A soul in Hell The Elder related: ”I knew an old woman who was very stingy. Her daughter was very good, and whatever she wanted to give as alms she would throw out the window so she could leave the house with empty hands, because her mother would always check to see if she was taking anything. But if she … Read More
Greatmartyr Euphemia the All-praised
Greatmartyr Euphemia the All-praised The Miracle of Saint Euphemia the All-Praised: The holy Great Martyr Euphemia (September 16) suffered martyrdom in the city of Chalcedon in the year 304, during the time of the persecution against Christians by the emperor Diocletian (284-305). One and a half centuries later, at a time when the Christian Church had become victorious within the … Read More
Why are you afraid of admitting that you’re a sinner
Why are you afraid of admitting that you’re a sinner The problem isn’t simply that we are sinners, or that sin exists inside us. The problem is we do not deal with the whole matter as we should. Why are you afraid of admitting that you’re a sinner, that you have sin inside? Why are you afraid of it? That’s … Read More
Let the prophet Elijah be an example for us
Let the prophet Elijah be an example for us The case of prophet Elijah is pretty impressive. At some moment, it seemed as if the prophet had lost heart, as if he had run out of courage, as his work appeared to have failed. God allowed for things to happen in such a way that the prophet’s whole weakness showed. … Read More
The Grace of God Excludes No One
(An excerpt from Elder Ephraim of Arizona’s homily The Struggle of Great Lent) We have instances from Church history of many people “in the world” (not monastics, that is), who pleased God and became great. Abba Paphnuti [from Ancient Egyptian = “man of God”], an ascetic of great gifts, once prayed to God and said: “God, who have You placed me … Read More
Teaching subjects on the orthodox christian life
Teaching subjects on the orthodox christian life INTRODUCTION When God, The Holy Trinity, created us He gave us a purpose to live. This purpose is the “God’s likeness”, to become like Him, to be gods through His Divine grace and after our free will. The Church Fathers have written many things in order to help us to find our way … Read More
St. Anthony’s Monastery – Arizona
In the summer of 1995 six monks arrived in the southern Arizona desert to establish St. Anthony’s Monastery, carrying with them the sacred, millenial heritage of the Holy Mountain, Athos. Since early Christian history, this steep and rocky peninsula in northern Greece proved to be a haven for ancient Egyptian, Cappadocian, and Constantinopolitan monastics. Thus, it enjoyed a direct link … Read More
The Jesus Prayer
By Fr. David Hester Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me. These few simple words, known as the Jesus Prayer, are of great importance to the Christian East—so much so that they are often called the summation of all Orthodox spirituality. The prayer reflects so well the heart of Eastern Christian spirituality that its use is recommended … Read More
Holy Hut of Saint George – The Skete of Saint Anne, Mount Athos
Holy Hut of Saint George – The Skete of Saint Anne, Mount Athos Straight after the New Skete, the panorama of the Skete of Saint Anne opens. The Huts emerge through the dense vegetation, perched on the north and south side of a deep ravine. The highest built Hut can be found at an altitude of 450 meters, while the … Read More
What is Prosforo?
Written by Andrew Athanasiou Many times we take for granted the bread that not only is part of communion but also the antidoron that is given after the service is over. Prosforo, the name given to the bread that is offered, is Greek meaning “the offering.” We make the mistake that it is the Church’s offering to us for showing … Read More