Quantcast
Channel: Full of Grace and Truth
Viewing all 961 articles
Browse latest View live

Selected hymns for the Deposition of the Robe of the Theotokos

July 1, 2014, 6:16 pm
$
0
0
The Deposition of the Holy Robe of the Theotokos in the Church of Blachernae - Commemorated July 2nd (Source)
 
Selected hymns of the feast (amateur translations from the Greek text here, except the Apolytikion and Kontakion). For more information of this feast, see here.
 
Doxastikon of the Stichera in the Second Tone.
Having been purified in our senses and mind, let us celebrate together with the Angels, and joyously pour forth the song of David to the youthful Bride of the King, Christ our God, saying: Arise, O Lord, unto Your rest, You and the Ark of Your holiness. (Psalm 132:8) For as a radiant palace, you have adorned and filled this Your city, O Master. Surround it and protect it from the barbarian wars, through Your mighty strength, through her intercessions.

Doxastikon of the Aposticha in the Second Tone.
As a surpassingly-radiant crown, O All-pure Theotokos, your Holy Robe is placed before the Church of God, and she exalts, rejoicing today, and dances mystically, O Lady, crying out to you: Hail, O precious diadem and crown of His divine glory. Hail, the only glory of the firmament, and eternal rejoicing. Hail, the harbor and protection of those who flee unto you, and our salvation.

Apolytikion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone.
Ever-Virgin Theotokos, protectress of mankind, you have given given your people a powerful legacy: the robe and sash of your most honored body, which remained incorrupt throughout your seedless childbearing; for through you time and nature are renewed! Therefore we implore you: “Grant peace to your people and to our souls great mercy!”

Kontakion in the Fourth Tone.
O Pure One, full of the grace of God, you have given your sacred robe as a garment of incorruption to all the faithful, with it you covered your holy body, O divine protection of all mankind. We celebrate its enshrinement in Blachernae with love and we cry aloud with awe: “Rejoice, O Virgin, boast of Christians.”

Oikos
The pure and true dwelling of God the Word, the spiritual cloud, and container of the Manna, the Theotokos Mariam, all those who have been saved through her birthgiving, rejoice in faith, and embrace her sacred Robe, which covered her who carried the Master as He was clothed in flesh, through which our mortal nature was lifted up to the everlasting life and the Kingdom. Therefore with joy, let us cry out with a great voice: Rejoice, O Virgin, the boast of Christians.

Synaxarion
On the second of this month, we commemorate the deposition of the Holy Robe of the Theotokos in Blachernae, under Leo the Great, and his wife Verine.

Verses
Having put on Christ your Son, the citizens
Of your city are protected by Him, through His Mother's Robe.
On the second, the Robe of the All-pure one was deposited.

Prosomoion from the Praises in the Fourth Tone.
Behold a place of glory, behold a house that is filled with light, in which is treasured the precious Robe of the Child of God, with grace. Approach, O people, and receive illumination and joy, and cry out with a thankful heart, O Panagia, we bless you, O Virgin, we who have been saved through your birthgiving.

The Deposition of the Robe of the Theotokos at Blachernae (source)
   
Most-holy Theotokos, save us!
↧
Search
↧

St. Porphyrios: When our soul is sanctified, it shines with goodness

July 5, 2014, 3:38 am
$
0
0
The Adulteress saved from stoning by Christ, as He wrote the sins of those persecutors in the sand (source)
 
Man has such powers, that he can transmit good or evil to his environment. These are very delicate matters. They require great care.

We must see everything in a good manner. We should not think anything evil about others. And even a glance and a sigh can effect our fellow man. And the slightest indignation brings evil. Let us have goodness and love within out soul, let us transmit these.

Let us pray that we not be indignant towards men who hurt us. Only let us pray for them with love. Whatever our fellow man does, let us not think evil of him. Always  let us pray lovingly. Always let us think of the good.

We must never think regarding the other that God will give them some evil or punish them for their sin. This thought brings a very great evil, without us perceiving it.

Many times we are indignant, and we say to the other: "Do you not fear the righteousness of God, do you not fear that He will punish you?"

Other times we further say: "God cannot even punish you for that which you have done", or, "My God, do not do evil to that man for that which he did to me", or, "May he not suffer the same lot".

In all of these cases, we have deep within us the desire that the other be punished. Instead, however, of confessing our anger at their offense, we use another way of showing our indignation, appearing to entreat God for him. Thus, however, in reality we are cursing our brother.

And if, instead of praying, we say: "may you find it from God, that God might repay you for the evil you have done", then again we are praying for God to punish him.

Furthermore, when we say: "regardless, God sees everything", the state of our soul works in a mysterious way to bother the soul of our fellow man and he suffers evil. Do you understand, therefore, how our evil thoughts, our evil disposition bothers others? Because of these, we must find the way to purify the depth of ourselves from every evil. When our soul is sanctified, it shines with goodness. We silently sent out our love without saying words.

Christ never wants evil. Instead, He commands: "Bless those who curse you..."
 
(amateur translation of Greek text from source)
 
Christ on the Cross, Who prayed to forgive those who crucified Him (source)
 
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
↧

Two recent miracles of St. Luke the Surgeon

July 6, 2014, 2:46 am
$
0
0
St. Luke the Surgeon, Archbishop of Simferopol (source)
 
1. My son, E., was diagnosed with cancer of the right kidney, and on 3/27/12 went to Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, to have his kidney removed.

With tears, I entreated St. Luke to help my son in surgery, that everything would go well. We went to the hospital and were waiting in waiting room. I continued to entreat the help of St. Luke, using my prayer rope.

There as I was sitting, I sensed that St. Luke entered the room and sat next to my son and embraced him. He looked at me with a smile and said: “I traveled the whole road from Russia for E. Do not worry, everything will go well. That you might believe that I am next to him, you will see that no one will sit in the chair next to E., because I am sitting there.”

In reality, the whole row of chairs was filled across from me, while no one sat next to E.

They called my son's name to go into the OR, and before he entered, I sensed that St. Luke went before him.

The surgery lasted around three hours.

When they finished, he remained a short time in the post-op area, and then they took him to his room, where we went also.

Slowly, I began to speak to him. I said: “My boy, I entreated St. Luke the Physician to help you in surgery.”

He replied: “Daddy, before the surgery began, someone came and told me: 'My name is Luke, I am an Anesthesiologist.'”

I stopped. Every time I think of this, my eyes fill with tears. The surgery went well. I thank God, St. Luke and all the Saints.

The child did not need chemotherapy, nor any other medicine. Glory to God for everything.

2. I wanted to relate in writing my personal experience relating to the wondrous intervention of St. Luke the Russian, in the personal case of a friend of mine. This inscription is to add to the many witnesses of the wonderworking power of this newly-revealed Saint.

It was a Friday during May of 2009, and I was in Athens, where I was meeting two of my close friends. On account of my work, I am not often in Greece, and so every time that I return, we get together as usual. Thus, on that day, we spent three hours discussing various issues which we were dealing with, and which we could not discuss over the telephone. The atmosphere was always great, and my doctor friend (the other being a lawyer) was especially happy for his family and professional developments. We said our goodbyes, and we planned to get together three months later when I returned to Athens.

That following Tuesday, I received a phone call from my lawyer friend. The hour was in the afternoon in Greece. With a hesitating manner, he asked me if I was well, and if there was someone near me. Immediately I froze. He was preparing to tell me some bad news. That which he told me was truly upsetting: our close friend suffered a major stroke in the hospital, in the clinic where he was the director. Some unexpected state caused his blood pressure to skyrocket, and he immediately lost his senses. Despite his poor luck, at least they immediately transferred him to the ICU of the hospital where he was serving, and which he served as the director and manager.

Immediately I thought to go to Greece to support him and his wife and children, especially in spirit. The weight of my responsibilities however, did not allow me to go immediately, so my lawyer friend agreed to keep me informed of any updates to his status.

Our next few telephone conversations were difficult, terrible and worrisome, because the news was growing increasingly worse. Our friend was in a coma, and the prognosis was disappointing. The capsule of the brain had been damaged irreparably. The doctors did not give any hope. Our friend's wife was also a doctor. Both of them were professors of medicine and board-certified. Furthermore, their life was a continuous study and progress towards the advancement of medical science.

The first week passed amidst great concern, but hope that something would improve. His wife would communicate with us via telephone, and she was especially pessimistic regarding his medical state, but always asked us to pray and to relay her requests to any monks and people who would pray for the salvation of her suffering husband. Her faith was unshakable, that we must not loose our hopes in God. As the days passed, many events worsened his state (infections, respiratory issues, etc.) His wife sent the MRIs to the USA, and she called the three greatest neurosurgeons in Greece to examine him in the ICU. Their opinion was the same. They advised our friend's wife to prepare spiritually to accept his death, and to watch over their children (two boys). Her response was clear before many witnesses: “You can say that, but the Holy Mountain and the Saints have another opinion.”

She had hastened to many Monasteries and met monks and nuns to whom she related the serious state of her sick husband. Close friends of ours and myself personally had served Parakleses to St. Luke the Physician. One priest, on the 30thday that my physician friend was in the ICU, visited him with relics of St. Luke the Russian. He crossed him and prayed fervently for his speedy deliverance.

That same evening, my friend's wife, who was sitting outside of the ICU taking a brake, was praying in agony on a chair, and expecting some change. She had within her a clear sense of some improvement. Straightaway she saw a priest with the Epitrachelion (stole) enter the ICU by himself. He disappeared. She remained in her seat. She thought that some other sick person was at his last moments, and that he was likely going to give him the Spotless Mysteries [Holy Communion]. She waited a short time, and without thinking why, she got up and entered the ICU with great agony. There was no one around her sick husband, nor anyone else in the ICU. She looked at her husband, who looked somewhat different (as she was a doctor). He began to move his left foot and, despite having suffered a stroke and being in a coma, he began to whisper unintelligible words to her!!! What she witnessed was truly astonishing. She called the doctors, and they all felt that the brain had begun to show other signs of reaction.

Over the next hours, the sick man opened his eyes and recognized his wife, without being able to speak. The new MRI showed almost total disappearance of the brain bleed and the rest of the signs of the brain lesion. Of course, there were no scientific explanations for this, and everyone accepted it at once. As such, the explanation was, in the words of the wife who was truly moved, that the priest who she saw enter the ICU was St. Luke the Physician! Two monks from different monasteries confirmed that they saw St. Luke confirm to them that the sick man will get well. In one month, he began to walk, and in four months, he was again lecturing, with support, at a medical conference in Athens, expounding on the theme that he had been assigned.

Today, two years later, my doctor friend again is serving at the hospital and continues his astonishing hours towards alleviating the pain of his fellow men. His wife has firm opinions regarding those things that took place, and she describes that his state, from a medical perspective, was unexplainable. The doctor who was formerly bed-ridden and on his death bed serves as a living witness of the wonders of the faith and the presence of St. Luke the Physician in his life. The former sick man himself had begun to relate what had occurred over the following days until he began to talk, and his witness is astonishing. His disclosure of all the wondrous events will occur at some point from himself and his wife, but in the mean time, they don't want any secular publication to interrupt their daily offering to their fellow man.

May we have the blessing of St. Luke the Physician, and all the Saints, that we might come to the knowledge of the true mutability of our rational ontology.

June 10th, 2012.

D. K.
   
(amateur translation of the text from source)
   
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
↧

Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain (+1994)

July 9, 2014, 3:54 am
$
0
0

Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain (+ July 12th, 1994), right, depicted with his spiritual forefather, St. Arsenios of Cappadocia (+ November 10th, 1924), who baptized him (source)

Note: This year marks the 20th anniversary of the repose of Elder Paisios the Athonite. Of course much has been written of this great man who during his life helped hundreds on a daily basis with his prayers and spiritual instruction, and after his repose, helps even more. Thousands flock to his grave at the Monastery of St. John the Theologian in Souroti (outside of Thessaloniki) to receive his blessing, and many miracles continue to occur through his prayers (though he has yet not been officially canonized, he is held by many to be a Saint, and many anticipate his canonization soon by the Ecumenical Patriarchate). His life and writings continue to inspire, instruct and lead many to repentance and a more spiritual life. Below is a short summary of his life with a small selection of his teachings. We pray that we might all have his blessing!
 
Early years
Elder Paisios was born on St. Anne’s day, July 25, 1924, in Farasa of Cappadocia, Asia Minor. His father, Prodromos, a pious man, was the mayor of Farasa. He was characterised by a strong sense of patriotism and his life was many times put in danger by the Tsetes, who were a constant threat to the town of Farasa. Prodromos felt a deep devotion and love for Father Arsenios, the spiritual father of the family; he was recently canonized by the Church because of the numerous miracles he had worked, even before his death. Impressed by St. Arsenios’ miraculous life, Prodromos kept a notebook where he recorded the saint’s miracles, which he either heard, or experienced himself, for the benefit of both his children and his own. The Elder’s mother was called Eulambia and he had nine brothers and sisters altogether.

On August 7, 1924, a week before the big emigration from Farasa (Turkey) to Greece, St. Arsenios decided to have all the children baptized including Prodromos’ son. The boy was supposed to be named Christos, after his grandfather, according to the old Greek custom. However, Fr. Arsenios refused to name him so, as he wished to give him his own name. So, he said to his parents: “I understand you wish to leave someone in the grandfather’s shoes. Shouldn’t I wish to leave a monk in my shoes, too?” Then, he turned to the godmother and said: “Arsenios will be his name!” Thus, St. Arsenios had predicted the Elder’s calling who, since his early childhood, was chosen to become a receptacle of the Holy Spirit.

On September 14, 1924, the day of the Elevation of the Holy Cross, after many hardships, the immigrants from Farasa finally reached the harbor of Piraeus, Greece. They stayed in Piraeus for three weeks and then went to the island of Corfu, where they temporarily settled down at a place called Kastro. Saint Arsenios, as he himself had predicted, lived on the island for just forty days. On November 10, in the age of eighty, he fell asleep leaving behind, as a worthy successor and heir of his spiritual wealth, young Arsenios, later to be called Elder Paisios.

Young Arsenios and his family spent a year and a half on the island of Corfu and then moved to a village near Egoumenitsa (Northeastern Greece). Their final destination was the town of Konitsa in Epirus. Young Arsenios’ heart and mind were totally devoted to Christ and the Virgin Mary and his strong desire to become a monk dominated his life. He loved to walk in the woods and pray all day long holding a wooden cross he himself had made.
   
Elder Paisios as a layman during his military service (source)
   
After completing elementary education, he worked as a carpenter, in Konitsa, until the time of his military service. As a man of prayer, he was also a very sensitive and loving person. When someone passed away and he was assigned to make the coffin, he never accepted money from the relatives. In doing so, he was contributing, in his own way, in easing their pain and sorrow.

In 1945, he was drafted in the army, where he was distinguished for his ethos and bravery. He always wanted to be in the front line, or take part in the most dangerous operations, as he wished to put his own life into danger first. He was especially concerned about his fellow soldiers who were married and had children. He used to tell them: “You have your wife and children waiting for you, whereas I have no one; I am free.” Many times, he nearly lost his life in order to save someone else’s. For the most part of his military service, he served in the department of communications. In 1949, he was discharged from the army.

 
Elder Paisios as a young monk (source)
 
The first years of the Elder’s monastic life
After the end of his military service, he immediately left for Mount Athos as he had already decided to become a monk. He only stayed for a few months, however, because his mind was preoccupied with the future of his sisters who were still unmarried. So, he left to return to his family for just a short while.

In 1950, he went back to Mount Athos. He spent his first night at the cell of St. John the Theologian which belongs to the Great Lavra Monastery situated close to Karyes. Then, he went to the Skete of St. Panteleimon at the cell of the Entrance of the Holy Theotokos, where Father Cyril resided, a very spiritual and virtuous ascetic. Later on, Father Cyril became the abbot of Koutloumousiou Monastery.

Father Cyril’s conscientious efforts in fasting and long vigils greatly benefited young Arsenios, who wished to stay by his side for the rest of his life. Unfortunately, circumstances did not permit him to do so. Father Cyril sent him to Esfigmenou monastery, a very hospitable one, which had not yet been involved in the old-calendar movement. He first set his foot there in 1950 and in 1954 he was tonsured a monk. His new name was now Averkios.

Young Averkios displayed great zeal in practicing obedience. When all the monks were involved in various communal tasks, he tried to remain alone and quiet, in order to be able to pray. For instance, when everyone was working in the olive groves, he would stay a hundred meters away, conscientiously completing his task, while at the same time he was in a state of spiritual contemplation.

He thoroughly studied the lives of the saints of our Church, the Gerontikon (a collection of brief stories and wise sayings of the desert Fathers) and the book of St. Isaac the Syrian; he always kept his book by his bedside, under his pillow. When Averkios completed his task (assigned by the monastery), he did not go to his cell to rest. Instead, he helped the rest of the monks to quickly finish their own tasks. He could not tolerate the privilege of enjoying the peace and quietude of his cell, while the others were still working late. He offered his services to the weakest ones and avoided those who were wasting time in useless tasks. He loved everyone without distinction and humbly obeyed all of them always considering himself the least important.

Averkios did not trust his own judgment or will. He unhesitatingly asked his spiritual father for advice on all matters. He prayed to God to always enlighten him, so He would guide him according to his own will.

His heart was full of gratitude, as he always thought about all the good deeds God was doing for him and the rest of the world. His love for God, originating from his inner gratitude, was continuously growing along with his effortless, unceasing prayers. The sole aim of his heart was to thankfully respond, even in the least, to God’s benevolence. He believed that the grace of God was the only cause of every good; for every evil, he blamed himself out of his deep sense of humility. When he saw someone falling into sin, refusing to repent, or having no faith in God, he thought: “It is my fault that one of my brothers has found himself in this difficult situation. If I were acting according to Christ’s will, then He would listen to my prayers and my brother wouldn’t be in this unpleasant state; my wretchedness is causing my brother’s misery.” He always thought this way and tried to make the world’s problems his own. He constantly prayed to God to help all the people who, as he humbly thought, suffered due to his own negligence and spiritual indolence. God, who listens to all humble people, always responded to Averkios’ prayers that gushed out of his burning heart; a heart full of gratefulness and humility.


Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain (source)
   
Averkios liked visiting elders and spiritual fathers, who were full of grace and the Spirit of God; he loved to ask for their blessing and listen to their spiritual advice. His pure and childlike soul embraced, without any doubts or hesitation, whatever he heard from these elders, the so-called “beautiful flowers” of the Virgin Mary. He wholeheartedly believed in them, and never examined their words by passing them through the sieve of his own logic. Instead, he faithfully followed their advice by humbly giving up his own way of thinking or logical investigation. He very well knew that one must not try to use his common sense to understand spiritual matters; it is like trying to grasp air with human hands.

While he was still young, he visited many monks, and like a bee he collected their “spiritual pollen” so that he may produce later on his own “spiritual honey”, which many of the people in grief were able to taste.

In 1954, circumstances (as well as his spiritual father’s advice) led him to leave the Monastery of Esfigmenou to go to Filotheou Monastery, where his uncle was also a monk. The monastery was then idiorrythmic. Averkios became the disciple of Father Symeon who was a very virtuous man. In 1956, Father Symeon gave Averkios the small schema and his new name, Paisios, in honor of Archbishop Paisios B’ the Caesarean who also came from the town of Farasa in Cappadocia.

In Filotheou Monastery, he became acquainted with Elder Augoustinos, the ascetic, who resided at the cell of Filotheou Monastery “The Entrance of the Holy Theotokos.” His simple-heartedness and humility greatly benefited the Elder.

Elder Paisios continued his zealous spiritual struggle and always assisted the monks in the monastery in any way he could. Following is an incident indicating the Elder’s strong desire to constantly assist the others. One of the monks had committed a sin but was embarrassed to confess it. As a result, he withdrew to himself, and being in despair, he started thinking of committing suicide. The Elder foresaw his situation and tried to help him. One day, he found him alone and started telling him about his own sins, mentioning on purpose, the same sin he had fallen into. Unfortunately, the monk reacted negatively to the Elder’s effort to make him go into confession. Instead, he started going around the monastery telling everybody that Paisios, whom you love and praise, is a very sinful person, and reported word by word whatever the Elder had told him. Father Paisios, of course, did not try to find excuses for himself, and the monks, who understood his loving and caring intentions, justified his act and praised him for it.


Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain (source)
   
He strove daily for the purification of his soul. He did not ask anything from God, as he very well understood that God had given him, through the mystery of Holy Baptism, the most precious thing in the world, the grace of the Holy Spirit. He was not jealous of the talents and gifts of others, as he knew that the same ones were also given to him by God through Holy Baptism. He was not proud for them either, because even though he knew he had these gifts, he admitted they were gifts of God’s grace in him through his zeal and humility, and make it function the soonest possible. For this reason, he constantly looked after the purification of his soul.

He erased every trace of evil thoughts or negative dispositions from his soul and grew in their place good and positive ones. It was fascinating to see how, without any efforts, he always developed good and positive thoughts for every kind of situation, no matter how difficult and complicated it was; for he allowed God’s grace, which “is not irritable or resentful” (1Cor 13:4) to act on his behalf. He could then skillfully cover the faults and mistakes of other people, as it is clearly shown in the following incident:

In one of the monasteries, there was a monk who was spreading around deluded stories. The visitors, who heard the stories, were scandalized and asked the Elder: “Father Paisios, one of the monks in this monastery is saying weird stories. What exactly is going on?” The Elder promptly answered: “Be careful not to judge others, because our brother is a pious one; when the monastery has visitors, he pretends to be a fool for Christ, so God will reward him.” The Elder’s answer calmed the visitors down.

His kind heart was gradually embracing and protecting everybody in the same way God tactfully covers up all our sins, so they are not exposed to the rest of the world. While he was at Filotheou Monastery, he used to visit Father Cyril in his Skete and seek his advice on various subjects. Father Cyril, with the help of God’s grace, had greatly assisted the Elder. Very often, he used to give solutions to his problems, before the Elder had even had the chance to discuss them with him. He was almost always “informed” by God of his arrival and had the answers ready. Sometimes, he had even found the answer in one of his books, and had underlined it to show it to Fr. Paisios upon his arrival. The Elder expressed his admiration and after asking for his blessing, he left full of joy and spiritual profit.

In 1958, the Elder was asked to leave Mount Athos and go to Stomio, in Konitsa, to assist with the protection of the area against protestant proselytism. As he felt that this was truly God’s will, he left for Stomio where he stayed at the Monastery of Nativity of the Holy Theotokos. With the help of God’s grace, he offered assistance to many people. In 1962, for spiritual reasons he departed for Sinai, where he stayed at the cell of saints Galaktion and Epistimi and spiritually nurtured many people in the area. The Beduins loved him very much. He used to work many hours during the day carving wooden articles. After selling them, he bought food and gave it to them.

In 1964, he left Sinai and returned to Mount Athos where he settled down at the Skete of Iviron, at the Archangels’ cell. In 1966, he fell ill and was hospitalized for a few months in PapaNikolaou Hospital in Thessaloniki. He was operated on and a large section of hislungs was removed.
 
Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain (source)
 
His acquaintance with the Convent of St. John the Theologian
At this point, I would like to describe how God’s providence led Father Paisios to become acquainted with the nuns of the Convent of St. John the Theologian. The Elder was in great need of blood for his surgery. He had no relatives by his side (as he himself wished) and a group of novice nuns donated as much blood as he needed. He was very grateful for their support. Wishing to express his deep gratitude, he used to say that their kind support resembled a woolen sweater embracing his bare flesh; he wished to take it off and offer it to them in return, as an expression of his heartfelt gratitude.

He sympathized with the nuns who were facing insuperable problems in their effort to build their convent. So, he personally took the initiative to find a suitable area for its construction. He offered his assistance in every way he could; along with the building’s foundations, he also laid its spiritual foundations by giving instructions for the proper functioning of the convent. Thus, the Elder established a strong relationship with the Convent of St. John the Theologian and remained by its side until his death. By the end of 1967, he went to Katounakia in Mount Athos, where he settled down at the cell of Ypatios of Lavra. Living alone in this deserted area, many times he experienced God’s presence and consolation, which contributed to his spiritual growth, enabling him to comfort thousands of people in pain.

At Stavronikita Monastery
In 1968, Father Paisios went to Stavronikita Monastery, where he assisted in its renovation by offering labor work as well as spiritual advice. In the Holy Cross cell of Stavronikita Monastery, located near by, lived Father Tychon, the ascetic, who was also a spiritual father. (Fr. Tychon, the ascetic, who was also a spiritual father. (Ft. Tychon was born in 1884 in Novia Mihaloska of Russia. He was a very gifted man and lived a strict ascetic life). Elder Paisios often visited him for spiritual advice and helped him with the service of Divine Liturgy by serving as chanter. Quite frequently, the service was in spiritual contemplation, which sometimes lasted half an hour. He saw, as he himself confessed, the orders of the angels, the Cherubim and the Seraphim glorifying God. Father Tychon tonsured Elder Paisios and gave him the Great and Angelic Schema.

When Father Tychon’s life was coming to an end, (ten days before he passed away), he asked the Elder to stay by his side and take care of him. Paisios served Father Tychon with great self-sacrifice, offering him anything he could to comfort him. Father Tychon used to tell him: “Paisios, our love is precious. My sweet Paisios, our love, my child, will last unto the ages of ages.” He asked him to stay in his cell after his death and promised that he will visit him every year. Father Tychon fell asleep on September 10, 1968, two days after the celebration of the Nativity of the Holy Theotokos, as he himself had predicted, being well equipped and ready for his journey to eternity.

Father Paisios settled down at the cell of the Holy Cross, according to the wish of Father Tychon, where he stayed until 1979.
   
Elder Paisios sitting and talking with pilgrims (source)
   
At Panagouda cell
On May 13, 1979, Father Paisios went to the Monastery of Koutloumousiou where he registered as a monk. He settled down at its hermitage, Panagouda (Nativity of the Holy Theotokos) after it was converted into a cell.

While living in Panagouda, the Elder assisted many troubled souls. All day long, from dawn to sunset, he gave advice to people, consolation and solutions to their problems, took away their sorrow and filled their souls with faith, hope and love for God. He dedicated the day to people and the night to God. He managed to rest only during the early morning hours, for 2-3 hours, so he would be able to survive through the day’s fatigue. During the night, he spent quite some time reading the letters he received by the dozen on a daily basis.


The Elder was very distressed by the content of the letters and by what the visitors used to tell him. Almost always, people spoke about broken marriages, mental illnesses or deaths caused by cancer. Elder Paisios was transformed into a spiritual magnet drawing out the sorrow of people in grief.

The mental fatigue and pain of his visitors, his extremely sensitive soul, his physical exhaustion arising from the many daily visits, as well as his unceasing prayers contributed to his gradual physical weakness and vulnerability to various illnesses.

 
Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain (source)
 
The illnesses of the Elder
The serious problems of the Elder’s health began in 1966. As mentioned above, Father Paisios suffered from a disease of the respiratory system which made him very weak. The constant visits of the people, the heavy load of their problems and worries, which he always carried on him as if it were his own, but also the physical fatigue of the hospitality duties, resulted in his exhaustion. He had very few hours left to rest during the day as he dedicated the night to praying.

The Elder made small icons using a metallic mould that he himself had carved. He gave these icons (The Crucifix, the Holy Theotokos, St. Arsenios of Cappadocia) to the visitors as a blessing. This task was an additional burden to his already tight schedule, especially when he was using the press that required a lot of physical effort; as a result, he developed hernia. He systematically refused to be operated and tried to invent his own ways to relieve the pain, which were not very successful. He suffered when he was sitting down, but even more so, when he was standing up. When I was at the Convent of St. John the Theologian in Souroti, I remember once that he remained standing up for hours, so everybody could come by and take his blessing. He did not sit down even when he had turned pale and was sweating out of extreme pain. For five years, he endured with exemplary perseverance the painful disease of hernia, thus demonstrating in practice the great virtue of patience to both laymen and the clergy.

When a group of close friends, who were doctors, visited him in Souroti, they literally kidnapped and took him to the hospital to be operated.

The last illness of the Elder
Since 1988, Father Paisios was facing rectal problems. In 1993, during the period of the Great Lent, he was very weak as he was fasting strictly. He could not get any rest during the night due to the unbearable pain and constant bleeding. Although he told the visitors he was very ill, many insisted to see him. He felt so exhausted that he sometimes fainted. Ignoring the poor state of his own health, however, he accepted to see his visitors and relieved them of their grief.

When I was at the monastery, I undertook some nursing duties. One day, I went to the Elder and told him: “I brought you some vitamins and iron tablets. I believe these will help raise your hematocrit.”
He answered: “Father, vitamins won’t do me any good as my blood is in a very poor condition.” And then he added jokingly:
“Besides, Father Theoklitos is in need of large amounts of iron, for he is doing some construction works in the monastery. I do not wish to put him in a difficult situation by taking away from him all the iron. As I understand, iron is useless for me; what I really need now is steel.”

He stood up laughing, took a glass of water and dropped in an effervescent vitamin tablet and said: “My experience with medicine is a very negative one, so I do not wish to start taking pills again. I am willing, however, to take one’s advice on what to do protect myself, and I will indeed be very grateful to him.”
When the effervescent tablet was dissolved, he took again the glass and added laughingly: “Everything will be taken care of once I am buried in the ground!” He shook the glass as if to propose “in good health”, but instead made the following wish: “Let’s all rest in peace, Father!”

