Archimandrite Theofilos Lemontzis, D. Th. ‘We, though unworthy, never cease from telling your mighty works, Mother of God; for had you not shielded us and interceded for us, who would have delivered us from such dangers’. We raise our voices and sing this in the supplicatory canons, in recognition Read more
Archimandrite Theofilos Lemontzis, D. Th. ‘The storms of life swarm round me like bees round a honey-comb and have taken possession of my heart, while spears of afflictions pierce me’. Thus sings the hymnographer in the Great Supplicatory Canon. He compares the cares of daily life with bees. Just Read more
Protopresbyter Georgios Dorbarakis ‘Make haste to deliver us from the multitude of our sins’. Writing in an inspired state of mind, the hymnographer- who represents all the faithful- recognizes the vast number of his sins and transgressions. He’s well aware of the condition of this world which has fallen Read more
Protopresbyter Antonios Christou A supplicatory canon (paraklisi) is a poem of the Orthodox Church. These poems are extensions of Vespers services or they can stand alone. The supplicatory canons are sung by Christians in churches or at home, at various times of need and sorrow, for the healing of Read more
Edited by Stelios Koukos This truly life-bearing spring once raised a dead man. This amazing miracle happened in this way: There was once a man from Thessaly who died, on a boat ,while making a trip to Constantinople and to the Life-Receiving Spring in particular. Before he died, however, and Read more
Sophia Bekri, Theologian Among the many wonderful salutations addressed by the hymnographer to our Lady, one stands out particularly for its symbolism and importance: ‘Hail, city of the king of all’. This characterization of our Lady as ‘the city of God (the king)’ comes from the Prophet David: ‘the Read more
Saint Gregory the Wonder-Worker, Bishop of New Caesarea (ca. 213-270) Today Gabriel, who stands before God, came to the pure virgin, announcing the glad tidings: ‘Hail, you who are full of grace’. She tried to think what kind of salutation this might be. But the angel went straight on Read more
Fr. Andreas Agathokleous The Feast of the Annunciation lends a pre-Paschal feeling to Great Lent, during which it always falls. The atmosphere of compunction recedes and gives way to the joy of the great feast. This is why we have a dispensation to eat fish. The hymns, the celebrations Read more
Protopresbyter Georgios Dorbarakis ‘I shall open my mouth and it will be filled with praise and I shall pour out words to the Queen and Mother; I shall be seen radiantly keeping the festival and shall joyfully sing her wonders’ (irmos, ode 1, Akathistos Hymn). As the voice of Read more
Alexandros Christodoulou With His incarnation, His humanization, God entered the innermost core of our lives in the most obvious way. He entered our circulatory system, our heart, the centre of everything, the centre of the universe. After He’d been expelled from our world, our body and our soul through Read more