ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY Orthodox Calendar
ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY Orthodox Calendar 2015
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Old Style
February 2
Sunday
New Style
February 15
Meat-fare Sunday. Tone 3.
Заговенье на мясо.
Fast-free period.

Совершается служба великому праздникуThe Meeting of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ.

Martyr Agathadorus of Tyana in Cappadocia (Gr. Cal). New Martyr Jordan of Trebizond, at Constantinople (1650). New Hieromartyr Gabriel, hierodeacon, of Constantinople (1676). St. Anthimus of Chios (1960).

Repose of Schemamonk Seraphim of Valaam (1860).

Thoughts for Each Day of the Year
According to the Daily Church Readings from the Word of God
By St. Theophan the Recluse

St. Theophan the Recluse

Tuesday. [Jude 1:1–10; Luke 22:39–42, 45–23:1]

The Meeting of the Lord. At this meeting the Lord is surrounded on the one side by Simeon—righteousness which awaits salvation, but not in righteousness itself, and Anna—a life of strict fasting and prayer, made alive by faith; and on the other side by substantial, comprehensive and steadfast purity—the Virgin Mother of God, and by humble, silent submission and devotion to the will of God—Joseph the Betrothed. Transfer all of these spiritual attitudes to your heart and you will meet the Lord; not carried to you, but coming to you Himself. You will take Him into the embrace of your heart, and you will sing a hymn which will pass throughout the heavens and gladden all the angels and saints.

Meat-fare Sunday (35th). [I Cor. 8:8–9:2; Matt. 25:31–46]

The great judgement! The judge cometh in the clouds, surrounded by a countless multitude of bodiless heavenly powers. Trumpets sound over all the ends of the earth and raise up the dead. The risen regiments pour into the determined place, to the throne of the Judge, having already a foreboding of what verdict will sound in their ears, for everyone’s deeds will be written on the brow of their nature, and their very appearance will correspond to their deeds and morals. The division of those on His right hand and those on His left will be accomplished in and of itself.

At last all has been determined. Deep silence falls. In another instant, the decisive verdict of the Judge is heard: to some, “Come,” to the others, “depart.” “Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us! May Thy mercy, O Lord, be on us!” they shall say, but then it will already be too late to plead. We need to take the trouble now to wash away the unfavourable marks written upon our nature. Then, at the judgment, we would be ready to pour out rivers of tears in order to wash ourselves; but this would do no good. Let us weep now, if not rivers of tears, then at least streams; if not streams, then at least drops. If we cannot find even this much, then let us become contrite in heart, and confess our sins to the Lord, begging Him to forgive them, and promising not to offend Him any more through violation of His commandments. Then, let us be zealous to faithfully fulfil this promise.

Articles

Of the Last Judgment

St. Augustine

For that day is properly called the Day of Judgment, because in it there shall be no room left for the ignorant questioning why this wicked person is happy and that righteous man unhappy. In that day true and full happiness shall be the lot of none but the good, while deserved and supreme misery shall be the portion of the wicked, and of them only.

Meatfare Sunday

The next time that you set out to destroy someone’s reputation, break someone’s heart, show indifference and even ignorance toward a person, or maliciously gossip about someone, remember that Christ says that you’re doing exactly the same thing to Him!

On the Second Coming of Christ

St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov)

Mercy will present to Christ also those who were only able to show mercy to themselves, who visited themselves with self-criticism and freed themselves from the poverty, sickness, and prison of sin through repentance. Repentance is impossible for the hardened heart: the heart must be softened, filled with sympathy and mercy toward its catastrophic state of sinfulness.

Fasting and Great Lent

The word “fast” means not eating all or certain foods. As Orthodox Faithful, we can fast completely at certain times of great importance, and especially each time before receiv­ing Holy Communion. Usually, fasting means limiting the number of meals and/or the type of food eaten. The purpose of fasting is to remind us of the Scriptural teaching, “Man does not live by bread alone.” The needs of the body are nothing compared to the needs of the soul. Above all else, we need God, Who provides everything for both the body and the soul. Fasting teaches us to depend on God more fully.

A Lenten Primer. Part 2

Fr. Evan Armatas, John Maddox

So why is it that some would see a need for Great and Holy Lent? We said we were going to talk about the themes and the reasons; I think some of the reasons for Great Lent are in the calendar of events that proceed and mark our time through Great Lent. So let’s step back and take a look.

The Dread Judgment

St. John of Shanghai

A search for compromise will be the characteristic disposition of men. Straightforwardness of confession will vanish. Men will cleverly justify their fall, and an endearing evil will support such a general disposition. Men will grow accustomed to apostasy from the truth and to the sweetness of compromise and sin.
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