December 12 / 25

On December 12 (December 25 old-style), we celebrate several significant saints, both from the distant past of the Early Church and from the more modern eras. Sainted Spyridon of Trimyphunteia Commemorated on December 12 (December 25 new style) Sainted Spyridon of Trimyphunteia was born towards the end of the III Century on the island of [...]

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St. Sava (Sabba) the Sanctified (12/5 / 12/18)

From: http://www.holytrinityorthodox.com/calendar/los/December/05-01.htm The Monk Sava the Sanctified Commemorated on December 5 (old style) The Monk Sava the Sanctified was born in the V Century at Cappadocia of pious Christian parents, named John and Sophia. His father was a military-commander. Journeying off to Alexandria on service related matters, his wife went with him, but their five [...]

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Martyrs Sergius and Bacchus in Syria (290-303).

Today the Church remembers the Martyrs Sergius (Sergios) and Bacchus (Bakkos) in Syria (290-303). The Holy Martyrs Sergios and Bakkhos were appointed to high positions in the army by the emperor Maximian (284-305), who did not know that they were Christians. Malevolent persons made a denunciation to Maximian, that his two military-commanders did not honour [...]

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September 9/22 – Sts Joachim and Anna

Righteous Saint Joachim, son of Barpathir, was a descendant of King David, to whom God had revealed that from the descendants of his line would be born the Saviour of the world. Righteous Saint Anna was the daughter of Matthan and through her father she was of the tribe of Levi, and through her mother [...]

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“All the Saints Are our Elder Brothers”

St. John of Kronstadt from: Orthodox Photos . The ever-memorable Russian Pastor, St John of Kronstadt, in his “Thoughts Concerning the Church” writes: “Acknowledge that all the saints are our elder brothers in the one House of the Heavenly Father, who have departed from earth to heaven, and they are always with us in God, [...]

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The Holy Prophet Daniel and the Three Holy Youths Ananias, Azarias and Misael

The Holy Prophet Daniel and the Three Holy Youths Ananias, Azarias and Misael Commemorated on December 17/30 The Holy Prophet Daniel and the Three Holy Youths Ananias, Azarias and Misael: In the years following 600 B.C. Jerusalem was conquered by the Babylonians, the Temple built by Solomon was destroyed, and many of the Israelite people [...]

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A Pilgrimage at Home?

One of the many endearing stories of St. Seraphim of Sarov was a small act of devotion he engaged in during his years as a hermit. The area around his hermitage was designated by him with Biblical place-names. Thus one place was Jerusalem, another Bethlehem, etc. Thus did the great saint transform the trees and [...]

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The Jesus Prayer

The Jesus Prayer Fr. Steven Peter Tsichlis [...] THE JESUS PRAYER In order to enter more deeply into the life of prayer and to come to grips with St. Paul’s challenge to pray unceasingly, the Orthodox Tradition offers the Jesus Prayer, which is sometimes called the prayer of the heart. The Jesus Prayer is offered [...]

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