Orthodox Wisdom

Wisdom from the desert fathers of early Orthodox monasticism regarding welcoming others, showing hospitality, fasting, breaking one's own fast, among other matters. Note: Geronda is Greek for "Elder"📖 Text is from the Gerondikon (Sayings of the Desert Fathers)https://stanthonysmonastery.org/products/the-sayings-of-the-desert-fathers?srsltid=AfmBOooimpVQkQjsICBvWiDr87lPYCY9j_S5hpuDZY_C1VEyzk2DTyfT🎧 The 38 Sayings of St. Anthony the Greathttps://youtu.be/YNh81oWWJUc🎧 On Divine Fear - Abba Dorotheos of Gazahttps://youtu.be/7CHHNtUv2YQ🎧 Life in the Last Times - Abba Pambo (Sayings of the Desert Fathers)https://youtu.be/x9QlurpEwfk⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/🎁Support my work here:https://buymeacoffee.com/orthodoxwisdom_______5. A brother came to Abba Poemen in the second week of Lent to seek some advice about his thoughts, and when he had received the answer he said, "I was not quite sure whether to come to you today or not." "Why not?" the geronda said. "I was afraid that seeing it was Lent you would not open your door to me," he replied. And Abba Poemen said, "I do not know anything about shutting a door of wood. It is the door of the tongue that we need to keep shut."7. A brother visited a certain anchorite and when it came time to leave he said, "Forgive me, abba, I have hindered you in your rule of life." "My rule," he said, "is to welcome you with love and send you on your way in peace."12. There was a monk of the Thebaid whose gift from God was to minister to the poor according to their need. It so happened once that when giving out charity somewhere in a village, a woman came to him dressed in very shabby old clothes. Seeing her dressed so poorly impelled him to put his hand in his pocket and give her a considerable sum, but when he opened his hand it contained almost nothing. There was another woman there very well dressed and her clothing made him want to give her very little, but when he opened his hand it contained a large sum. After making enquiries about both the women he learned that the well-dressed one was an honest woman who had fallen on very hard times and had been given the good clothing because of her family's reputation, whereas the other one had deliberately worn shabby clothing in the hope of being given more._______Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Paisios arms us with the knowledge of how the devil works, how we can overcome his deceptions, and how to unite ourselves to Christ. "The devil can harm us only if," teaches St. Paisios, "we allow him to have power over us."

0:00 Intro

0:15 When We Sin We Give Rights to Temptation

3:21 Confession Deprives the Devil of His Rights

5:51 The Devil Will Not Approach a Pure Creature of God

10:02 We Should Not Start a Conversation With the Devil

11:43 The Devil is Weak

16:29 The Devil is Dumb

20:48 The Reason That God Allows the Devil to Tempt Us

24:55 The Devil Does Not Want to Repent

29:38 Humility Destroys the DevilReading from “Spiritual Counsels, Vol. 1: With Pain and Love for Contemporary Man”, p. 52-69📖 Spiritual Counsels, Vol. I: With Pain and Love for Contemporary Man by St. Paisioshttps://www.holycross.org/products/with-pain-and-love-for-contemporary-man-elder-paisios?srsltid=AfmBOooG0oxZfwjniLoIMF1LXDQHdMBKr8W6eXoQxM2xf-AEqHLNx31u🎧 The Struggle Against Thoughts - St. Paisios the Athonitehttps://youtu.be/5sN-zHdnjto🎧 Everyone Needs a Spiritual Father - St. Paisios the Athonitehttps://youtu.be/xaSeWRcJPHo🎧 Fighting the Passions - Archbishop Theophan of Poltavahttps://youtu.be/tNYLK80dFvA🎧 Holiness is in the Struggle! - Elder Athanasios Mitilinaioshttps://youtu.be/Qhm2ffdEBsc⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/🎁Support my work here:https://buymeacoffee.com/orthodoxwisdom_______St. Paisios teaches:There is so much demonic influence in the world today. The devil is roaming free because people have given him the right to do so and they are vulnerable to horrific attacks by him. Once someone rightly said: "In the old days the devil was preoccupied with human beings; not anymore. He shows people the way, tells them 'farewell', and off they go." It's terrible! You see, when the demons wanted to enter the swine in the country of the Gadarenes, they asked for Christ's permission — since the swine had not given the devil an excuse, he did not have the right to possess them! Christ allowed this to happen so that the Israelites, who were forbidden from eating pork, may be punished.The devil can harm us only if we allow him to have power over us. Those who do not participate in the Mysteries of the Church give rights to temptation and become vulnerable to demonic influence.-Geronda, in what other ways can one give rights to the devil? -Rationalism, contradiction, stubbornness, willfulness, disobedience, and insolence all are qualities of the devil. People are vulnerable to the degree that they have these qualities. But when the soul is purified, the Holy Spirit enters a man and fills him with Grace. On the contrary, when it is infected with mortal sin, the unclean spirit dwells in him. When, again, the soul is not mortally infected, then, it is merely under the influence of the evil spirit.

