For their faithfulness the holy women became the apostles to the apostles and brought to them the good news of the resurrection (Luke 24:9). Even before the Evangelists picked up their pens, before the apostles walked to the far reaches of the Empire with the sermon, before Peter proclaimed the good news to thousands on the day of Pentecost, the myrrh-bearers brought to the apostles the first proclamation, and the first sermon, and the first Gospel.
- Fr. Sergei Sveshnikov
If we would concentrate on divine truth as seen in Christ, all need for a stream of words disappears, until finally the mind enters the realm of profound silence.
- Archimandrite Sophrony
Whoever has known the love of God loves the whole world and never murmurs against his fate, for the burden of sorrow for the sake of God gains eternal joy.
- St. Silouan the Athonite
Don’t be deceived regarding the knowledge of what will be after your death: what you sow here, you will reap there. After leaving here, no one can make progress. Here is the work, there the reward; here the struggle, there the crowns.
- St. Barsanuphius the Great, Instructions
“This year the Metropolis of Boston will be participating in the annual mission trip to New Mexico through the YOCAMA organization.”
“Our ministry will take us to New Mexico where we will have the opportunity to spend our time together focusing on helping to improve the lives and to serve the Navajo Indians.”
We will be serving the people on the Navajo Indian Reservation.
This girl that is going on this mission trip to New Mexico, so if you need any more information about the mission just ask her :)
Christ is Risen!’ Young and old, maidens,
everyone, little and great, prepare!
Inside the laurel-covered churches,
gather in the light of joy!
Open your arms and with them offer peace,
that the icons of the saints may see.
Embrace and kiss each other sweetly, lip on lip,
let friend and foe proclaim, ‘Christ is Risen!’
- Dionisios Solomos, “The day of Easter” (an excerpt)
Orthodox Christians in Lebanon are singing “Christ is Risen”!
Some photos from the Ceremony of the Holy Light in Jerusalem, 3 days ago.
The Holy Fire doesn’t burn!!!! Glory to God!
The Paschal Greeting
Yesterday I was crucified with Him; today I am glorified with Him; yesterday I died with Him; today I am quickened with Him; yesterday I was buried with Him; today I rise with Him. But let us offer to Him Who suffered and rose again for us— you will think perhaps that I am going to say gold, or silver, or woven work or transparent and costly stones, the mere passing material of earth, that remains here below, and is for the most part always possessed by bad men, slaves of the world and of the Prince of the world. Let us offer ourselves, the possession most precious to God, and most fitting; let us give back to the Image what is made after the Image. Let us recognize our Dignity; let us honour our Archetype; let us know the power of the Mystery, and for what Christ died.
- St. Gregory the Theologian - Homily on Pascha
Once again, as every year for centuries, the miracle of Holy Fire has happened in Jerusalem, through the prayer of the Greek Orthodox Patriarch at the Holy Tomb of Jesus!
It will be in Greece (with a special flight) at 18.30. Until the midnight, every Church and monastery of my country will have it (it will be transferred with special flights at all the parts of Greece), in order the Orthodox believers to receive it as a blessing.
What time will it be tranfer at your countries? Will you receive it in your parish?
Great and Holy Thursday
On Thursday of Holy Week four events are commemorated:
- the washing of the disciples’ feet
- the institution of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper
- the agony in the garden of Gethsemane
- the betrayal of Christ by Judas.
The Institution of the Eucharist
At the Mystical Supper in the Upper Room Jesus gave a radically new meaning to the food and drink of the sacred meal. He identified Himself with the bread and wine: “Take, eat; this is my Body. Drink of it all of you; for this is my Blood of the New Covenant” (Matthew 26:26-28).
The Washing of the Feet
The events initiated by Jesus at the Mystical.Supper were profoundly significant. By teaching and giving the disciples His final instructions and praying for them as well, He revealed again His divine Sonship and authority. By establishing the Eucharist, He enshrines to perfection God’s most intimate purposes for our salvation, offering Himself as Communion and life. By washing the feet of His disciples, He summarized the meaning of His ministry, manifested His perfect love and revealed His profound humility. The act of the washing of the feet (John 13:2-17) is closely related to the sacrifice of the Cross. Both reveal aspects of Christ’s kenosis. While the Cross constitues the ultimate manifestation of Christ’s perfect obedience to His Father (Philippians 2:5-8), the washing of the feet signifies His intense love and the giving of Himself to each person according to that person’s ability to receive Him (John 13:6-9).
Prayer in the Garden
The Synoptic Gospels have preserved for us another significant episode in the series of events leading to the Passion, namely, the agony and prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46).
The Betrayal
Judas betrayed Christ with a kiss, the sign of friendship and love. The betrayal and crucifixion of Christ carried the ancestral sin to its extreme limits. In these two acts the rebellion against God reached its maximum capacity. The seduction of man in paradise culminated in the death of God in the flesh. To be victorious evil must quench the light and discredit the good. In the end, however, it shows itself to be a lie, an absurdity and sheer madness. The death and resurrection of Christ rendered evil powerless.
On Great Thursday light and darkness, joy and sorrow are so strangely mixed. At the Upper Room and in Gethsemane the light of the kingdom and the darkness of hell come through simultaneously. The way of life and the way of death converge. We meet them both in our journey through life.
God give is the strength to pursue the path of crucifixion; there is not other way to be Christian.
- Fr. Seraphim Rose
More than any other prayer, the Jesus Prayer aims at bringing us to stand in God’s presence with no other thought but the miracle of our standing there and God with us, because in the use of the Jesus Prayer there is nothing and no one except God and us.
- Metropolitan Anthony Bloom
When the devil finds someone preoccupied needlessly with bodily things, he first deprives him of the hard-won fruits of spiritual knowledge, and then cuts off his hope in God.
- Saint Kosmas Aitolos
