In English

Five hundred and sixty six years have gone by since that accursed day, 29 May 1453. When the cry “The City has fallen” rang out and the Reigning City, the City of Saints, Emperors and legends passed into the occupation of the Ottoman dynasty. Thus began the years of Turkish rule. The Greek nation survived, but Constantinople and Ayia Sofia (The Church of Holy Wisdom) remain in foreign hands. Today we honour those who fell during the siege and at the fall, we read the laments and the legends, we are moved, and taught. For this is the value of historic memory: to be a lesson for ever for younger and older generations. 1) We must remember the fall in order ...

As time goes by, everything fades, decays, ages. Only temperance is ageless and unfading. It doesn’t decay but always remains robust until the end. Temperance is a favourite virtue, because its beauty captivates hearts. » Saint Nectarios of Pentapolis

When people try to have a humble heart and peaceful thoughts, then none of the plots of the enemy can be implemented. Because where the thoughts are peaceful, that’s where God Himself finds peace: ‘His place is in peace’ (Ps. 75, 3). » Saint Seraphim of Sarov

A faithful friend is a living treasure, a fenced off garden, a sealed well which opens from time to time and offers the riches of its soul. When I say friends, I mean those who are good and kind, whose friendship has been cultivated on the basis of their virtue. » Saint Gregory the Theologian

For today’s passage from the Acts of the Apostles, we hear about the magnificent founding of the Great Church of Antioch in a period of harsh persecution. After Our Lord’s Crucifixion, the hatred of the Jews turned towards the Apostles and all who believed in Christ. The greatest persecution organized by the Jewish authorities against the Church of Jerusalem was in the year 36 AD. It began with the stoning of the Archdeacon Stephen (the first Martyr) and then spread beyond Jerusalem. As a result, many Christians left the city and scattered to the surrounding areas. Some of these were Cypriots and Cyrenians (from today’s Libya), and they found themselves in Syrian Antioch (which is in Turkey today, called Antakya). They ...

The great thing is for people to realize the deeper meaning of life: that we’re here temporarily and we have to get ready for the other village where will live permanently. » Venerable Païsios the Athonite

Different representatives of Orthodox media outlets gathered in Cyprus from May 15 to May 19, 2019, to find ways of strengthening the international cooperation between Orthodox digital media specialists. The meeting was occasioned by the opening of the ‘Colours of Orthodoxy. Cyprus – Poland’ Exhibition organized by the OrthPhoto.net photography website, the Archdiocese of Cyprus, the Cyprus Photographic Society, and the Publishing House of the Orthodox Metropolis of Warsaw. Incentivized by the desire to improve their activity at local level and to facilitate cooperation at international level, the Orthodox media representatives had the occasion to visit various holy places of Cyprus and to meet with hierarchs of the Church of Cyprus who are developing inter-Orthodox projects including Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Kition, Metropolitan ...

There are two most powerful weapons with which we overcome all the traps and temptations of the devil: the first is holy prayer and the second is humility. » Elder Cleopa Ilie

Fr Jonah from Taiwan speaks on the healing of the paralytic (John 5, 1-15).

Always bear in mind what Moses had to put up with –the two million grumbling people– how greatly he prayed with so much love for his people. How he was tormented for years on end in the desert, until he brought them to the Promised Land. If you recall this, it’ll give you abundant courage and you’ll never complain about your troubles, which are insignificant compared to those of Moses. » Venerable Païsios the Athonite

B) THE HOLY ICON OF HOSPITALITY OF ABRAHAM Also whoever studies, from the Old Testament, the chapter of hospitality of ABRAHAM, he will make sure that the Patriarch in his tent provides hospitality to God and two built angels. He who wants to have more secure and reliable interpretations about the content of hospitality as soon as he goes deeper into the Fatherly bibliography he will soon reach the conclusion that the overwhelming majority of the Holy Fathers ascertain exactly the same as a simple reader understands. The God is the focal person and the two angels are seated at Abraham’s table. The misunderstanding, which was given to hospitality and which tends to become dominant, that Abraham provides hospitality to the Holy Trinity, ...

People who don’t believe in God or don’t know God are obliged to worship things. » Saint Nicholas Velimirovich

Virtue which is not exercised disappears quickly under the pressure of various circumstances. We have to be swift to move from evil to good, but inflexible as regards turning from good to evil. » Saint Gregory the Theologian

Be careful not to reprimand anyone about anything. Love doesn’t become angry and doesn’t excoriate anyone. » Saint Isaac the Syrian

The final conclusion, according to what has been said above, is that the Ungoverned Father can be described precisely as Daniel describes Him according to the relevant resolution of the VII Ecumenical Synod (II Synodic Volume page 905). Therefore having as given the countenance of the ungoverned Father, the Son and the Holy spirit in no way are we limited in depicting the three persons of the Holy Trinity and to pay respects to them and only (if we hesitate in an worshipful manner) to enable those who are not able to go deeper into the Triadic Dogma to have an initial, simple and accessible picture. The countenance of the ungoverned Father as Daniel saw it and of the Holy Spirit resembling ...

‘Faith without works is dead’ (Jas. 6, 26). Real faith can’t exist without works. Whoever really believes, will certainly perform good works, too. » Saint Seraphim of Sarov

Excerpt from a Homily by Saint John Chrysostom If someone’s really knowledgeable about gold mines, they wouldn’t be able to bear not examining the smallest vein for the wealth it contained. So, in the Scriptures, it’s impossible without loss to pass over the merest jot. We must investigate everything since everything’s uttered by the Holy Spirit, and there’s nothing written in them to distract us. Consider, for instance, what the Evangelist says here, ‘This is the second miracle that Jesus did, when He came out of Judaea into Galilee’. Even the word ‘second’ hasn’t been added without a reason, but so as to further exalt the Samaritans, by showing that even when a second miracle had been performed, the people who beheld ...

Today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles tell us of the great healing of Aeneas, the paralytic man from Lydda, and the resurrection of Tabitha, who was in nearby Joppa. The Apostle Peter used to go around the cities and villages from Jerusalem and beyond, where the first Christian communities had formed. He supported them as he could and provided guidance in the spiritual life. When he visited the Christians of Lydda (some 40 kilometers northwest of Jerusalem) he met a paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years. Naturally, St. Peter felt compassion for him and sensing Aeneas’ faith, he said to him: “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Arise and make your bed. At that, Aeneas arose immediately.”(verse 34-35). With ...

Pride arises from a lack of self-awareness and results in a hardening of the heart. Acquire humility, then, and wrap yourself in it, as it were like a garment, in everything you do. >Blessed Joseph the Hesychast

On the morning of 9 May 2019, Archimandrite Elder Aimilianos, former Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Simonos Petras on the Holy Mountain fell asleep in the Lord at the Holy Convent of the Annunciation of the Mother of God, Ormylia, Halkidiki. Biographical details by Hieromonk Serapion Simonopetritis (†2019). You have made known to me the ways of life; you will fill me with joy with your countenance (Ps. 15, 11).   Elder Aimilanos’ withdrawal to the dependency at Ormylia At the beginning of 1995, permanent damage to his health forced the venerable Elder to withdraw gradually from his duties as Abbot and leave his beloved monastery and the Holy Mountain, of which he was so fond. In 2000, the revered Elder passed the baton ...