Rating: 10|Votes: 2

Why do we address the Cross in prayer directly as if to a person?

Archpriest Andrew Nikolaidi

For many Orthodox Christians, beginning to explore the treasury of Christian prayer and trying to delve into the meaning of the prayers, upon reading the prayers to the Cross the question may arise: “Why do we address the Cross, the Wood, in prayer directly as if to a person?”

Rating: 6.3|Votes: 15

On the special dedications of the seven days of the week: when and to whom to pray

Natalia Goroshkova, Archimandrite Nazary (Omelyanenko)

Every believer should go to church on Sundays in order to participate in the Divine Liturgy. Inasmuch as the Resurrection of Christ is the hope of all men we especially honor this day. It is best of all to spend this day after the Liturgy in charitable deeds: visiting the sick, helping those in need, and visiting the elderly. It would also behoove you on Sunday to devote a few hours to reading the Holy Scriptures and saying some prayers.

Rating: 10|Votes: 6

“He sought the most important thing—prayerful union with God”

Elder Iliy on St. Silouan the Athonite and the importance of prayer

Olga Orlova, Schema-Archimandrite Iliy (Nozdrin)

Schema-Archimandrite Iliy (Nozdrin), spiritual father of His Holiness, ascetically struggled on Mt. Athos for more than ten years in one of the sketes of St. Panteleimon Monastery—the Old Russikon. Namely there, at the mill just a few decades earlier Venerable Silouan the Athonite carried out his obedience. In 1967 the book of his life and teachings became a spiritual guide for the now-revered elder, then novice Alexei of the Pskov Caves Monastery

Rating: 6|Votes: 4

Preconditions for Orthodox Participation in the Holy Mysteries

Elder Joseph of Xeropotamou

As all of us should know, and hopefully do know, that just because we are formally Orthodox does not mean we have the right to participate in the Sacraments, or Mysteries, of the Church, but rather, there are preconditions to participation—that is, we are called to prepare ourselves to receive grace and meet the Lord through these Mysteries.

Rating: 6.3|Votes: 35

The Way of All Flesh—What happens to the soul after death

Part 1

Archpriest Oleg Stenyayev

Why is earthly life is so valuable to us? What does a soul experience as it separates from the body? What are the aerial tollhouses? What is life, and what is death in the Orthodox understanding? These are the topics of a series of talks with Archpriest Oleg Stenyaev, which we will be translating for our English language readers.