ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY Orthodox Calendar
Orthodox Calendar 2024
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Благовещение Пресвятой Богородицы Патриарх Тихон
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March 25 		Sunday
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April 7
Third Sunday of Great Lent. Adoration of the Holy Cross. Tone 3.
Great Lent.
Fish, wine and oil allowed.

Совершается служба великому праздникуThe Annunciation of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.

Cовершается служба, не отмеченная в Типиконе никаким знакомNew 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

Third Sunday of Lent. [Heb. 4:14–5:6; Mark 8:34–9:1]

Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me (Mark 8:34). It is impossible to follow the Lord as a crossbearer without a cross, and everyone who follows Him, unfailingly goes with a cross. What is this cross? It is all sorts of inconveniences, burdens and sorrows—weighing heavily both internally and externally—along the path of conscientious fulfilment of the commandments of the Lord, in a life according to the spirit of His instructions and demands. Such a cross is so much a part of a Christian that wherever there is a Christian, there is this cross, and where there is no such cross, there is no Christian. Abundant privileges and a life of pleasure do not suit a true Christian. His task is to cleanse and reform himself. He is like a sick person, who needs cauterization, or amputation; how can this be without pain? He wants to tear himself away from the captivity of a strong enemy; but how can this be without struggle and wounds? He must walk counter to all practices surrounding him; but how can he sustain this without inconvenience and constraint? Rejoice as you feel the cross upon yourself, for it is a sign that you are following the Lord on the path of salvation which leads to heaven. Endure a bit. The end is just around the corner, as well as the crowns!

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.

Homily on the Third Sunday of Great Lent. On Carrying Your Cross

St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov)

The thief in the Gospels who ascended this ladder ascended from out of terrible crimes into most radiant heavenly habitations. From his cross he pronounced words filled with humility of wisdom; in humility of wisdom he entered into the knowledge of God, and through the knowledge of God, he acquired heaven. We receive the due reward of our deeds, he said. Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom

Sunday of the Cross

Archbishop Dmitri (Royster)

The Cross is our badge and emblem as Christians. Remove the Cross from our lives and we have nothing. Without the Cross, both in Christ’s life and in ours, there is no genuine Christianity and consequently, no reason to observe Lent or any other sacred season. This fact may seem self-evident. Yet ours is a time in which words like sin, repentance, sacrifice, the Cross and crucifixion, are misunderstood, being viewed even by some Christians with suspicion, as "negative" terms, at least when applied to our own lives.

The Third Sunday of Great Lent. The Veneration of the Cross

Archpriest Alexander Shargunov

The human soul is more precious than anything in the world. It must be saved at any price, even if this price seems too high in many people’s opinions. We belong to the Church of martyrs and confessors. The holy martyrs are witnesses: giving your life for Christ means gaining it and accomplishing it to the fullest.

Homily on the Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross

Archimandrite Tikhon (Shevkunov)

“The Cross is the guardian of the whole world; the Cross is the beauty of the Church, the Cross is the might of kings; the Cross is the confirmation of the faithful, the Cross is the glory of angels and the wounding of demons.” The Church’s beauty lies in fulfilling the commandments and in being faithful to God.

The Tree Heals the Tree

Fr. Stephen Freeman

In the feast of the Holy Cross, the hymnography at one point makes the statment, “The Tree heals the Tree.” It is one of the marvelous commentaries on the life of grace and its relationship to the human predicament. It refers to the relationship between the Cross of Christ and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

The Third Sunday of Great Lent. The Veneration of the Cross

The Third Sunday of Great Lent: Sunday of the Veneration of the Holy Cross

The Cross reminds us of the Passion of our Lord, and by presenting to us His example, it encourages us to follow Him in struggle and sacrifice, being refreshed, assured, and comforted.

Sermon: Third Sunday of Great Lent (Veneration of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross)

Fr. Milan Medakovic

The Church gives us the cross at this point, the halfway point, of the fast to inspire us. The cross is given to show us the direction in which we are headed; that we are headed to the crucifixion of our Lord and His Holy Resurrection. This should be where we are headed with our own lives; the crucifixion of our self-will that allows us to perform God’s will, which allows our lives to be resurrected to the life that God intended for us.

Third Sunday of Great Lent: The Cross

Today's Gospel summarizes how we are to live, and why. It tells us about real reality. Not what the world tells us is real, but about how a Christian should live, how a Christian should think, how he should be. Our Lord said, " Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."

Third Sunday of Lent: Veneration of the Holy Cross

Blessed Theophylact of Ochrid

See that Christ does not compel a man to die on a cross against his own will. Instead He said, Whosoever desireth. The Lord is saying: "I compel no one. I invite him to something good, not to something bad to which he must be forced. Whoever does not want these things is not worthy of them."

Third Sunday: Veneration of the Cross

Archbishop Andrei (Rymarenko)

Right now, as we approach and kiss the Cross, let us say with the wise thief, "Lord, remember me in Thy kingdom!" We may not have another minute. So let us use this minute which the Lord gives us: "Thy Cross, O Lord, we venerate and Thy Holy Resurrection we glorify."
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