Hieromonk Irenei (Pikovsky)
If for the pagans death meant the ruin of life, then for Christians a martyr’s death was gain of the Kingdom of Heaven. Belief in the Resurrection was the greatest treasure for ancient Christians.
Rating: 10|Votes: 10
The elder didn’t talk with people in complicated parables like many false self-proclaiming gurus, but he talked with simplicity and in this God’s will was revealed to the listener. He spoke to the hearts of many from all corners of the earth. He knew what was in the hearts of all who came to him; he clearly saw the past, present, and future of his spiritual children and he would simply great all with what they needed. The Lord gave him the knowledge of man’s inner state. He would never say something that would affect a person’s feelings, but to those who were haughty he would give sound advice.
Rating: 10|Votes: 2
Over the period of his service in the Yaroslavl and Pereslavl Dioceses, Igumen Daniel earned the love and respect of the clergy, monks, and laity, and was actively involved in providing spiritual support to young people and servicemen. Herein are a number of reminiscences of Igumen Daniel by a number of people who knew him well.
Rating: 10|Votes: 3
Before the fall of our first ancestors, mankind was happy: living in Paradise in close union with God and showing child-like devotion and obedience to Him, they were in need of nothing, suffered from nothing, and were fully satisfied with life. Living in happiness, man openly poured out his soul before God with childlike love, receiving Divine help from Him for his development. Man knew neither sickness nor death. All of man's happiness was because he was close to God and God was with him. As a loving father, God appeared in Paradise and conversed with man, as with good, obedient children. All of the surrounding nature was subject to man, as to its king, as the image of the Creator Himself.
Fr. Philip LeMasters
Let us use our freedom to become God’s fellow workers in making ourselves holy temples. Let us embrace the divine power that enables us to walk across the stormy seas of our lives, even to share in the Savior’s victory over sin and death. We will be able to do so only when we embrace personally the glorious truth that our nature and purpose is to grow in holiness and union with the Lord.