While listening to the Elder’s words, I knelt by his side and begged him to go to Thessaloniki to have some medical tests done in order to diagnose his disease. The Elder asked me to stand up and said: “Listen, Father. My health’s condition is a great benefit to my spiritual life and I do not really wish to alter it. These are the reasons why I do not wish to go to Thessaloniki for medical tests:
1) Christ knows the condition of our health. Since he is the best doctor, we should have trust in him. If it is for our own benefit, He will act accordingly and cure our illness.
2) Since I believe that I have developed a tumor in my intestine, it is best to leave it as it is; otherwise, if we “play around” with it, it will get worse.
3) In our days, everybody suffers from three things: cancer, mental illnesses and divorce. The dozens of letters I receive every week talk about these problems. “I do not suffer from any serious mental illness,” he used to say laughingly; I have nothing to do with marriages and divorce. At least, let me suffer from cancer as a consolation to people in distress. Things do not look too good when everyone in the world is in pain and sorrow and one of us has nothing to worry about. Now, thank God, everything is just fine.
4) God is deeply moved when someone, who has cancer or some other serious problem, does not complaint about it, but instead prays for his fellow men. Then, one may dare say to Christ: “You see, I am not asking any help for myself, but please do help the others.” And God does help. So, my Father, do not worry too much about me.”

Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain (source)
 
During the Great Lent of 1993, Father Paisios had a tendency to faint due to his low hematocrit. Often, while standing up he fell, unconscious. But he did not despair and faced his illness with great patience, perseverance and courage.

One Sunday, he asked a priest and two other monks to come and serve the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great. Although he was very weak, he was assisting the priest in the Holy Altar. As he was standing at his stasidion (church seat) praying, suddenly he developed difficulty in breathing and started trembling. Then, he lost his balance and almost fell down unconscious, but fortunately the monks managed to catch him in time. They lay him on the floor where he remained unconscious for a few minutes. After a while, he recovered and they helped him get back to his seat. When they tried to lower the stasidion, so he could sit, he refused to do so. He was standing up during the whole service, even though his face was as pale as the pure candle. He was distressed because his health condition did not permit him to receive Holy Communion. After a while, he fainted again. When he recovered, they forced him to go and lie down, but he refused; not only he did not lie down, but he also refused to stand at the stasidion, and he continued to stand up. In a little while, he went to prepare the zeon, and for the third time he fainted. When he recovered, he asked: “Is the zeon ready?” completely disregarding the incident. He decided not to receive Holy Communion, as he was afraid he might vomit.


When the service was over, the monks sat in the small guestroom to have a sweet and Father Paisios (as usually) went to his cell to light up the oil candle. He stood on a stool- because the oil candle was high up- and the next thing they heard was: “Oh, Virgin Mary” followed by a loud noise. They were frightened and ran inside to see what was going on. They found him lying on the floor unconscious. When he recovered, he told them to leave. They said: “Father Paisios, how can you stay alone after having fainted so many times?” He answered: “There’s nothing to worry about! Go now, I feel better.”

The monks obeyed and left, being very concerned about his well-being. This situation went on until October 1993. He had constant hemorrhages, fainting, a tendency to vomit; in addition, the pain in the intestine made it difficult for him to sit down.

October 22 (November 5 according to the new calendar) was his last day on Mount Athos; he left and went to the Convent of St. John the Theologian in Souroti to be present at the vigil service of November 10 performed in honour of St. Arsenios. He stayed at the convent for a few days, as he always used to do; when he was ready to depart for Mount Athos, the doctors diagnosed the presence of a tumor the size of a small orange in the last section of the rectum. They decided he should undergo radiation therapy to reduce its size and then be operated. The CT-scan confirmed the metastasis of cancer in the liver and lungs. Despite these findings, the operation was considered necessary in order to prevent the total obstruction of the intestine by the existing tumor.

Around 1:30 p.m., when the operation was completed, the Elder was taken to the Intensive Care Unit. Only very few people were allowed to visit him. We remained by his side until he regained consciousness. He opened his eyes for a short while and then fell asleep again. When he finally woke up, I asked him: “How do you feel?”

He answered trying to smile: “Don’t you see, like an astronaut.” (He had an oxygen mask on his face, intravenous serum in his two arms, the wires of the cardiograph on his chest, a nasal-gastric catheter in his nose, a urinary bladder catheter, and a special converter for the measurement of the partial oxygen pressure).

With great effort, he continued: “I was also given a medal, and he pointed to his chest where the wire of the cardiograph had been installed; but I don’t really know the rank I was given. Am I a colonel or a general?”

Then he turned around to an old friend, a doctor, who had been greatly benefited by the Elder, and asked him: “Costa, what did they finally find inside me? Are there any metastases as the tomography indicated?”

“Yes, Father,” the doctor answered. “The liver as well as the lungs have been affected.”
“I don’t mind where the metastases are as long as this remains clean.” (And he pointed to his head).
He had a short discussion with the doctor and when he left, I stayed alone with him.
Among other things, he told me: “Honestly, my Father, if the hemorrhage could stop for just a couple of hours so I could be present at the service of the Divine Liturgy, I wouldn’t be bothered at all. By the way, I just recalled that I had asked God to make me suffer from cancer.”


Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain (Source)
   
I had some personal problems that Father Paisios knew about. I was deeply moved by the fact that in spite of his post-operative condition and unbearable pain, he tried to find solutions to my problems. He did the same thing for everyone else, disregarding the state of his very poor health. One could feel the sincere love he felt for all. 

Many people were distressed, because they could not visit him at the hospital. The reason was not because the Elder wanted his peace and quietness, or he did not wish to see his visitors; being a monk with a very sensitive and discreet soul, he did not want to accept people’s consolation and comfort, while the patients next to him had no one by their side. Moreover, he did not wish to disturb the hospital’s daily routine, as some doctors disliked the coming and going of many visitors.

He used to say to those who informed him that someone is waiting to see him outside: “Visits are of no use to the patient. Peace and quietness are.”
He remained at the hospital for ten days, and then was transferred to the Convent of St. John the Theologian for recovery. In the meantime, the doctors informed him that the prognosis was not so good, and his lifespan was not more than four months. When the Elder heard about it, he said smiling: “Do I have to wait for that long? Can’t it be earlier than this?”
He suffered from acute pain, which at times was getting unbearable. He endured with exemplary patience and joy the terrible pain, thinking as he used to say, of the martyrdom the holy martyrs suffered for the love for Christ- while he suffered only in order to recover!
Father Paisios had irrevocably decided to return to Mount Athos. He had set his departure for Monday, June 13. Meanwhile, he developed high fever with difficulty in breathing and was forced to cancel his trip. His health condition was gradually deteriorating. According to a scan, the metastasis now occupied the biggest part of the liver which was significantly swollen. Every now and then, he had to use an oxygen mask to facilitate his breathing.

As time went by, his anorexia and difficulty in breathing were steadily increasing, as well as his abdominal pains, which were now becoming more acute and frequent. On top of all this, he periodically developed high temperature and serious tachycardia; his abdominal meteorism created great discomfort, as he could not comfortably lie in bed. During all the stages of his illness, he never ceased repeating that we must be patient, while his very own patience was an excellent example to all of us.


St. Euphemia the Great Martyr and All-praised, depicted as she had appeared to St. Paisios (source)
   
Towards the end of June, the doctors informed him that he had about 2-3 weeks left. On Monday, July 11, on St. Ephemia’s day, Father Paisios received Holy Communion for the last time, kneeling in front of his bed. During the last 24 hours, he was very serene, and even though he suffered, he did not complain at all. He did not wish to take any more medication. The only medicine he accepted was cortisone, because, according to the doctors, it would not prolong his life span, but it would only give him some strength. On Tuesday, July 12, Elder Paisios humbly and peacefully rendered his soul to God, whom he had deeply loved and served since his early childhood.
Priestmonk Christodoulos (1998) “Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain”
Holy Mountain (source)

A few quotes of Elder Paisios:
"We once asked Father Paisios:
- Father, you constantly tell us to have positive thinking. We would like you to give us some advice on how to deal with the following problem: Often people come to us to tell us that some priests charge a lot of money for performing the Holy Sacraments; they say that they smoke, or hang around coffee shops; they even say that some priests are involved in immoral acts, and in general, make strong accusations against them and present evidence to justify them. What answers can we give to people who accuse the clergy?

The Elder started telling us:
- I know from experience that in this life people are divided in two categories. A third category does not exist; people either belong to one or the other. The first one resembles the fly. The main characteristic of the fly is that it is attracted by dirt. For example, when a fly is found in a garden full of flowers with beautiful fragrances, it will ignore them and will go sit on top of some dirt found on the ground. It will start messing around with it and feel comfortable with the bad smell. If the fly could talk, and you asked it to show you a rose in the garden, it would answer: “I don’t even know what a rose looks like. I only know where to find garbage, toilets and dirt.” There are some people who resemble the fly. People belonging to this category have learned to think negatively and always look for the bad things in life, ignoring and refusing the presence of good.

The other category is like the bee whose main characteristic is to always look for something sweet and nice to sit on. When a bee is found in a room full of dirt and there is a small piece of sweet in a corner, it will ignore the dirt and will go to sit on top of the sweet. Now, if we ask the bee to show us where the garbage is, it will answer: “I don’t know. I can only tell you where to find flowers, sweets, honey and sugar; it only knows the good things in life and is ignorant of all evil.” This is the second category of people who have a positive thinking and see only the good side of things. They always try to cover up the evil in order to protect their fellow men; on the contrary, people in the first category try to expose the evil and bring it to the surface. When someone comes to me and starts accusing other people and puts me in a difficult situation, I tell him the above example. Then, I ask him to decide to which category he wishes to belong, so he may find people of the same kind to socialize with.

Elder Paisios was constantly stressing the importance of pious thinking in spiritual life. He used to say that a single positive thought equals a vigil in Mount Athos."
   
"In former days, the Holy Fathers first withdrew into the desert, becoming themselves a desert void of their passions by struggling. Without plans or programs of their own, they left themselves in the hands of God, avoiding honors and power, even when they arrived at measures of sanctity — unless Mother Church had need of them. They did obedience to the will of God, and they glorified the name of God with their holy life. They became spiritual blood donors, for they had acquired good spiritual health in the desert with good spiritual food and vigilant patristic watchfulness.

