is life. Those who are already nourished with […]
Lambros Skontzos, Theologian Love and charity are synonymous with Christianity. The basis of the Christian message is love towards all other people, regardless of who they are. Nothing should be an impediment to the exercise of Christian love: not sex, race or socio-economic status. Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself […]
Metropolitan of Pisidia Sotirios October 27th is the day the Church honors the Martyr St. Nestor, whose life and martyrdom are directly linked to the glorious Martyr St. Demetrios of Thessaloniki. It is for this reason that the lives and testimony of these famous saints be studied together. In […]
The blessed martyr Iakovos (James) was born in the village of Voevonades, which is not far from Kastoria and was baptized Ioannis. His parents, Martinos and Paraskevi, were poor but devout. Apart from Ioannis, they had another son and the parents divided what they had between them. Ioannis became involved […]
Feast of Sts. Cosmas and Damian, the Unmercenary Healers Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues. Are all […]
Seventh Sunday of Luke And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue; and falling at Jesus’ feet he besought Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As He went, the […]
Feast of St. Demetrios This I command you, to love one another. “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose […]