Orthodox Christianity

Friday, March 22/April 4, 2025. 5th Week of Great Lent. Great Lent.

Monastic rule: xerophagy (bread, uncooked fruits and vegetables).

Hieromartyr Basil, priest, of Ancyra (363).

Virgin-confessor Drosis of Antioch, daughter of Emperor Trajan, and with her five Virgin-martyrs (ca. 104-117). St. Isaac the Confessor, founder of the Dalmatian Monastery at Constantinople (4th c.). New Confessor Schema-abbess Sophia (Grineva) of Kiev (1941).

Martyrs Callinica and Basilissa, of Rome (2nd c.). St. Paul, bishop of Narbonne, Brittany (3rd c.). New Monk-martyr Euthymius of Demitsana and Mt. Athos, at Constantinople (1814). St. Artemon, bishop of Seleucia (1st c.).

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Ukrainian Church Crisis

Having Once Tasted of a Life Without Sin…

Having Once Tasted of a Life Without Sin… Fr. Alexander Shargunov Having Once Tasted of a Life Without Sin… A Homily for Thursday of the Fifth Week of Great Lent Archpriest Alexander Shargunov The Lord gave St. Mary of Egypt to know what grace is when she lived in terrible sins, and granted her to see what an obstacle sin is for communion with God. Her answer to this gift from God should ever be before our eyes and should be our constant contemplation.

The Saints Are Being Mocked Along With Millions of Believers

The Saints Are Being Mocked Along With Millions of Believers Metropolitan Antony (Pakanich) The Saints Are Being Mocked Along With Millions of Believers Metropolitan Antony (Pakanich) God is not mocked. The saints are above all the blasphemies committed against their relics.

The Great Canon of Repentance by St. Andrew, Bishop of Crete (c.650 – c.726; Bishop from c.685 – c.726)

The Great Canon of Repentance by St. Andrew, Bishop of Crete (c.650 – c.726; Bishop from c.685 – c.726) St. Andrew of Crete The Great Canon of Repentance by St. Andrew, Bishop of Crete (c.650 – c.726; Bishop from c.685 – c.726) Where shall I begin to weep for the actions of my wretched life? What first-fruit shall I offer, O Christ, in this my lamentation? But in Thy compassion grant me forgiveness of sins.

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The Standing of St. Mary of Egypt

Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days

The Standing of St. Mary of Egypt

The reading of the Great Penitential Canon of St. Andrew of Crete is the main feature of this Matins service. This practice originated around the ninth century and its history is as follows.

Gogol’s Religious Views in His Book

“Selected Passages from Correspondence with Friends”

Education

Gogol’s Religious Views in His Book

“Selected Passages from Correspondence with Friends”

Gogol mistakenly considered art as a force capable not only of morally influencing life, but also of transforming the world.

Holy Martyrs Chrysanthus and Daria

Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days

Holy Martyrs Chrysanthus and Daria

Finally, Sts. Chrysanthus and Daria were thrown into a deep pit and buried alive with earth and stones. Thus in the year 283 they suffered martyrdom and received crowns of victory from the Lord.

Orthodoxy in Dagestan

Ariadna Nefedkina

Churches and Monasteries

Orthodoxy in Dagestan

Ariadna Nefedkina

We see that the history of Orthodoxy in Dagestan shows how different cultures could coexist on the same territory, leaving their mark on time, and continue to coexist to this day.

A World Filled With Silence

About Yuri Orlov’s art

Orthodoxy Around the World

A World Filled With Silence

About Yuri Orlov’s art

Perhaps peacefulness is the word that best captures the essence of Orlov’s art. It runs through all his works—not as emptiness or silence, but as a stillness that is charged with depth and meaning.

The Fourth Sunday of Great Lent. St. John Climacus

Metropolitan Anthony (Bloom) of Sourozh

Homilies and Spiritual Instruction

The Fourth Sunday of Great Lent. St. John Climacus

Metropolitan Anthony (Bloom) of Sourozh

The memory and image of St. John Climacus is offered to us now as we ascend to the days of the Passion, as an example of how God’s grace can transform an ordinary, simple person into a light for the world.

The Thorny Path of St. Serapion, Archbishop of Novgorod

Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days

The Thorny Path of St. Serapion, Archbishop of Novgorod

During those days, through Archbishop Serapion’s prayers, three seriously ill people were healed. And after the healing of a blind man, a paralytic, and a demoniac, the plague in Veliky Novgorod stopped.

“Both Life and Death Are Mysteries”

Part 1. Man has always believed in the afterlife

Archbishop Theodosius (Bilchenko)

Homilies and Spiritual Instruction

“Both Life and Death Are Mysteries”

Part 1. Man has always believed in the afterlife

Archbishop Theodosius (Bilchenko)

Death is a phenomenon that is ordained for us from above, which means it is good.

“Both Life and Death Are Mysteries”

Part 2. The fear of death

Archbishop Theodosius (Bilchenko)

Homilies and Spiritual Instruction

“Both Life and Death Are Mysteries”

Part 2. The fear of death

Archbishop Theodosius (Bilchenko)

What do people on earth need? Knowledge of God, participation in the spiritual values of the Church, reform, repentance and preparation for eternity. Some manage to become purified completely, others partially.