-Geronda, the demons scare me. -What are you afraid of? The devil has no power. Christ is All-powerful. The tempter is rotten. Don't you wear a cross? The devil's weapons are weak. Christ has armed us with His Cross. Only when we abandon our spiritual armour is the enemy strong. An Orthodox priest had only to show a small cross to a sorcerer and the demon he had invoked started trembling.Humility has great power and destroys the devil. It is the strongest shock that we can give the devil. Where there is humility there is no place for him. And where there is no devil, there are, of course, no temptations.Pray that we might continuously give joy to Christ and distress to the devil, since the devil happens to like hell so much that he does not want to repent.

Christ is born! St. Sebastian offers a brief but thought-provoking homily for this glorious feast.📖 A reading from this important vook: The complete works of St. Sebastian: Beacon From the Bayhttps://www.amazon.com/Beacon-Bay-Collected-Sebastian-Francisco/dp/B0DP1FNJCV🎧 Life of St. Sebastian (five parts): https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzFKi22k2KYiAmhiJ6mQaberXVJ0FZePY🎧 The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ - Homily by St. Gregory Palamashttps://youtu.be/DHG2gakIqdQ⛪️ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/🎁Support my work here:https://buymeacoffee.com/orthodoxwisdom_______St. Sebastian teaches:Unfortunately we now often see in the world a decline in religious celebrations of Christian festivals, just as in political and civil holidays we now often notice a tendency to withdraw from public scenes to one's own narrow sphere of privacy, personal comfort, and individual satisfaction. Such conditions are detrimental to society at large. The first cause of it all is the family-the home from which all men and women take into the world the form of their future character. The nation which is devoid of lessons in religion and patriotism in the family-which is the fountain source of all learning—such a nation is going to destruction.We must study the truth to the full measure of our competency, and know our Lord Jesus Christ the Savior. We must use our God-given intellect and discern true doctrine from falsehood. We must worship God with our whole being, body, and soul, consequently, we develop our reason (as our faith grows stronger) and praise the Lord understandingly. For when we worship with the inspiring feeling of our heart only, we bring a half offering. The offering must be whole.When we study the different forms of worship of different people who are considered Christians, we see that some bow in adoration with fervent devotion, while others with exultant heart sing loud praise, as if carried away in ecstasy, depriving the spirit of one of its faculties, i.e., adoration. Now, this is according to science, and those who have studied psychology know it. True and complete science is always compatible with religion. The Orthodox and Apostolic Church has ever held that man must offer praise from a warm heart while devoutly adoring the Sublime both physically and spiritually, and at the same time following truthful doctrine. Yes, we must seek and study the truth. I do not say we can at once perfectly know it, for we must first comprehend God, who is the truth. When we become Christ-like we know the truth, and the truth makes us free._______Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Justin Popovic (+1979) the great Serbian theologian of the 20th century, explains the nature and veracity of God being Judge of all creation. "It is natural for the heavenly Sower," writes St. Justin, "who has abundantly sown the seed of eternal, divine truths in the earth of the human soul, to come and see how much of that seed has rotted in the mire of lust, been strangled by the thorns of passion or withered by the coals of sinfulness, and how much has grown and yielded divine fruit, and, also, to reap and winnow the ripe ears of corn."A reading from The Orthodox Church and Ecumenism by St. Justin Popovic, p. 85-88.NOTE: The meaning of Theanthropic: divine (in Greek theos = God) and human (in Greek anthropos = man); the Theanthropos = the God-Man, i.e. Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God.📖 The Orthodox Church and Ecumenism by St. Justin Popovichttps://lazarica.co.uk/bookshop/📖 Orthodox Faith and Life in Christ by St. Justin Popovichttps://ibmgs.org/miscellaneous.html🎧 Introduction to the Lives of the Saints - St. Justin Popovićhttps://youtu.be/q1SQB8O2Aek🎧 Papism as the Oldest Protestantism - St. Justin Popovićhttps://youtu.be/6xXm1PfcQUw⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/🎁Support my work here:https://buymeacoffee.com/orthodoxwisdom_______St. Justin teaches:It is natural for God, who is the Creator, Saviour and Sanctifier, also to be the Judge. As Creator, He brought us from non-being into being, ordaining that, as the goal of our existence, we become Godlike with the help of the soul He gave us in His likeness, and to increase with the increase of God... unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Col. 2:19; Eph. 4:13). As Saviour, He saved us from sin, death and the devil by introducing into human nature, rendered mortal by sin, the principle and the power of resurrection and immortality. As Sanctifier, He has given us by grace, in His theanthropic Body, the Church, all the means and powers necessary for the adoption of His theanthropic ascesis of salvation and the fulfilment of the purpose of our existence. As Judge, He appraises, judges and determines our attitude towards Him as Creator and ourselves as His God-like creation, towards Him as Saviour and ourselves as the subject of salvation, towards Him as the Theanthropos, the Church, the Sanctifier, and ourselves as the object of sanctification, deification and likeness to the Theanthropos.God placed the yeast of desire for Christ into the dough of the human being, so that man, and with him all creation, should rise to Christ. For this reason all creation is essentially christocentric and is strongly drawn towards Christ as its natural and eternal Centre and Goal (cf. Rom. 8:19-23; Col. 1:16-17; Eph. 1:4-5). Whilst God, in His creative, saving and sanctifying role, appears as a tiller, sower and cultivator, He acts in His role as Judge as a reaper and winnower. It is natural for the heavenly Sower, who has abundantly sown the seed of eternal, divine truths in the earth of the human soul, to come and see how much of that seed has rotted in the mire of lust, been strangled by the thorns of passion or withered by the coals of sinfulness, and how much has grown and yielded divine fruit, and, also, to reap and winnow the ripe ears of corn.It would be unpardonably unjust, insulting and tyrannical if God were to act as Judge without having previously appeared as Saviour and Sanctifier. A God who would not reveal the way to eternal life and eternal truth or give men the means of salvation from sin, death and the devil, who would not be their Saviour, would have no right to judge mankind. Mankind would be right to say with one soul and one voice to such a tyrannical God what the wicked servant said in the Parable of the Talents (Matt. 25:24-25).

