Priest Sergei Begiyan
Rating: 7|Votes: 3
The most important trait of holy water is its incorruptibility, without having any change to its chemical composition. Incorruption belongs to the Kingdom of Heaven, and when we sprinkle something with holy water, we want to impart to it God’s grace, present in the water. And the first place we all want to see sanctified is our home.
Vincent Gabriel
Rating: 7,6|Votes: 8
In the veneration of both icons and relics, we experience the union these great men and women shared with Christ on earth decades or even centuries ago—a unity that transcends time and continues through eternity. Christ unites himself to us, both body and soul, and the bones of martyrs shine with the uncreated grace of God while their souls are at rest, working miracles even after their death.
St. John (Maximovich) of Shanghai and San Francisco
Rating: 9,4|Votes: 47
It was the same during his earthly life. Cities were being destroyed, kingdoms were being established, Napoleon advanced upon Russia with twelve nations and then left in disgrace, Moscow burned and was again raised from the ashes, Decembrists organized revolts and were then sentenced; but was as if these events did not touch St. Seraphim.
Deacon Vladimir Vasilik
Rating: 10|Votes: 7
But then let us think about what kind of purity a man must acquire in order to enter into this Kingdom. Let us not put off our salvation till later, nor hope that we will be purified before death or even at the time of death, or that we will land in “purgatory,” as the Catholics mistakenly think. For those who say, “Later,” it will never come. Therefore let us be concerned about our salvation now, while it is still possible to say, “Now.”
Archimandrite Iachint Unciuleac
Rating: 10|Votes: 4
A new miracle has occurred! Now, in a brief span of time the cave has been replaced with thousands upon thousands of churches large and magnificent, adorning all corners of the world. The poor manger has turned into a multitude of divine altars. The Infant in swaddling bands awaits us now in the form of the Holy Mysteries.