In our day, however, many of us, who are unfortunately influenced by worldly love, which can make no spiritual pledge, supposedly venture to do good, to donate blood, but our blood is full of spiritual bacteria and we do more harm than good.

If, however, we were living patristically, we would all have spiritual health, which even all the heterodox would envy, leaving their sick delusions aside to be saved without preaching. Now, however, they are not moved by our Holy Patristic Tradition, for they want to see how we continue the Patristic Tradition, to see our true kinship with our Saints.

Unfortunately, in our day, words and books have multiplied and experiences have diminished, because the worldly spirit, which pursues all conveniences and avoids all bodily effort, influences people. Most of us find rest in much reading but little or no implementation. We simply marvel at the holy athletes of our Church without realizing how much they’ve labored, for we have not toiled so as to be able to understand their toil, to love them and to struggle out of philotimo in order to imitate them.

Those, however, who struggle with philotimo and do not give themselves rest, removing their egos from every one of their actions, help very positively. For only then are the souls in need of help given rest, and only then will their own souls find inner rest, in this life as well as in eternity."

"One should not struggle, however, with sick scholastic meticulousness and be choked by stress (fighting with thoughts), but should simplify his struggle and place his hope in Christ and not in himself. Christ is all love, kindness and consolation, and He never stifles man, but possesses an abundance of spiritual oxygen — divine consolation. Thorough spiritual work is one thing and sick meticulousness is another; the latter chokes with its inner anguish (due to thoughtless external strain) and afflicts the forehead with splitting headaches."

"People who struggle hard, with much devotion, and have reached the angelic state to a certain extent and are nurtured with celestial honey, nevertheless offer nothing significant to God compared with what He has offered us. For they eat honey while offering Him wax. They eat sweet fruits and offer God tree resin with the censer. Therefore, we do nothing and offer nothing to God, compared with His great loving-kindness. For, while the Good God produces beautiful fruit with our rubbish or even with manure, in order to feed us, we wretched people turn beautiful fruit into manure."

"Blessed are those who have Christ as their hearts’ axis and joyfully revolve around His Holy Name, noetically and unceasingly repeating "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me."

"The elder said: It's not only that we become accustomed to saying the prayer. The purpose is for the person to know himself and sense his sinfulness. If he only slapped someone, he's a sinner because he shouldn't have done it. We are all sinners. Consider what God did for us and what we do for God. After thinking of that, even if the heart is granite it will soften. Let's think a little logically. God could have made me a mule and given me into an undiscerning hand which would load me with 150 kilos of wood and beat me. Finally I would fall into a pit and the dogs would open my belly and those who pass by would cover their noses for the stink on the road. Just for that should I give thanks to God? I don't thank Him. God could have made me a snake or a scorpion. But His love made me a human being. God was sacrificed for me. With one drop of divine blood He washes away all the sins of the world. If a person thinks of all this; on one side the good work of God and on the other his own sinfulness and ingratitude, even if the heart were granite it would soften. And then he senses the mercy of God. The heart must gain rest with "Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me." The prayer refreshes, not wearies. When we do not proceed in this manner, we acquire only the habit although the elder, the old self, remains within and we follow the way of delusion."

"Theology is the word of God, which is apprehended by pure, humble and spiritually regenerated souls, and not the beautiful words of the mind, which are crafted with literary art and expressed by the legal or worldly spirit."

"Theology that is taught like a science usually examines things historically and, consequently, things are understood externally. Since patristic ascesis and inner experience are absent, this kind of theology is full of uncertainty and questions. For with the mind one cannot grasp the Divine Energies if he does not first practice ascesis and live the Divine Energies, that the Grace of God might be energized within him...Whoever thinks that he can come to know the mysteries of God through external scientific theory, resembles the fool who wants to see Paradise with a telescope."

"If we could go out of our self (the love for our self), we would also escape from the gravity of the earth and see everything in reality, with a divine eye, clearly and profoundly. That is why it is necessary for one to leave the world for the desert, struggle with humility, repentance and prayer, be deserted by his passions, remove his spiritual "rust" and turn into a good conductor in order to receive Divine Grace and become a true theologian...If we don’t remove the rust from our spiritual cables, we will constantly be short-circuited, full of worldly theories, doubts and questions. Then we cease to theologize, being found in a condition of worldliness, but will speak historically, or examine things legally and mathematically. Namely, we will examine how many nails were used to crucify Christ and how many soldiers were present when He was crucified without proceeding to the essence of things: that Christ was crucified for our own sins, in order to redeem us, and suffered more than all of the Holy Martyrs put together. Although He helped the Martyrs with His divine power, He did not employ His divine power for Himself at all and suffered terrible pains out of love, having His two hands and His two legs pierced with nails. Whether they crucified His two legs with one or two nails has no importance, inasmuch as both were nailed and He suffered the pain and drank the vinegar, that He might sweeten us again in Paradise, eternally close to Him, as our Loving Father."
   
For more sayings of Elder Paisios online, see here and here.

For the full biography of Elder Paisios, see this incredible book written by his spiritual son, Elder Isaac (of blessed memory), and recently translated into English.

Also, for more substantial publications of the Elder's teachings on many different subjects, see the series published by Souroti Monastery: Spiritual Counsels of Elder Paisios (Volume I: With Pain and Love for Contemporary Man, Volume II: Spiritual Awakening, Volume III: Spiritual Struggle, Volume IV: Family Life, and a 5th volume yet to be published in English). These are available several places online.
  
Icon of Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain (source)
   
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
↧

Two additional recent healings by Elder Paisios

July 12, 2014, 3:37 am
$
0
0
An icon of Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain (+ July 12th, 1994) (source)
 
1. "I, six years ago", a young man confessed to many, "was an anarchist. I wore earrings and took drugs. One of my friends had a book on Elder Paisios.

In December of 1996, this friend of mine was found at the bookstore of Souroti Monastery, where there was a couple with their little girl, and their father, two middle-aged women, and a young man. Straightaway, there was heard a loud cry. One of the middle-aged women, who was a large woman, collapsed to the floor and began to hit and cry out wildly. She swung her head here and there. The sight was truly terrible. The woman with the little child went out, while the rest approached her to try to help her. The woman bellowed and said with a wild, unbelievable and male voice: "I will take care of you guys who don't believe, I will show you...Now, a short time more and I will put the 666 on all your hands...You will all worship me...You losers and idiots..." and other insults.

Then she began to sputter and appeared afraid. "Paisios, don't burn me, don't burn me. You want to send me back to Tartarus...And this loser brings me to all these monasteries...why are you helping her? You're burning me, you're burning me." And she squealed even louder. She was hitting herself so strongly that we were afraid that she would break her skull. It was clear that she was being troubled by a demon.

"A...aaah" she cried again, "Now Maria has come too...you're burning me, Paisios." She let out a loud cry and became motionless, as if she fainted.

Those standing around approached tentatively to help her, while the women covered her with their clothes. As soon as she was settled, they lifted her up from the floor. She had opened her eyes and cried calmly and silently. She gave thanks from the depth of her heart. "I thank you, Elder...I thank you, my God. She said this over and over again with great gratitude.

She got up and went before an icon of Christ and Panagia and let out loud cried: "My God...My God. How did you accept me, who am unworthy...I thank you, my God. I thank you, O Elder...I am not worthy, my God, of this help."

The scene was very moving. Later she greeted my friend with gratitude and left. The woman had a demon. As she left, she mentioned that the previous night she saw Elder Paisios in a dream tell her: "Come to my grave, and I will make you well." She came to the Monastery and asked where was the grave of the Elder, she venerated the grave, and then went to the bookstore, where the above event occurred...

2. The following is from Ms. L.N.M., a Russian Physician from Moscow: "I suffered an accident, with the result being that my left eye became blind. They brought me to the General Hospital of Moscow. The rooms were full, so they put me in the hallway. That night, I did not sleep at all. I prayed and was very worried. Towards morning, as I was in a state between sleep and awake, Elder Paisios came. I saw him clearly and I recognized him, because I had read a book on his life. He covered my head with a handkerchief and disappeared. At that same instant, I understood that I was seeing from my blind eye. The doctors did not have to do anything. I was kept in the clinic from February 4th to the 11th, 2002...

I thank God for His mercy to me, and Elder Paisios for his help."
 
(Amateur translation of text from source)
 
For more miracles of Elder Paisios, see here.

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
↧
↧

Elder Paisios on those who suffer for the world

July 12, 2014, 3:46 am
$
0
0
An icon depicting Elder Paisios receiving pilgrims, taking up their burdens and preaching to them the Word of God. His scroll reads: "We must struggle with philotimo, that we may be saved, and so that we not sadden Christ..."(source)

Those who suffer deeply for the salvation of the whole world and help in their own way (as strugglers) and humbly entrust themselves to the hands of God, feel the greatest joy in the world. Their life is a constant doxology, for they flutter about internally like angels, glorifying God day and night. Those, however, who neglect the salvation of their souls and try to find joy and rest in this vain life, are continually tortured and entangled in endless worldly machinery and live in hell in this life...Those who have philotimo, because they move within the heavenly sphere of doxology, joyfully accept their trials as well as their blessings, and glorify God for them. Thus, they are continuously receiving God’s blessing from everything and are melting internally out of gratitude towards God, which they express in every spiritual way possible, like children of God.
-Elder Paisios of Mount Athos (+ July 12th 1994)
   
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
↧

Excellent Documentary on the life of Elder Paisios

July 12, 2014, 12:17 pm
$
0
0
 
Here is an excellent and extensive (3 hour long) documentary on the life of Elder Paisios. It has Greek narration, but English subtitles, with many excellent icons and pictures of places associated with the life of the Elder. They discuss the Elder's life, teachings and miracles before and after his repose. The official title is:
Elder Paisios the Athonite (1924-1994): "The Signalman of the Army and of God"

May we all have his blessing!

