In English

The life of a monastic should be such that gradually he or she becomes an angel on earth and a human person in heaven.

The 5th Sunday in Great Lent, the Sunday which is the week of great vigils, and ascetic struggles, the week of lamentations and sighs, is also the Sunday of the greatest among the women saints, our holy mother Mary the Egyptian. She spent forty-seven years in the desert and the Lord gave her something which He gives only rarely to one of the saints. For years on end, she tasted neither bread nor water. When she was asked about this by Abba Zosimas, she answered: ‘We do not live by bread alone’ (Matth. 4, 4). The Lord fed her in a particular way and introduced her to the life of a hermit, to the struggles of an ascetic. And the result? ...

The Orthodox social network Elitsy has launched a new project of virtual pilgrimages, allowing anyone to visit the most famous...

Give doctors the honor they deserve, for the Lord gave them their work to do. Their skill came from the...

1 April 1990 In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. On the fifth Sunday in Lent we remember Saint Mary of Egypt, and she can teach us a great deal of what we need to know. She was a sinner, publicly known, a temptation and a scandal to men. How she became a sinner – we do not know; whether there was evil in her, whether she was seduced or raped, how she became a harlot, we shall never know. What we know for sure is that one day she came to a church of the Mother of God – the image of perfect wholeness – and she suddenly felt that she could not enter it. We ...

In 1978 when I was at Philotheou Monastery, Father Job passed away. He was a good disciple of mine. Soon afterwards we had an all-night vigil for St. John the Forerunner. I have a soft spot for him, because I was born on his Nativity and was named after him. During this vigil, I felt St. Johns living presence tangibly. After celebrating his vigil with great joy, I went to rest, and in my sleep I saw the following vision: I saw that I left Philotheou along with Father Job and his guardian angel. We went to Geronda who was at our huts in the wilderness of the Small Skete of St. Anne. WEen we arrived, I felt as if I had ...

For Eastern Orthodox Christians, a major event is the arrival of the “Holy Fire” at the Church of the Holy...

Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II will hold a Divine Liturgy on the occasion of the Annunciation at the...

A Statement of the Holy Synod Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East Damascus, April 4, 2020 To all our...

Saint Mary of Egypt struggled in desert for forty-seven years without receiving Holy Communion. As it is known, the saint...

The Orthodox Metropolis of Korea (Ecumenical Patriarchate) has issued a statement concerning the construction of the Church of the Dormition...

On Friday evening of the 5th week of Great Lent, March 21/April 3, 2020, the Service of the Akathist was...

Don’t let bad thoughts enter, because then you won’t be forced into acting badly in your deeds. If you don’t sin in your mind, then you won’t do so in your works. If you fall into many temptations, consider this a great joy.

The Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, His Beatitude Ieronymos, on Saturday successfully underwent a pacemaker procedure. His Beatitude underwent...

With her desire for God and fervent faith, Mary was completely transformed. She turned her back on the unnatural, which is the state of sin, to the natural, which is purity and cleanliness and then proceeded to the next stage- beyond nature- which is sanctification and the vision of God. Because it’s only in this way, through the fact that she was granted the vision of God, that she saw the uncreated light of Christ, that she was inundated and shone entirely in the uncreated light, that she was warmed, illumined, nourished spiritually and enriched in the experience of this divine and uncreated light, that we can explain how she managed to experience, for forty-seven years, all alone in the pitiless ...

The Metropolitan of Germany and Exarch of Central Europe, His Eminence Augoustinos, spoke to the Orthodoxia news agency this week,...

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,  Due to the coronavirus pandemic which, unfortunately, prevents you from coming to our Churches...

A documentary on the life and works of Mount Athos Elder Joseph (Iosif) the Hesychast has been nominated for three...

Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, His Beatitude Ieronymos, wished the faithful courage and patience, speaking during Friday’s emotional Salutations...