A Hollow Sound

Archbishop Averky of Syracuse and Jordanville A terrible, unrelieved, hopeless unscrupulousness has taken possession of many people. The true doctrine of the faith and the Church for which the first Christians died in such tortures has become a hollow sound…

Morning Prayer of the Elders of Optina

This morning prayer is very similar to that of St. Philaret of Moscow. O Lord, grant that I may meet all that this coming day brings to me with spiritual tranquility. Grant that I may fully surrender myself to Thy…

Akathist to our Holy Mother Xenia of St. Petersburg

source: akathists.com Kontakion 1 Blessed Mother Xenia, Holy Fool for the sake of Christ, you elected to undergo the struggle of patience and the suffering of affliction. We therefore honor your sacred memory with hymns of praise. Help us against…

SAINT MAXIMUS THE CONFESSOR AND THE MONOTHELITE HERESY

By Dr. Vladimir Moss The last ten years of the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius’ reign, until his death in 641, were miserable and tragic: disgraced by personal scandal and his embracing of the heresy of Monothelitism, he saw all his conquests…

St. Maximus the Greek

by Dr. Vladimir Moss   St. Maximus the Greek was an Athonite monk who was sent, according to Sir Steven Runciman, “by the Patriarch Theoleptus I to Russia in response to [Great Prince] Vassily III’s request for a skilled librarian.…

Chirping Away as they Happily Perish!

Based on a comment from a different post As Christians, Christ calls us through the blaring voice of the Apostle of the Nations Paul saying, “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the…

A GREAT AND TERRIBLE ANNIVERSARY

By Dr. Vladimir Moss On this day 103 years ago, January 19 / February 1, 1918, Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow anathematized the Bolshevik government, an act that was confirmed a few days later by the Local Council of the Russian…

When We Encounter False Brothers

source: catacombhistory.blogspot.com From the life of St. Sergius Mechev (†1941): Fr. Sergius Mechev firmly adhered to his previous convictions and sought communion with some like-minded true Orthodox bishop. There were many of them, but all of them were either in…

St. Honoratus – January 16

Saint Honoratus (French: Saint Honorat or Saint Honoré; c. 350 – 6 January 429) was the founder of Lérins Abbey who later became an early Archbishop of Arles. Honoratus was born in the north of Gaul to a consular Roman family.[4] He received an outstanding education. He converted…