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
↧

120,000 people visited the Grave of Elder Paisios

July 14, 2014, 3:20 am
$
0
0
The humble grave of Elder Paisios of the Monastery of St. John the Theologian, Souroti (source)
 
On the 20th anniversary of the repose of Elder Paisios, the Monastery of St. John the Theologian in Souroti (outside of Thessaloniki), where the Elder is buried, as usual holds a vigil service along with memorial for him. This year estimates hold that 120,000 of the faithful visited the Elder's grave. Some patiently waited up to four hours in line...

These thousands of people (including many young people) were present, and even though the church was open, it could not hold all of this sea of pilgrims, so many prayed in the courtyards of the Monastery. According to Police, 50,000 people remained for the vigil service, while a total of 120,000 people visited the grave of the Elder on July 12th.
(source)
 
May we have his blessing!
   
The multitudes of people waiting to venerate the grave of Elder Paisios (source)
 
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
↧
Search

St. Porphyrios' Advice to a Pediatrician

July 16, 2014, 6:16 pm
$
0
0

St. Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia (source)
  
St. Porphyrios once told a Pediatrician: "Listen to what I have to say to you. Every time you examine a child*** you should offer a fervent prayer with love: Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on your servant."

As he said this he took a deep breath while he opened his hands. "It is in this way that you should pray for every child. God has sent a precious soul into your hands. As you place your hands on them pray fervently within yourself that the grace of God will be transfused into the soul of the child.

"Do all this things spiritually and in secret. The others who are present won't understand anything. You will prescribe to them medicines which science dictates but in the final analysis Christ will heal the child."
(source)
   
***Of course this beautiful advice can apply to anyone in healthcare, for any age.
 
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
↧
↧

A recent miracle of St. Luke the Surgeon

July 21, 2014, 4:09 am
$
0
0
St. Luke the Surgeon (source)
 
My name is X. M., and I am 38 years old and from Kavala, married and the mother of two boys, 13 and 8. I wanted to spread among you a story, my experience of a miracle...

From a young age I had health problems. In high school I had problems with my knees. Working as a hairdresser (20 years old), I developed carpal tunnel syndrome. After my first pregnancy (25 years old), the great problems started. Osteoarthritis, sacroileitis, tendonitis in many places of my body, spondyloarthritis, hypothyroidism...

Over the next ten years and after my second pregnancy, the state of my health had clearly worsened, and the last three years I was a "walking pharmacy": injections, pain killers, anti-inflammatories, and other things to fight the pain that I was fighting on a daily basis. And furthermore, on a daily basis: moaning, crying and anxiety.

Christmas of 2013 I visited a Neurosurgeon, who after all of the tests "discovered" a bulging disc in my spine. I believed that with surgery, I would get well! When, however, the doctor saw the MRI, he found that the bulge was so small that despite surgery, my problem would not go away. He suggested that I look elsewhere for my problem. I was going crazy, and believed that I was sick in my head, and I cried for two days straight...

I looked online to find some site, and I came across a site from two doctors with the phrase: "Fibromyalgia". Studying the symptoms of this syndrome, I found that I had all the symptoms! Pains in my muscles, in my joints, insomnia, depression...pain everywhere...During that period I began to read about the miracles of St. Luke the Surgeon, from a book that my husband had brought from Mount Athos. That was my first sign that the Saint was and is near me.

One night, as I was reading from his miracles, and as I was half-way through the book, I began to doze-off and as I had begun to sleep, left the book in the corner and tried to sleep. It was futile, however. I then had a clear sense that something was fragrant in my room, which only I could smell! When I learned that the fragrance was "myrrh", I took the book and continued to read. The fragrance left as soon as I finished reading the miracle!!!

Up to Pascha of 2014, the pains had become unbearable. I could not sleep, couldn't drive, couldn't cook...and the worst of all was that I couldn't hug my children, because every encounter with them was painful. I was in great pain and cried continuously...I couldn't bear this state any more, so I decided with my doctor to perform a series of injections, which had many severe side effects, and could even cause cancer. In light of the therapy with the injections, my husband, who was beside me all these years, and who I truly could not life without, suggested to me that we visit the Monastery of Sagmata in Thebes, to venerate the holy relics of St. Luke the Surgeon, and to pray for the intercessions of the Saint! Despite my terrible state, he did not have to ask me a second time...

The next day, May 3rd 2014, we left the children at my cousin's house, who was a great support for me throughout all these years, and traveled to Thebes. As we approached the Monastery, for some reason I was continuously tearful, and when I venerated the relics of the Saint, I began to cry even more. I entreated him to take away half of my pain (that would be enough), while my husband prayed that I not suffer all of the side effects of the injections. As I left, and as I heard the bells of the Monastery, I began to cry again!

Reaching Chalkida, where we were staying the night, we had dinner, and immediately returned to the hotel. I was worse than ever before, with heavy breathing and pain. I lay down at 8PM, and reading the life of the Saint, and I was able to sleep around 2AM. At 2:30AM, I awoke and complained: Oh, my God, I only slept half an hour!!! I tried to get up, and found that nothing was wrong, I had no pain anywhere!!! The fibromyalgia was gone! The help of St. Luke came unexpectedly quick! In the morning, when my husband awoke and saw me with a huge smile, he understood immediately what had happened.

When I returned and hugged my children, they understood what had happened, and began to dance from their joy. My cousin and my koumbara understood the difference over the telephone as soon as they heard me, without even seeing me. My doctor told me that I gave him the greatest gift, that he did not have to give me injections any more.

My spiritual father, Fr. T., my mother, and some of my close friends knew what I experienced, and they were next to me all these years, and they couldn't do anything other than rejoice at what occurred, and making my joy even greater. The moaning and weeping has ceased. I gained my life back again.

I will always be grateful to St. Luke the Surgeon, and I thank him for his immediate and unexpected prayers...

X. M., Kavala
   
(Amateur translation of text from source)
   
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
↧

A recent miracle of St. Paraskevi the Great Martyr

July 26, 2014, 11:42 am
$
0
0
St. Paraskevi the Great Martyr and Wonderworker (source)
 
For the account of an astonishing recent miracle of St. Paraskevi, at her Shrine in Woodlawn, NY, see the following site. May St. Paraskevi pray for us all, that we be healed of our bodily and spiritual blindness!

Doxastikon of the Praises for St. Paraskevi in the Second Tone.
In the city of our God, on His holy mountain, there the Saint has come to dwell, keeping her lamp unquenchably. Let us hear the praise of the virgin: "O virginity, the temple of God! O virginity, the glory of the martyrs! O virginity, the partaker with the Angels!"
   
(amateur translation of text from source)
 
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
↧

Canons in the Eight tones to St. Panteleimon, by St. Joseph the Hymnographer: Second Tone

July 26, 2014, 8:35 pm
$
0
0
St. Panteleimon the Great Martyr and Unmercenary Healer of Christ (source)
   

Note: The following is my amateur translation of the second canon (in the second tone) in a series of eight canons in the eight tones written by St. Joseph the hymnographer to honor the great martyr and healer of Christ, St. Panteleimon. These are very beautiful and compunctionate hymns, and rightly praise such a great wonderworker of Orthodoxy. For the full texts of the canons in Greek, see here. If I am not mistaken, these are used around the feast of the Saint (i.e. either in the days leading up to or following his feast) in his Monastery on Mount Athos to more fully celebrate this great feast, the feast of the Russian Monastery of the Holy Mountain. May St. Panteleimon intercede for us all, and grant us healing of the passions of our souls and bodies! Amen!
  
Canons in the Eight Tones to St. Panteleimon the Great Martyr and Unmercenary
Written by St. Joseph the Hymnographer (+883AD)

Canon II in the Second Tone
The acrostic, from the first to the seventh, according to alphabet, in the eight and ninth: “Song of Joseph”

Ode I. Come, O people.
Entreat for our sanctification and enlightenment from God, O all-joyous one, for those who praise you with holy melodies, and who are enriched by you as a divine protector.

You disdained royal and lawless commandments, and hastened to the eternal, heavenly Kingdom, which you received, having struggled, O Panteleimon.

You clearly denied the generation and the worldly pride, O wise one, and struggled steadfastly. Entreat the Savior, that those who ever hymn you may be saved.

Theotokion.
You are the glory of the faithful, O Birth-giver of God. Make those who faithfully hymn you to partake of the joy to come and eternal glory, through your protection.

Ode III. Strengthen us.
Having believed in God and having called upon Him in holiness, you raised the dead man, O blessed one. But entreat that I be saved, who am dead by all kinds of offenses.

Having desired the true life, you endured the storms of tortures, O all-blessed one, and were tied to a tree, as your flesh was torn apart with iron.

The Judgment is now at the gates, be watchful, my soul, and cry out: “Save me, have mercy on me, O Master, through the intercessions of Your divine Champion.”

Theotokion.
Having given birth to God in the flesh, O Virgin, ceaselessly entreat on behalf of those who hymn you, O unshameable protection of the world.

Ode IV. I have hearkend, O Lord.
You were offered as a pure sacrifice to Him Who was pierced for us, O greatly-suffering Martyr Panteleimon.

Your flesh was utterly and mercilessly burned with torches, O all-blessed one, as you received divine refreshment from on high.

Enlighten me with the light of repentance, through your bright prayers, O Champion, and deliver me from eternal torments.

Theotokion.
Cleanse us all from the pollution of the passions, O Birthgiver of God, for you bore the Source of dispassion.

Ode V. O, the source of light.
Keeping the law of God, and deposing the wiles of the lawless, you were cast into the sea, O Martyr, but were saved by the mighty hand of Christ, our only God.

You struggled in a strange manner, and befriended God, O glorious one. Enlighten the eye of our heart, which was darkened by the passions of life, O wise one.

Theotokion.
O Pure and Virgin Mother, the eternal beauty of the Champions, and the refuge of those repenting, help us, who are terribly endangered on the sea of life.

Ode VI. In the abyss of offenses.
Arrayed with divine grace, O all-blessed one, amidst beasts you remained unmoved, O glorious Panteleimon, amazing all who gazed upon you with faith.

