Orthodox Christianity

Wednesday, November 18/December 1, 2021. 24th Week after Pentecost. Nativity Fast.

Monastic rule: cooked food, no oil.

Martyr Platon of Ancyra (ca. 302). Hieromartyr Romanus, deacon, of Caesarea in Palestine and Childmartyr Barulas of Antioch (303).

Hieromartyr Zacchaeus, deacon, and Martyr Alphaeus, reader, of Caesarea in Palestine (303). Synaxis of the Saints of Estonia. St. Helen, abbess of Novodevichy Convent (Moscow) (1547).

New Hiero-confessor Nicholas Vinogradov, archpriest, of Malakhovo (Yaroslavl) (1948).

Martyr Romanus, who suffered under Maximian, at Antioch (305). St. Mawes, bishop in Cornwall and Brittany (5th c.). St. Odo, abbot, of Cluny (942). New Martyr Anastasius of Paramythia in Epirus (1750) and New Monk-martyr Daniel of Corfu (18th c.).

Repose of Schema-archimandrite Vitaly (Sidorenko) of Glinsk and Tbilisi (1992).

See the full calendar

Ukrainian Church Crisis

Prepare Our Hearts for the Coming of the Lord

Prepare Our Hearts for the Coming of the Lord A Word for the Beginning of the Nativity Fast Prepare Our Hearts for the Coming of the Lord A Word for the Beginning of the Nativity Fast Archpriest Alexander Shargunov For a believer, being awake isn’t just not sleeping in the physical sense, but to fight in general against what lulls a man to sleep, preventing him from seeing what leads him to death.

I Was Converted to Christianity by Apostle Paul

I Was Converted to Christianity by Apostle Paul Raphael Musan-Levi I Was Converted to Christianity by Apostle Paul SRaphael Musan-Levi Why did I choose Orthodoxy out of all possible denominations? Because only in Orthodoxy I could find the continuation of the Church of the Old Testament and it was the only denomination that had apostolic succession.

“A Jerusalem Cross.” Gorny Convent

“A Jerusalem Cross.” Gorny Convent Stories of Abbess Georgia (Shchukina). Part 3 “A Jerusalem Cross.” Gorny Convent Stories of Abbess Georgia (Shchukina). Part 3 Abbess Georgia (Shchukina) The life of every person is filled with sorrows, and a monastic especially needs to bear his or her cross. Whether a monastic or an abbot—each has his own cross, and it must be borne with dignity.

The Nativity Fast

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More Miracles of St. Matrona of Moscow

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Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days

More Miracles of St. Matrona of Moscow

I would like to share some stories of miraculous help that happened in my life through prayers of Blessed Matrona of Moscow.

Metropolitan Philaret (Vosnesensky): Moral Theology—on Sin

Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky)

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Homilies and Spiritual Instruction

Metropolitan Philaret (Vosnesensky): Moral Theology—on Sin

Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky)

Sin is spiritual leprosy, illness, an ulcer having struck all of human nature, both its soul and body.

Restoring the St. John of Kronstadt Convent in St. Petersburg

Stories of Abbess Georgia (Shchukina). Part 2

Abbess Georgia (Shchukina)

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Restoring the St. John of Kronstadt Convent in St. Petersburg

Stories of Abbess Georgia (Shchukina). Part 2

Abbess Georgia (Shchukina)

Then it was even scary to talk about Fr. John. Believers walked stealthily past the convent, making the sign of the cross secretly by the window where a cross had already been hollowed out.

The Two Main Commandments

On the Gospel about the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:25–37

St. John of Kronstadt

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Homilies and Spiritual Instruction

The Two Main Commandments

On the Gospel about the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:25–37

St. John of Kronstadt

In the Gospel reading for today, the Savior our God solves a very important question for us: What must we do in order to inherit eternal life?

Thanksgiving as Mystical Communion

Fr. Stephen Freeman

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Homilies and Spiritual Instruction

Thanksgiving as Mystical Communion

Fr. Stephen Freeman

We are able to give thanks always and for things, not because we think suffering itself is good, but because the One who alone is good has Himself become our suffering.

“I Must Myself Endure What Has Been Sent to Me...”

Several episodes from the life of Priest Vyacheslav Velichko (1929-1998)

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Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days

“I Must Myself Endure What Has Been Sent to Me...”

Several episodes from the life of Priest Vyacheslav Velichko (1929-1998)

He began to pray fervently, and through his prayers the sick woman came back to life, opened her eyes, took Communion, and after that departed to the Lord.

Liturgy on the Day of St. John Chrysostom at St. Vladimir Seminary

Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev)

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Homilies and Spiritual Instruction

Liturgy on the Day of St. John Chrysostom at St. Vladimir Seminary

Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev)

As long as the history of humankind continues on earth, Christ will continue to act in this history.

Let Us Give Thanks Unto the Lord!

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Orthodoxy Around the World

Rating: 6.3|Votes: 7

Let Us Give Thanks Unto the Lord!

Today is a special day for Americans, but it also provides us with a wonderful opportunity to remind Orthodox Christians around the world to give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, and His mercy endureth forever.

Gratitude to God: Wisdom from the Optina Elders

Optina Patericon

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Homilies and Spiritual Instruction

Gratitude to God: Wisdom from the Optina Elders

Optina Patericon

You must thank God for sending you everything. This is for three reasons: in order to bring you to your senses, to awareness, and to gratitude.

“Pray, Pray! I So Want to Go to a Convent!”

Stories of Abbess Georgia (Shchukina). Part 1

Abbess Georgia (Shchukina)

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Churches and Monasteries

“Pray, Pray! I So Want to Go to a Convent!”

