March 25, 2023. + Orthodox Calendar

Orthodox Calendar 2023

Благовещение Пресвятой Богородицы

Old Style

March 25

Friday

New Style

April 7

Sixth Week of Great Lent (Palm Week). Tone 1.
Great Lent.

Fish, wine and oil allowed.

The Annunciation of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.

New Hiero-confessor Tikhon, patriarch of Moscow and all Russia (1925).

St. Nicander, hermit, of Pskov (1582).

Martyrs Pelagia, Theodosia, and Dula, of Nicomedia, who suffered under Valentinian (4th c.). St. Senuphius the Wonderworker, of Latomos Monastery in Thessalonica (9th c.). St. Sabbas the New, of Kalymnos (1948). St. Justin (Popovic), archimandrite, of Chelije in Serbia (1979).

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

Friday.

The holy 40 days of Great Lent have come to an end! Now each of you sit and calculate the result—what was there in the beginning and what is there now? There was buying, so what are the gains? Is there at least a small profit? We have stepped into the arena: so, did we run, and having run, did we achieve what we expected? A struggle was announced: so, did we arm ourselves, did we fight, and having fought did we fall, or conquer? Attentive and vigilant fasters, having laboured with contrite and humbled hearts, upon looking back cannot but rejoice. However, for us, careless and flesh-pleasing, concerned only with fleshly comforts and things that please us, there is always only shame. But even this is lacking. Some take a beating but feel no pain, because they have a copper forehead and an iron neck.

Articles

Homily on the Annunciation of the Mother of God

Bishop Ilias Miniatis

How different is God from man! But God, becoming a man and in taking flesh, did not abandon the nature of the Divinity. And how different a Virgin is from a Mother! But the Virgin, becoming a Mother, in maternal childbearing did not lose the glory of virginity. What a strange communion of two natures—the Godly and the human, united unmingled in one hypostasis!

Homily on the Annunciation. The Power of the Cross of God’s Love

Schema-Igumen Seraphim (Baradell)

Creation was destined for the Annunciation from the very beginning of the world; it waited and thirsted for it. Thousands of years passed before the human race reached the time of its blossoming, and she who had found grace with God appeared on the earth. The Annunciation was preordained within the depths of the Holy Trinity; nevertheless, the good tidings of salvation needed yet to be heard and accepted by man. The Lord inviolably honors the freedom of His creature, and therefore the Annunciation was directed toward that freedom.

The Annunciation

Feast of the Annunciation of our most holy lady, the Theotokos and ever virgin Mary

Thus, when on this and other feasts the Orthodox Church honors the Theotokos, the Mother of God, it is not just because God chose her but also because she herself chose to follow His will.

Annunciation

A special feature of this feast is the Matinal Canon which has the character of a dialogue between the Archangel Gabriel and the Virgin Mary. Also among the more popular elements of the feast is the Magnification which has the form of our own salutation to the virgin mother with the words of the archangel:

The Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. Gospel Exegesis

Archpriest Alexander Shargunov

The Most Pure Virgin Mary’s answer is the joyful, prayerful concentration of all ages of Christian sanctity; the fate of every person, into which we are all called to delve. Let everyone who turns his mind and heart to the Lord always stand before this mystery, and with thankfulness witness the joy of today’s feast. The Annunciation has happened. Be it unto me according to thy word.

On St. John Climacus, and the Miraculous Revelation of Patriarch Tikhon's Relics

Archimandrite John (Krestiankin)

The Patriarch was the spiritual leader of the Russian people during a very difficult time. He continues to be so during our difficult time in Russia—a time of schism, separation, and falls. The Church's duty in such trials is to inspire and unite the people for the sake of saving their native land, faith, and truth, serving for unification.

A Dream: About my vision of Patriarch Tikhon

Metropolitan Benjamin (Fedchenkov)

“So, only now,” a thought struck me, “now something can be said to them, now they are capable of hearing it, for their souls have melted. But there in the hut there could be no thought of teaching.” I understood that we must first warm the sinful soul, and correct it only afterwards. His Holiness could do this—he greatly loved these sinful but miserable children of his. And he warmed them with his love.

A 1923 Interview with Patriarch Tikhon by an American

Patriarch Tikhon's nine years in America were important ones in the affairs of the Orthodox Church there. During this period the episcopal seat was removed from San Francisco to New York. During this period Bishop Tikhon became Archbishiop Tikhon, the first American Orthodox hierarch to bear that title. These years made a deep impression upon the future Patriarch himself, and as will later be pointed out, the knowledge of the life and religious ideals of American people he acquired there have been very influential in later events in Russia. America has no better friend in Russia than Patriarch Tikhon and he seems especially pleased to maintain his connection with Americans and things American.

The Trial of Patriarch Tikhon

Ivan M. Andreev

The supreme spiritual value--religion--was also overthrown. Faith in God was replaced with faith in atheism and materialism. The interests of the whole nation were reduced to the interests of the proletarian and peasant classes. Yet in view of the "backwardness" of the peasant class, the leading rôle was ceded to the proletariat. And since the entire proletariat was en masse also referred to as "comprehending little," the "dictatorship of the proletariat" was transformed into the Dictatorship of the Bolshevik Communist Party.

Saint Patriarch Tikhon - His Missionary Legacy to Orthodox America

Fr. Alexey Young

The key to St. Tikhon's greatness lies in his personality, his character. Prof. Zaichenko recalls: "By nature Bishop Tikhon was kind, responsive and unusually sensitive. In his character he was quiet, merciful, good-natured and always tried to preserve in himself serenity, a serenity which he transmitted to the souls of all those around him."

St. Tikhon of Moscow's Gift to America

Jesse Dominick

St. Tikhon’s Monastery is home to a rich history and a great many “treasures” of Orthodoxy, some known, some relatively unknown, which stand as a testament to the prayers and labors of our American apostle, St. Tikhon, and his continuing heavenly protection.

The Quiet Courage of Patriarch Tikhon

Georgiy Velikanov

Patriarch Tikhon, without a doubt, was a “point of intersection” for all the Russian Church’s modern history. At him intersect all the different paths chosen by hierarchs and simple believers.

Patriarch Tikhon

“Patriarch Tikhon is one of the greatest universal saints.”

Patriarch Tikhon captained the ship of the Church through the bloody storm of anti-ecclesiastical persecution inspired by the godless leaders of the communist regime, who had seized power in much-suffering Russia.

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