The Cook in Paradise
Protopresbyter Vasileios Kalliakmanis The lack of simplicity, sincerity and authenticity in relations between people leads to social hypocrisy, meretricious morality and formality and, at the same time, provokes adverse reactions among younger people. The problem is worse when there’s no simplicity even among so-called spiritual people. “When spiritual people...
Saint Hermione, the daughter of Saint Philip the Deacon
Saint Hermione, one of the four daughters of the Deacon Philip, who, according to the evidence in Acts (21, 8-9) were virgins and prophetesses, Hermioneand Eftyhis went to Ephesus to meet Saint John the Theologian. But because the beloved apostle had already been taken up into the heavens, they followed...
God is more Powerful than Anything
Have you ever been afraid of the weather? Maybe a hurricane was supposed to come, or a tornado, or even just a bad thunderstorm. Bad weather can make us wonder what is going to happen! In today’s Gospel reading, we hear the story about our Lord’s disciples, who were traveling...
A sailor distinguished for his purity: The Holy New Martyr Triandafyllos
Martyred in Constantinople on 8 August, 1680. The saint came from Zagora in Magnisia. He worked as a sailor on ships and was distinguished for the purity of his life and the modesty of his morals. He also kept the flame of his love for Christ burning in his heart....
Saint Panteleimon, the Great Martyr
Metropolitan Panteleimon of Antinoes St. Panteleimon, the Great Doctor and Martyr, was born at the end of the 3rd century AD. His father, Eustrogios, was not only very rich but was well known for his zeal in idol worship; whereas his mother St. Euboule was a faithful Orthodox Christian...
Our Words Have Power
Do you think words have power? We know what we do matters, but does what we say matter? In today’s epistle reading, we hear that our words really do matter. We read, “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart…If you declare with your...
Blessed Kyrillos the New (†1833) – 11 July
Elder Moses the Athonite † Blessed Kyrillos was born in Marpissa, on the island of Paros in 1748 and his family name was Papadopoulos. As a young man, he went to the Holy Mountain and enrolled as a student in the Vatopaidan Athoniada School. He had Blessed Athanasios, also...
The saints of the poor: Saints Anargyroi – 1st of July
In our church we have many cases of saints who put into practice the Lord’s words, “heal the ill… as you freely have received, so you freely have to give” (Matt. 10.8). The most typical examples of this attitude of life are undoubtedly The Saints Anargyri, named so because they...
Blessed Sampson the Hospitaller (+ 27 June)
Our blessed father Sampson came from a family from the high society of Roman aristocracy, apparently linked to the kin of Constantine the Great. He studied all the important subjects of the time, particularly medicine, to which he felt drawn by his compassionate nature. He was unable to remain indifferent...
Blessed David of Thessaloniki (+ 26 June)
Bishop Agathangelos of Fanari Blessed David was from Northern Mesopotamia, which was a large monastic centre, being born in about 450 A. D. For reasons we don’t know, he came to Thessaloniki together with a monk called Adola. According to their biography, he initially entered the monastery of the...