We have been enriched by you as our protector and most-fervent intercessor, O Panteleimon,. Deliver us from fatal trials and dishonorable passions, through your prayers.

Those who beheld the multitudes of wonders worked by you came to believe in Christ, O Champion, and you inherited that [eternal] mansion through your blood of martyrdom.

Theotokion.
Entreat the All-good Word, O you who are graced by God, on behalf of us all, that we be granted remission of offenses, and that we receive eternal life.

Ode VII. The children were shown to be rhetors.
As your members were utterly flogged on behalf of the Lord, O Champion, you were unjustly bound to a wheel, but preserved by the hand of an Angel, and you conquered the bodiless foes through your body, O blessed-one.

Through the grace and strength of Christ, you joyously cast out our illnesses, O godly-minded Panteleimon, therefore I cry out to you: heal the passions of of my heart, entreating the Good and only Benefactor [Christ].

Preserve my soul from every snare of the enemies, O Panteleimon, I entreat you, that as you formerly healed the paralytic, now heal me, that I might walk the good path righteously, through your prayers.

Theotokion.
As the Throne of the King of All, you became fiery, O Chaste One, in which sat He Who raised those bodies long-dead, and refashioned those who had been terribly shattered by sin.

Ode VIII. In the furnace fire.
Rejoicing in mind, you were placed in boiling oil, but were not burned, as you were aflame, O Martyr, with the love of Christ, and you received the refreshment from on high. Therefore, we honor you, O wise Panteleimon.

You stood with your feet immovable on the rock of the knowledge of Christ, and were not shaken by the many forms of tortures which were thrown at you in evil. Therefore, we hymn you, unto all the ages.

Theotokion.
I ceaselessly entreat you, O Birthgiver of God, to deliver me from the evil path and impure thoughts, and every other soul-corrupting danger, that I might hymn you, unto all the ages.

Ode IX. God the Word from God.
That you might gain the riches of heaven, O Martyr, you counted the thoughts and joys of this world as refuse, and endured the greatest pains of your flesh manfully, thus righteously pleasing the Master of all.

Having imitated Christ, the Giver of Mercy, O Panteleimon, you were renamed according to the mercy which you showed towards all men, as you truly pour forth healing for every disease, O godly-minded one, for those who hasten to you.

Through your prayers for us, O Martyr, deliver us from the many forms of temptations, and terrible sicknesses and afflictions, O Panteleimon, and deliver from the eternal fire those who hasten to your protection with faith, O all-joyous one.

The awesome [Second] Coming of the Master approaches; who would not be pained at you, O wretched soul? Hasten, arise, cry out to Jesus, my God: “have mercy on me, save me, through the prayers of the wise Champion, as the only Surpassing-Good One.”

Theotokion.
I am a lover of sin, and I shudder at the Judgment which awaits me there, O Birth-giver of God and All-Spotless One, namely terrible punishment. Therefore, I entreat your motherly prayers, which surpass understanding, to have mercy on me and save me.
   
For Canon I (in First Tone) to St. Panteleimon, see here.
   
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
↧

Elder Paisios heals a child

July 29, 2014, 8:51 am
$
0
0
Elder Paisios depicted giving a child a loukoumi (source)
 
The doctors were disillusioned, as my parents later told me, that they had to go make a surgical incision in my chest to relieve the fluid that that collected around my lungs. My young age, however, made this intervention even more difficult. The necessary tests were performed on that Friday, which showed that things were totally bleak, so at the meeting of the Physicians, they decided to go ahead the next Monday with further tests and the ultimately the surgical procedure.

On Friday evening, while I was sleeping in bed with the protective railings up, my mother was sleeping in a chair next to me, and something immediately woke me up, and I saw an elderly monk enter in from the door to the balcony. He turned towards me, put down the iron railing, and made the sign of the cross, blessing me three times. I was startled, and with joyous surprise, I cried out loudly to my mother who was next to me, but she, strangely, did not here me. That unknown monk smiled lovingly, and then left straightaway.

When my mother awoke the next morning, she saw with astonishment that the railing was down, and that I was cheerful. I explained as best I could at that age about this wondrous visit by a monk, and they began to show me different pictures of Saints so I could indicate which that monk might resemble. My gaze, however, fell on the picture of Elder Paisios from a book from the Holy Monastery of Souroti which my mother was reading those days.

On Monday, the doctors performed the prerequisite tests, and then were speechless. They confirmed the wondrous improvement in my health. The surgery was cancelled, and in a few days, I returned joyously to my home again. So great was the happiness and gratitude of my parents for this miracle of Elder Paisios, that my next brother that was born they named Arsenios.
   
(amateur translation of text from the Holy Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos, Navplion, http://orthodoxianpress.com/, source)
   
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
↧
↧

The Gifts of the Magi to be brought to Rhodes this December

July 31, 2014, 10:08 am
$
0
0
The Abbot of St. Paul's Monastery, Mount Athos, recently bringing the Holy Gifts of the Magi to Russia (source)
 
I post this to inform everyone of this blessing to be able to venerate a portion of the gifts which the Magi offered to Christ. This is especially pertinent for women, children, and all those who may be unable to visit Mount Athos, because it is rare that such treasures of Orthodoxy leave the Holy Mountain.

This coming December, the Precious Gifts, which were brought during the nativity of Christ and which are preserved in the Holy Monastery of St. Paul on Mount athos, will be brought to the island of Rhodes [Greece].

The request for the visit of the Precious Gifts to Rhodes was undertaken by his Eminence, Metropolitan Kyrillos, and took place in order to give the faithful the opportunity to venerate them a few days before the great feast of the nativity of the God-Man.
(source)
 
A portion of the Holy Gifts which the Magi offered to Christ at His Nativity: Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. They are currently treasured by the Holy Monastery of St. Paul on Mount Athos. For more information on them, see here.
   
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
↧

Elder Joseph the Hesychast on the Theotokos

August 1, 2014, 2:51 pm
$
0
0
Panagia "Kardiotissa" ("Lady of Tender Heart"), written by Angelos Akotantos, 16th century (source)
 
Our Panagia hastens everywhere. She bestows her grace abundantly upon anyone who fervently cries out to her. She is a mediatress to Christ for everyone, because she was deemed worthy to give birth to the Lord and to become the Mother of God. She carries Him in Her arms and continuously entreats Him. Since we sinners do not have the boldness to run directly to God from the start, we cry out to His Mother. She regenerates us; she intercedes; she anticipates all our afflictions. She is our protectress and helper, more honorable than all the angels, beyond compare more glorious than the Cherubim and Seraphim, second in rank only to the Holy Trinity. Oh, but she is so good, so sweet, that you want to embrace her at every moment and obtain consoling grace. The more you love, the more you are loved.
-Elder Joseph the Hesychast
"Monastic Wisdom" (Seventy-fourth letter)

(source)
   
Most-holy Theotokos, save us!
↧
Search

The Art of Salvation, by Elder Ephraim of Arizona (Newly published in English)

August 5, 2014, 12:39 pm
$
0
0
(source)
 
Spiritual words shaped by the personal experiences of Elder Ephraim. Thirty three homilies that are indeed alive, informative, inspiring, and which outline, with profound simplicity, the means that securely lead to salvation. Hardcover, 400 pages, smyth sewn, full color, individually shrink-wrapped. ISBN 978-0-9725504-4-4 Translated and published by St. Nektarios Monastery, Roscoe, NY
   
See the monastery's website for more information.
   
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
↧

Homily of St. Luke of Simferopol on the Transfiguration of Christ

August 5, 2014, 4:13 pm
$
0
0
The Holy Transfiguration of Christ (source)
   
Homily of St. Luke of Simferopol on the Transfiguration of Christ (delivered in 1956)
The great feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord causes us to remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ: “Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.” (John 14: 10-11)

   
Great and uncountable were the wonders of our Lord Jesus Christ: with one word alone He raised the daughter of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue, the son of the widow of Nain, and also Lazarus, who was in the tomb for four whole days. With one word alone, He commanded the winds and the waves of the lake of Gennesaret and they became totally calm. With five loaves and two fish, He fed five thousand men, not counting women and children, and with four loaves, four thousand.
   

Let us remember how, every day, He would heal the sick, curing every form of infirmity, and driving out the evil spirits from the demon-possessed. How again He gave sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf with only one touch. Do these not suffice?

   
These all, however, were not enough for those people who envied Him, for those people of whom the great Prophet Isaiah spoke: "'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'” (Matthew 13:14-15)

   
To all of those people hard of hearing and with darkened eyes, however, for whom these were not enough, our Lord Jesus Christ offered the great wonder of His Transfiguration on Mount Tabor. To Him Who shone with an astonishing divine light, the prophets of the Old Testament, Moses and Elijah, appeared, and worshipped the Creator of the Law. With fear and trembling, the apostles Peter, James and John saw this wondrous sight. And afterwards, from the cloud which covered them, they heard the voice of God: “This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well-pleased. Listen to Him.” (Matthew 17:5)

   
The holy apostles preached throughout the world, that our Lord Jesus Christ is “truly, the radiance of the Father.” [Kontakion of the Transfiguration]


The whole world, when they heard this, should have knelt before our Lord Jesus Christ, and worshiped the True Son of God.

   
The appearance on Tabor of the two greatest prophets of the Old Testament and the worshiping of the Lord Jesus Christ at His Transfiguration, should have forever shut the abominable lips of the scribes and Pharisees, who hated the Lord Jesus, and perceived Him as the violator of the Law of Moses. But even till today, the Jews do not believe that He is the Messiah.

   
Not only do the Jews not believe in Him, but even many Christians [doubt Him], those who had been dazzled by the divine light of our Lord Jesus Christ. The little flock of Christ is becoming smaller yet, for which the divine light of Christ shines with the same strength with which it shone upon the apostles Peter, James and John then on Mount Tabor.