Stories of Abbess Georgia (Shchukina). Part 1

Abbess Georgia (Shchukina)

Fr. Seraphim blessed me, “Go with God’s help. The Lord has chosen you. There is the will of God. It is pleasing to God and the Mother of God!”

Todos Semyonych
From the life of the Zhezherun family

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Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days

Todos Semyonych
From the life of the Zhezherun family

The family kept the secret carefully, and the descendants never learned the whole truth about their ancestors.

“If You’re a Sinner, Then You’re My Brother”

Lessons in Humility and Obedience from Elder Gabriel (Urgebadze)

Tatiana Tsomaya

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Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days

“If You’re a Sinner, Then You’re My Brother”

Lessons in Humility and Obedience from Elder Gabriel (Urgebadze)

Tatiana Tsomaya

Elder Gabriel was physically completely different—unearthly, impressive. His words had power. He contained both an extraordinary simplicity and a kind of aristocracy. It’s impossible to describe all this in words.

Archpriest Sladjan Vasic: “Austria Is a Country with Christian Traditions”

Archpriest Sladjan Vasic

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Orthodoxy Today

Archpriest Sladjan Vasic: “Austria Is a Country with Christian Traditions”

Archpriest Sladjan Vasic

I am always happy to see how the Church grows! And recently we had such a case: A young Catholic converted to Orthodoxy simply after attending our Divine Liturgy...

The Garments of God and Man

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Homilies and Spiritual Instruction

The Garments of God and Man

Christianity clothes men, robing them in virtues and holiness. Sin disrobes. Removing the clothing of virtues from a man, sin leaves him naked, weak, ugly.

Reach for the Heights! Homily on the feast of Holy Archangel Michael

Hieromartyr Thaddeus (Uspensky)

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Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days

Reach for the Heights! Homily on the feast of Holy Archangel Michael

Hieromartyr Thaddeus (Uspensky)

What a great loss it is to our spiritual life that we so rarely enter into spiritual communion with the heavenly angels!

Fr. Daniel Sysoev: A Man Completely Immersed in Faith

For the Twelfth Anniversary of His Slaying

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Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days

Fr. Daniel Sysoev: A Man Completely Immersed in Faith

For the Twelfth Anniversary of His Slaying

“We often build Christ around our lives, but for him Christ was the center, and he built everything on Him,” recalls Archpriest Igor Fomin.

Seeking a Meeting with Elder Joseph

Sergei Seryubin

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Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days

Seeking a Meeting with Elder Joseph

Sergei Seryubin

When you are in a holy place and dealing with obvious ascetics, there is no point in trying to predict anything.

Pay Heed to Yourself!

On Bridling the Tongue, Part 2

Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol

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Homilies and Spiritual Instruction

Pay Heed to Yourself!

On Bridling the Tongue, Part 2

Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol

If you’ve developed a proper relationship with God, then you’ll live the spiritual life, you’ll bridle your tongue, you’ll pay heed to yourself, and take note of your mistakes—not the mistakes of others.

A Day That Starts with the Theotokos

Olga Izhenyakova

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Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days

A Day That Starts with the Theotokos

Olga Izhenyakova

A rich merchant had a habit of going to the church every morning to get the blessing of the Theotokos, because he had firmly internalized one rule: A day that starts with the Theotokos won’t be wasted.

“I was the smallest among my brethren.” Patriarch Tikhon’s Homily at His Enthronement
Delivered in the Dormition Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin

Patriarch Tikhon (Bellavin)

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Saints. Asceties of Piety. Church Holy Days

“I was the smallest among my brethren.” Patriarch Tikhon’s Homily at His Enthronement
Delivered in the Dormition Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin

Patriarch Tikhon (Bellavin)

For archpastoral service is first of all a service of love. When a sheep is lost, the archpastor takes it upon his shoulders.

Women in the Church

Abbess Christophora (Matychak)

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Homilies and Spiritual Instruction

Women in the Church

Abbess Christophora (Matychak)

The life of a woman in the Church is the ultimate, the fullness.

Restrain Yourself… Even Unto Blood

On Bridling the Tongue, Part 1

Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol

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Homilies and Spiritual Instruction

Restrain Yourself… Even Unto Blood

On Bridling the Tongue, Part 1

Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol

The tongue, of course, brings us a multitude of sufferings, but how can we bridle it?

“I am Dostoyevsky, but a different kind”

A conversation with Dmitry Andreyevich Dostoyevsky, the writer’s great-grandson. Part 2

Dmitry Andreyevich Dostoyevsky

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Orthodoxy Around the World

“I am Dostoyevsky, but a different kind”

A conversation with Dmitry Andreyevich Dostoyevsky, the writer’s great-grandson. Part 2

Dmitry Andreyevich Dostoyevsky

To get help from the Lord, you need to have faith and appeal directly to God. He helped me, and not only once. I was able to recover from cancer twice.

“The Dostoyevsky line continues”

A conversation with Dmitry Andreyevich Dostoyevsky, the writer’s great-grandson. Part 1

Dmitry Andreyevich Dostoyevsky

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Orthodoxy Around the World

“The Dostoyevsky line continues”

A conversation with Dmitry Andreyevich Dostoyevsky, the writer’s great-grandson. Part 1

Dmitry Andreyevich Dostoyevsky

We have the same genes and we pass down from generation to generation the memory of Feodor Mikhailovich as we inherited nothing else but the genes.

Patriarch Bartholomew and the Three Signs of His Pride

Metropolitan Barsanuphius of Vinnitsa

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Orthodoxy Today

Patriarch Bartholomew and the Three Signs of His Pride

Metropolitan Barsanuphius of Vinnitsa

Patriarch Bartholomew said that he “couldn’t care less” that the Russian Orthodox Church doesn’t commemorate him. Why did one of Church’s most respected hierarchs express himself this way, and what did he mean?