The Relics of Saint Benedict of Nursia—A Sacred Treasure of the Benediktbeuern Monastery in Bavaria

Anatoly Kholodiuk

Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days

The Relics of Saint Benedict of Nursia—A Sacred Treasure of the Benediktbeuern Monastery in Bavaria

Anatoly Kholodiuk

St. Benedict was widely revered even during his lifetime for his piety, ascetic life, selflessness, compassion, and the miracles worked through his prayers. The Lord revealed much to him.

“Growing up, he only dreamed about killing or poisoning his father”

About revenge, earthly life, and eternity

Elena Kucherenko

Homilies and Spiritual Instruction

“Growing up, he only dreamed about killing or poisoning his father”

About revenge, earthly life, and eternity

Elena Kucherenko

Despite the twenty years that passed after his father’s death, his son began to pray for him. And everyone felt relief.

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent

On our own cross, and the Cross of the Lord

Homilies and Spiritual Instruction

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent

On our own cross, and the Cross of the Lord

What does his cross mean? Why is his [our] cross, that is, the separate cross of each person, called also the Cross of Christ?

The Most Important Book

Priest Oleg Bulychev

Homilies and Spiritual Instruction

The Most Important Book

Priest Oleg Bulychev

If we want to protect our children from enemy influences and raise them to be faithful sons and daughters of their Motherland, the best way to do it is to educate them ourselves in the love for Christ and His Gospel, using good books, including the best examples of spiritual literature.

Tuesday in the Fourth Week of Great Lent, the Veneration of the Cross

Homilies and Spiritual Instruction

Tuesday in the Fourth Week of Great Lent, the Veneration of the Cross

If you make the sign of the Cross upon yourself with great faith, no unclean spirit will be able to come near you, seeing that sword from which it has received a mortal wound.

Real Love, and the Restoration of Churches and Souls

Hieromonk Vyacheslav (Shaporov)

Churches and Monasteries

Real Love, and the Restoration of Churches and Souls

Hieromonk Vyacheslav (Shaporov)

Our task is not only to sober people up, but also to convert them to God and help them integrate into Church life.

Without Christ, the Heart is Empty

Schema-Archimandrite Iliy (Nozdrin)

Homilies and Spiritual Instruction

Without Christ, the Heart is Empty

Schema-Archimandrite Iliy (Nozdrin)

The life of the soul is supported by prayer.

The Idolatry of Andrew Innes

Fr. Lawrence Farley

Homilies and Spiritual Instruction

The Idolatry of Andrew Innes

Fr. Lawrence Farley

The essence of idolatry is not physical prostration before a stone statue; it is giving one’s heart and life unreservedly to anyone or anything other than the true and living God.

The Gospel of the Cross and Salvation of the Soul

Mark 8:34–9:1

St. Nikolai (Velimirovic)

Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days

The Gospel of the Cross and Salvation of the Soul

Mark 8:34–9:1

St. Nikolai (Velimirovic)

Great is the power of Truth, and nothing in the world can overcome this power. Great is the healing power of Truth, and there is no suffering, no infirmity in the world for which Truth is not the medicine.

The Story of How the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste Saved Metropolitan Joseph

Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days

The Story of How the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste Saved Metropolitan Joseph

We present to our readers a story from Metropolitan Joseph (Chernov; 1893–1975) of blessing memory, about how he once nearly died from the bitter cold in a Nazi prison:

On Valaam: Baking Skylarks for the Feast of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste

Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days

On Valaam: Baking Skylarks for the Feast of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste

In Russia, there has long been a tradition of shaping and baking lark-shaped pastries on the Feast of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste.Why skylarks?

The Life and Blessing of Elder Iliy

Part 3: Living on one’s own land

Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days

The Life and Blessing of Elder Iliy

Part 3: Living on one’s own land

A person living on the land becomes self-sufficient. It is here that one can more deeply feel how God blesses human labor, and this becomes his way of life.

VIDEO: Our Orthodox Life is Union and Communion with the Living God-Man, Jesus

A Homily for the Second Sunday of Great Lent

Igumen Seraphim Bell

Homilies and Spiritual Instruction

VIDEO: Our Orthodox Life is Union and Communion with the Living God-Man, Jesus

A Homily for the Second Sunday of Great Lent

Igumen Seraphim Bell

Fr. Seraphim spoke of how the Church confirmed that St. Gregory’s teaching was, in fact, what the Church has always experienced and taught—that “our Orthodox life is union and communion with the living God-Man, Jesus.

The Life and Blessing of Elder Iliy

Part 2. Mount Athos

Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days

The Life and Blessing of Elder Iliy

Part 2. Mount Athos

Life on Athos is always an ascetic struggle.

A Word on Prayer

St. Gregory of Shlisselburg

Homilies and Spiritual Instruction

A Word on Prayer

St. Gregory of Shlisselburg

It’s natural for a living Christian soul to aspire to God. The aspiration for God finds its expression first of all in prayer to God. But it’s very hard to pray well.

The Life and Blessing of Elder Iliy

Part 1. Childhood, war, and a strategic find

Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days

The Life and Blessing of Elder Iliy

Part 1. Childhood, war, and a strategic find

His entire life was marked by the protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, and everything he did was in fulfillment of the will of the Sovereign Lady for the strengthening of his homeland.