ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY Orthodox Calendar
Orthodox Calendar 2016
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December 12 		Sunday
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December 25
27th Sunday after Pentecost. Tone 2.
Рождественский пост.
Fish, wine and oil allowed.

Совершается служба на шестьSt. Spyridon the Wonderworker, of Tremithus (348).

Hieromartyr Alexander, bishop of Jerusalem (250-251). Martyr Synesius of Rome (270-275). St. Therapontus, monk of Monza Monastery (Galich) (1597).

St. Herman, Wonderworker of Alaska (1836). St. Finian of Clonard and Skellig Michael, teacher of Ireland (549). St. Colman of Glendalough (Ireland) (659). Monk-martyr John, abbot, of Zedazeni Monastery, Georgia (9th c.). St. John, metropolitan of Zichon, founder of the Monastery of the Forerunner on Mt. Menikion (1333). Synaxis of the First Martyrs of the American land: Hieromartyr Juvenaly (1796), Peter (Cungagnaq) the Aleut (1815), and Hieromartyrs Seraphim (Samoilovich), archbishop of Uglich (1937), John (Kochurov), priest, of Chicago (1917), and Alexander (Khotovitsky), priest, of New York (1937).

Repose of Flegont (Ostrovsky), stylite, of Kimlyai (Mordovia) (1870).

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

Thirtieth Sunday after Pentacost. [Col. 3:12-16; Luke 18:18-27]

           The Holy Forefathers—these are truly great people! If one were to generalize the thought which defines their greatness, only those who fulfill God’s will for the human race—a positive will—are truly great, for there is much that happens only by God’s allowance. There are also powerful figures who act apart from God’s will and even against it. These too can seem great, but not in and of themselves—only according to those great counteractions which God’s Providence puts forth to efface the evil caused by them. We know God’s direct will concerning eternal salvation; but God’s plans concerning the temporal sojourn of people on the earth are hidden from us. That is why it is difficult for us to determine who acts more straightly, or more precisely according to God’s will. One can only acknowledge one negative criteria as true: He who acts against God’s determination for the eternal salvation of people cannot be considered great, no matter how ostentatious his deeds; for it is evident that he is going against the obvious will of God. Though this known will does not concern temporal, but rather eternal things, it is doubtless that the one will of God cannot contradict another.

Twenty Eighth Sunday after Pentacost. [Col. 1:12-18; Luke 14:16-24]

           Many are called, but few are chosen (Matt. 22:14). All Christians are called; chosen are those Christians who believe and live in a Christian manner. In the first Christian times preaching called to faith; we are called by our birth from Christians and upbringing among Christians. And glory be to God! We pass half the road, that is, entrance into Christianity and the taking root of its principles in our heart from our very childhood, without any labour. It would seem that our faith should be all the stronger, and our life all the more correct throughout all the time that follows. It was this way; but from a certain point in time it has started to be different. Unchristian principles are permitted in our schools which ruin young people, and unchristian customs have entered into society, which corrupt them after leaving school. If according to the word of God there always have been only a few chosen, it is no surprise that in our time there are even fewer of them; such is the spirit of the age—antichristian! What will be next? If our manner of education and social customs are not changed, true Christianity will weaken more and more, and at last will entirely end; only the name of Christian will remain, but the spirit of Christianity will not be there. The spirit of the world will fill everything. What is one to do? Pray…

Articles

St Spyridon the Wonderworker and Bishop of Tremithus

Saint Spyridon of Tremithus was born towards the end of the third century on the island of Cyprus. He was a shepherd, and had a wife and children. He used all his substance for the needs of his neighbors and the homeless, for which the Lord rewarded him with a gift of wonderworking. He healed those who were incurably sick, and cast out demons.

Holy Hierarch St. Spyridon of Tremithus

"When instead of logical proofs, from the lips of this Elder there came some special power, my proofs became powerless against it, for man cannot stand up against God. If any of you is able to think as I do, let him believe on Christ and together with me follow after this Elder, through whose lips God Himself spoke.”

St. Spyridon of Tremithius and the Light of Virtue

Roman Savchuk

In this brief episode from the Life of St. Spyridon, just as in other stories connected with his righteous service, the question is answered with particular force as to what language of faith Christians should use when addressing a world that has rejected Christ.

