Priest Alexei Shishkin
This theme raises the question of what an Orthodox Christian should be like in certain circumstances. He must be Orthodox: an Orthodox Christian on a trolleybus, an Orthodox walking down the street, an Orthodox entering a church, an Orthodox working. What makes him different from other people is that he makes efforts to fulfill the commandments of God, to pray, and to turn to God with his heart.
A real Christian remains one everywhere—in everyday life, in communication with a stranger; a seller or a buyer, a boss or a subordinate. For a Christian everything is subordinated to the same Gospel law, which is the basis of his spiritual life.
With gratitude to God and His loving Mother, the Diocese announces the establishment of a women’s monastic community outside London, dedicated to the Annunciation of the Theotokos.
Dmitry Kiryukhin
After several decades of atheist propaganda in the Soviet Union, new life came to the Orthodox parish in the village of Barkhatovo.
Jacob Adams
For eighteen years I lived only thirty-five minutes from it, occasionally taking the road past its striking golden and brown domes that rose anachronistically from the dairy land of northeast Pennsylvania.
Darya Parmenova
I wanted to preserve in my memory the vividness of the faceted Armenian architecture and the solid lacework of stone carvings, the expressive eloquence of ancient frescoes, the resonant coolness of church interiors, and the southern sun on mountain paths, city streets, and in cozy courtyards entwined with grapevines.
The house survived storms, war and neglect before it was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1970.
Nun Elizaveta (Goncharova)
“The Queen of Heaven Herself?! Visiting us?! Bring Her! I will gather all of our parish this exact evening!”
And it happened exactly as he told us. Ten days later, we received a call from the local Athonite metochion asking to pick up our icon. On the same day, we also had a call from the printing office: the print run of the icons-postcards of “The Queen of All” was ready.
Olga Bobrovnikova, Nun Seraphima (Golovina)
Monastic life for men and for women is the same: we take the same vows. The most important thing is the acquisition of the Holy Spirit, purity and chastity.
In the incomprehensible mystery for the human intellect of the incarnation of the Word of God, of man’s salvation, the Ever-Virgin Mary becomes a participant and an accomplice.
Olga Demidyuk
After the festive Divine Liturgy and Communion, I think that I would really want it that we experience joy effortlessly. But for some reason, you only feel God if you take a risk and unplug yourself from what is familiar and well-known, place your hand in His and put your trust in the way.
Orthodox Christians have profound love and veneration for the Most Holy Mother of God, and greatly love the feast of her Dormition.
Just when it seems you can’t go any further, the laws of logic end and God acts.
It’s a great journey. It’s not easy, but it’s great.
Hieromonk Pafnuty (Fokin)
Eldress Maria’s community became one of the strongholds of post-war secret monasticism.
Bishop Benjamin of Rybinsk and Romanov-Borisoglebsk
When the Lord calls you, you have to answer yourself whether it is your path or not. You cannot go to a monastery because it is beautiful or right, but because you love God and want to serve Him.
Maria Tobolova
During the wedding ceremony, they drank from the shared cup to the last drop: wine mixed with water. In the Orthodox marriage sacrament, the wine in the cup symbolizes the joys of married life, while the water represents their shared sorrows, troubles, and pains. The newlyweds would have much joy in their future life, but even more sorrow and pain.
Metropolitan Vadim (Lazebny)
If we can send a spiritual “recruit” out of our midst into the monastic “army”, then we are more or less spiritually healthy. If a monastery becomes a center that attracts those seeking spiritual life, then many problems of people in the world will disappear too.
Nine separate churches were erected on a single foundation, with one central church, crowned with a large tent, surrounded by eight pillar-churches arranged in a cross-shaped plan.