   
However, do not loose hope, because our Lord Jesus Christ said: “Do not fear, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the Kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)

   
The faithlessness among the people took on alarming proportions, and the light of Christ shined from within the dark cloud of atheism. Today, more constantly than ever, we bring to mind the fearsome word of Christ: “When the Son of man comes, will He find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8)

   
Let us not loose hope, however, because He, speaking of the signs of His Second Coming, said: “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” (Luke 21:28)

   
Therefore, may your lives be such that at the terrible day of Judgment, we might lift up our head, and not stoop down in deep despair. Amen.

   
(amateur translation of Greek text from source)
   
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
↧
↧

The snakes of the Theotokos have not appeared this year

August 9, 2014, 7:09 am
$
0
0
The icon of the Theotokos with the snakes, depicted over her church in Markopoulos (source)
   
According to the news site Romfea.gr, the famous snakes of the Panagia have not appeared this year in the village of Markopoulos on the island of Kefalonia.

The snakes, which are harmless and have the sign of the cross on their heads, are seen as a blessing for the people of the island. They appear on the eve of the Transfiguration (August 5th) and are seen among the people and in the church climbing over the icons until August 15th, when they promptly disappear until the following year.

There have been years when the snakes do not appear, and this usually has coincided with some form of natural (e.g. earthquakes) or man-made disaster (e.g. war).

For more on the snakes of the Panagia in general, see here.

May we all continue to repent and turn to the Lord while we still can! May the All-holy Theotokos protect all those in trials, sickness, dangers and temptations of all kinds, throughout the world!
   
Most-holy Theotokos, save us!
↧

St. Nephon's Visions of the Divine Liturgy

August 14, 2014, 4:44 am
$
0
0
Christ and the Holy Angels in the Divine Liturgy (source)
 
St. Nephon, Bishop of Constantia (4th Century), was made worthy to see many divine visions, with the illumination of the Holy Spirit, through the eyes of his soul.

Once, in a Divine Liturgy, as soon as the liturgist said: “Blessed is the Kingdom..”, the Saint saw fire descending from heaven and cover the Holy Altar, without the priest understanding anything.

Later, when the Trisagion Hymn was begun by the people, four angels descended and chanted together with them.

During the Epistle, the blessed Apostle Paul appeared to direct the reader.

During the “Alleluia” after the Epistle, the voices of the people ascended united towards heaven, like a fiery and tightly-braided rope.

And at the Gospel, every word came out like flames from the mouth of the priest, and ascended to the heavens.

A short time before the entrance of the precious Gifts, the Venerable One straightaway saw heaven open, and an unspeakable aroma surpassing the world pour forth. Angels descended from on high, chanting hymns and doxologies to the Lamb, to Christ and the Son of God!

Then there appeared a totally pure and thrice-blessed Infant!

He was held by the arms of the Angels, who brought Him and placed Him on the Holy Paten, where the Precious Gifts were found. Around Him was gathered a multitude of totally radiant youths dressed in white, who approached His divine beauty with wonder and fervor.

It was the time of the Great Entrance.

The liturgist approached to take in his hands the Holy Paten and the Holy Chalice, and raised them up above his head, lifting together with them, the Infant.

When the Holy Gifts exited, while the people chanted compunctionately, he saw the venerable angels flying over the liturgist in circles.

Two Cherubim and two Seraphim went before him, and a multitude of other Angels followed behind, chanting unspeakable hymns with rejoicing.

When the priest reached the Holy Altar and placed the Precious Gifts, the Angels covered them with their wings. The two Cherubim stood on the right of the liturgist, and the two Seraphim on his left, without [the priest] seeing them.

The divine mystagogy continued.

They said the Creed, and reached the consecration of the Precious Gifts.

The liturgist blessed them and said: “...changing them by Your Holy Spirit. Amen. Amen. Amen.” Then again, the Righteous One saw an Angel take a sword and pierce the Infant, pouring His Blood into the Holy Chalice, while His Body was cut up and placed on the Holy Paten.

Later, [the Angel] returned to his place again, and stood chastely with reverence.

When the liturgist lifted up the Holy [Lamb], crying out: “The Holy Things are for the Holy people of God”, while the people chanted: “One is holy, one is Lord...” one of the faithful approached the Saint and asked him: “Why, O Father, does the priest say: 'The Holy Things are for the Holy people of God'?”

The Saint replied: “He says this for all of us, my child, and it means: to the Holy Members of Christ, may those who are holy approach!”

“And what is holiness, O Father?” the man asked him again, who was very simple.

“If one is dissolute, let him not dare to partake of this great Mystery. If you have made an enemy of anyone, do not approach. If you have made a laughing stock of, or angered, or judged your fellow man, stay far away from Holy Communion. First test yourself, to see if you are virtuous enough to approach, and if you are not, [stay back].”

In the interim, the liturgist cried out: “With fear of God, and faith and love, draw near.”

The Saint then followed all those who communed. Some of their faces turned black as soon as they partook of the Divine Mysteries, while others shone like the sun.

The Angels stood there nearby and followed the Communion with reverence. After every faithful person communed, they placed a crown upon his head.

However, when a sinner approached, they turned their faces in aversion. Then, the spotless Mysteries appeared to disappear from the holy [spoon], so that the sinner might not take within him the Body and Blood of Christ. And the sinner left utterly black...with the disapproval of the Lord spread over his face.

When the liturgy was finished, and the priest consumed the Gifts, then, the Infant appeared whole again above in the arms of the Holy Angels!

Straightaway the roof of the church appeared to split in two. From there the Angels lifted up the Child to the heavens with hymns and doxologies, just like they had brought Him down, and an unspeakable fragrance again filled the whole area.”
 
(amateur translation of text from source)
   
Jesus Christ depicted as an Infant on the Paten, the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world (source)
   
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
↧

The Doxastikon of the Dormition in All Eight Tones

August 14, 2014, 6:48 am
$
0
0
The Dormition of the Theotokos (source)
 
The following is the Doxastikon of the Stichera from the Great Vespers for the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos. This is a beautiful hymn with vivid imagery, but it is most notable for the fact that it is written with portions to be chanted in all eight tones of Byzantine music. This, to my knowledge, is the only hymn in Orthodox hymnology that is like this, and we should take note of this. I take it to mean that our Orthodox Fathers and Hymnographers, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, hope to show that, by praising the Theotokos in all eight tones, the entirety of the visible and invisible Church gathers to honor the Dormition of her who is the "Mother of Life", being translated to "Life". We praise her with every manner and every glory that we have been given, though "it is not possible to render her worthy honor". May she ever intercede for the whole world!


Glory. Both now.
For both Choirs in the 8 Tones.

Tone 1
By divine command the god-bearing Apostles were caught up from all over the world by clouds on high.
   
Tone 5.
Reaching your all-immaculate body, source of life, they kissed it with mighty honour.
   
Tone 2.
The highest Powers of heaven stood by with their own Master.
   
Tone 6.
Seized with dread they accompanied your inviolate body that had contained God; while they went on before in a manner not of this world and crying out, unseen, to the ranks above them: See, the Queen of all, God’s Child, has come.
   
Tone 3.
Lift up the gates, and in a manner not of this world receive the Mother of the everlasting light.
   
Tone 7.
For through her the salvation of all mortals has come. We have not the strength to gaze on her, and it is not possible to render her worthy honour.
   
Tone 4.
For her excellence outstrips all understanding.
   
Tone 8.
Therefore, immaculate Mother of God, as you live for ever with the life-bearing King, your Offspring, pray without ceasing that he guard and save from every hostile assault your new people; for we have gained your protection.
   
Tone 1.
As to the ages with splendour we call you blessed.
(source)

The Dormition of the Theotokos (source)
   
Most-holy Theotokos, save us!
↧
Viewing all 961 articles
Browse latest View live
More Pages to Explore .....
Search

Latest Images

‘Pay day every day’ may become Shangri-La Group, BPOs’ secret to happy employees

‘Pay day every day’ may become Shangri-La Group, BPOs’ secret to happy employees

April 25, 2024, 5:51 am
Nonprofit donates custom home in this East Bay city for Marine injured in...

Nonprofit donates custom home in this East Bay city for Marine injured in...

April 23, 2024, 7:00 am
New private rooms on Tokaido Shinkansen change the way we travel from Tokyo...

New private rooms on Tokaido Shinkansen change the way we travel from Tokyo...

April 22, 2024, 6:00 am
Ukraine bans military from online gambling amid addiction concerns

Ukraine bans military from online gambling amid addiction concerns

April 22, 2024, 5:17 am
ಮಂಡ್ಯದಿಂದ ಸುಮಲತಾ ದೂರ; ಹೆಚ್‌ಡಿಕೆ ಪರ ಪ್ರಚಾರಕ್ಕಿಳಿಯದ ಸಂಸದೆ –ಬರ್ತಾರೆ ನೋಡೋಣ ಎಂದ...

ಮಂಡ್ಯದಿಂದ ಸುಮಲತಾ ದೂರ; ಹೆಚ್‌ಡಿಕೆ ಪರ ಪ್ರಚಾರಕ್ಕಿಳಿಯದ ಸಂಸದೆ –ಬರ್ತಾರೆ ನೋಡೋಣ ಎಂದ...

April 20, 2024, 8:08 pm
OCBC Bank Singapore Offers Up to 2.8% p.a. Fixed Deposit Promotion from 21...

OCBC Bank Singapore Offers Up to 2.8% p.a. Fixed Deposit Promotion from 21...

April 20, 2024, 12:38 pm
National Poetry Month 2024: Maxine Starr

National Poetry Month 2024: Maxine Starr

April 19, 2024, 9:56 am
Vegan Chicken Pot Pie

Vegan Chicken Pot Pie

April 19, 2024, 9:18 am
Firefox UX: On Purpose: Collectively Defining Our Team’s Mission Statement

Firefox UX: On Purpose: Collectively Defining Our Team’s Mission Statement

April 19, 2024, 7:03 am
New $4.5 million East Bay trail path will connect bicyclists, pedestrians to...

New $4.5 million East Bay trail path will connect bicyclists, pedestrians to...

April 18, 2024, 11:05 am