Protopresbyter Georgios Dorbarakis Having strengthened by the power of the cross my mind weakened by wicked attacks, direct me to your will, Lord. Raise me, Christ, who am sleeping on the bed of pleasures, slumbering in sloth, and show me to be a venerator of your Passion. Having burnished Read more…
‘Triumphant Leader’ (setting by Georgios Raidestinos), tone plagal four. Sung by the Greek Byzantine Choir conducted by Lykourgos Angelopoulos. From the CD Hymne Acathiste (2005). Source: pemptousia.com
Protopresbyter Georgios Dorbarakis ‘Between two robbers, your Cross was like the scales of justice. One was taken down into Hades because of his blasphemy; the other was relieved of his transgressions and recognized God. Christ our God, glory to you’ (Hymn of the 9th hour during Lent). 1.The image presented Read more…
Bishop Agathangelos of Fanari For the secular people of today, focusing on an ascetic saint represents a problem. How can the ascetic figure of Saint John, the author of the Ladder, speak to us, when he acquired and preserved the Grace of God through tears, prayers, and spiritual asceticism? Read more…
Protopresbyter Nikolaos Patsalos After the middle of this period [Lent], 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 Read more…
George Mantzarides, Professor Emeritus of the Theological School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki In the middle of the time of Great Lent, we have the Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross. The rubrics for the day begin as follows: ‘Since we, too, are, in a sense, crucified Read more…
Pavlos Mouktaroudis What is it exactly that the Gospel for this day [Mark, 2, 1-12] tells us? That we should do everything, the impossible, in order to draw close to the Lord in our lives and in our experience of the cross. We must overcome every obstacle, every sin Read more…
George Mantzaridis, Professor Emeritus, Theological School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki The prime feature of God is His simplicity. If God is not simple, but composed of different parts, then these parts must have existed before Him. Such a God would not be the Cause and Creator of all things, Read more…
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 Read more…
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 Read more…