Miracle of St. Spyridon in Corfu

At around midnight on November 12th, the day on which the craftsmen expected to start their work, there was lightening and thunder - thunderbolts, one after the other. It was then that the guard of the governor's residence saw a monk approaching him holding a lit torch in his hand.

The Life of St. Herman of Alaska

Edited by Archimandrite Alexander (Mileant)

The Elder was asked "How do you, Father Herman, manage to live alone in the forest, don't you get bored?" He answered "No, I'm not alone there! There is God, and God is everywhere! There are holy angels! How can one be bored with them? With whom is it more pleasant and better to converse, angels or people? Angels, of course!"

Canon to St. Herman of Alaska

From the Service to our Holy and God-Bearing Father, Saint Herman, Wonderworker of Alaska.

The Miraculous Intercession of St. Herman of Alaska

When they finally started their exciting, but extremely difficult, ascent, everything went just fine for a few days. But at the end of one day, on a narrow path, they met an old, strange-looking man in a long dark robe. He was walking in the opposite direction, down the mountain. In a friendly manner he greeted them and advised them to turn around and return to the base camp as quickly as possible because the weather was changing into a severe storm.

The Life of Our Holy Father Saint Herman of Alaska

“I clearly remember,” he says, “all the features of the Elder’s face, which shone with grace: his pleasant smile, meek and attractive gaze, his humble, quiet manner, and his amiable words. He was not tall, he had a pale face, covered with wrinkles, his eyes were gray-blue and full of brightness, and on his head he had a few gray hairs. His speech was not loud, but very pleasant.”

New book available on St. Herman of Alaska

A new book on St. Herman of Alaska entitled, Herman A Wilderness Saint From Sarov, Russia to Kodiak, Alaska was released in November 2013 by the Printshop of St. Job of Pochaev.

St. Herman’s Guardian – Archimandrite Gerasim Schmaltz

St. Herman's years of solitude on Spruce Island caused no little wonder among those unfamiliar with the mysteries of spiritual life. A man once asked, "Fr, Herman, do you live alone in the forest? Do you never become lonely? .... No, I am not alone ," he replied, "God is there as He is everywhere. His angels are there. Is it possible to be lonely in their company? Is it not better to be in their company than in that of people?"

A Life of St. Herman from 1919

Vera Johnston

A Russian missionary to America! Yes, indeed, a servant of God, lowly and simple of heart, who attained to such perfection of spirit that in our day and generation there are many in Alaska and throughout the Orthodox parishes in the United States who think that Herman, the humble monk, should be and will be canonized—a saint of the Church.[1]

The Relics of St. Herman of Alaska

The story of Saint Herman of Alaska. 2007.

VIDEO: Pilgrimage to Spruce Island

Spruce Island is considered by many Orthodox Christians to be one of the holiest sites in North America. The island was home to the hermitage of Herman of Alaska during the early 1800’s. Every year, in early August, the Orthodox Church in America celebrates the canonization of Saint Herman with a Liturgy, pilgrimage, and banquet.

On the Repose of St. Herman of Alaska

Seeing the glorious life of podvig of Father Herman, seeing his miracles, seeing the fulfillment of his prophecies and finally his blessed falling asleep, "generally all the local inhabitants have an awesome respect for him as a holy ascetic, and are entirely convinced of his having pleased God," witnessed Bishop Peter.

St. Herman of Alaska: A Pre-Christmas Gift to America

Fr. Herman (Podmoshensky)

And here, in the midst of this pre-Christmas joy so filled with impressions, there enters into the American consciousness a Russian monk from Valaam who was also connected with children, coziness, spice-cake, pretzels, covered by the Alaskan snow—St. Herman the Wonderworker of America.

Travellers from Ryazan are investigating the Orthodox heritage of Russian America in Alaska

Special attention will be devoted to the person of one of the first Orthodox missionaries of North America – St. Herman of Alaska (c.1757-1837; feast: July 27/August 9), a native of Russia’s Ryazan region.

Venerable Finnian, Abbot of Clonard

Dmitry Lapa

The disciples of Clonard established hundreds of churches and monasteries in Ireland as well as in other countries. According to a custom which existed in Clonard, every monk who left the monastery as a missionary took with him a copy of the Gospels, a crozier and some holy object and later, when building his own church or monastery, placed these relics inside it.
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