Met. Luke of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) delivered this address on December 4, 2025 at the conference titled: "The Crucifixion of Orthodoxy in the 21st Century: Spiritual Wars, Ecumenical Offensive, and Global Politics" hosted by Center for Geostrategic Studies in Belgrade, Serbia.📖 The Ecumenical Offensive as a Tool of Geopolitics: Media, Finances, and Diplomacy of the Vatican and the Phanar by Met. Luke of Zaporizhzhia and Melitopolhttps://uoj.news/en/news/85834-uoc-bishop-calls-for-statement-on-boundaries-of-ecumenism🎧 On the Canons of the Ecumenical Councils - Fr. Seraphim Rosehttps://youtu.be/d3nDu6TlWLA🎧 Ecumenism is "Downright Scum, Spiritual Filth" - St. Porphyrios of Kafsokalyviahttps://youtu.be/QxFFmBHbFqM🎧 Ecumenism: One of the Most Dangerous Heresies - St. Sophrony the Athonitehttps://youtu.be/7A0_Vw--4LU🎧 Does the Russian Orthodox Church Need to Participate in the Ecumenical Movement? (Part I/II)https://youtu.be/FjCGKeBaMzw⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/🎁Support my work here:https://buymeacoffee.com/orthodoxwisdom_______Met. Luke teaches:Modern geopolitical struggle extends far beyond economics and military security, actively invading the spiritual sphere. It influences the life of the Church, distorting the understanding of canonical order and the true state of affairs. In this context, ecumenical initiatives of the Vatican and the Ecumenical Patriarchate (Phanar) play a special role, rapidly transforming from platforms for inter-Christian dialogue into instruments of “soft power.” Through media channels, material support, and direct participation in diplomatic processes, these centers influence elite sympathies, legitimize new church (and quasi-church) structures, and alter the balance of power in entire regions, as vividly demonstrated by the example of Ukraine.Modern ecumenism, initiated by the Vatican and the Phanar, often goes beyond theological dialogue, turning into a means for forming geopolitical alliances, exerting pressure on local Orthodox churches, introducing liberal social agendas, and justifying the legitimacy of secular state interference in internal church processes. Thus, the form of “dialogue” is used as a diplomatic platform for advancing influence.The Vatican demonstrates significant experience in constructing interconfessional dialogue, humanitarian initiatives, and political diplomacy, creating for itself the image of a “peacemaker”. Ecumenical dialogue is used by it as a channel for forming special relations with influential states, influencing religious processes in Eastern Europe, and promoting Catholic social doctrine as a global norm.The risks and consequences of this activity for Orthodoxy include:-Doctrinal dilution and institutional subordination to the Vatican.-Polarization within the Orthodox world, as there is a threat of division into supporters of different centers.-Instrumentalization of religion by secular states through support for certain church actors.-Loss of trust among believers, who may begin to perceive the Church as a political project.-Escalation of inter-Orthodox conflicts using information campaigns and sanctions.6. Spiritual and Theological Measures-Increase in conciliar anathematizations and public condemnations of modern forms of ecumenism and “Eastern Papism” (following the example of the ROCOR decisions of 1983 on ecumenism).-Revival everywhere of the practice of public reading of the “Synodikon of Orthodoxy” on the Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, with additions for modern threats.-Periodic prayer services for the enlightenment of those who have fallen away (in the diocese entrusted to me, I commemorate “those who cause us afflictions” during the Great Entrance when transferring the Gifts).

For a very breif time in 1991, Elder Ephraim (+2019) was a member of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR). Compelled to address his reasons for joining the Synod, Elder Ephraim composed this statement explaining the position of ROCOR and its canonicity. His statement is valuable to all Orthodox Christians in today's struggle against the heresy of Ecumenism and for the unity of the Orthodox Church.0:00 Introduction1:52 Elder Ephraim's StatementThe inclusion of the introduction by the editors of Orthodox Tradition (Old Calendarists from Etna, CA) is neither to promote nor demote them. At minimum, their words provide valuable context and are appropriate in setting up the audience for their english translation of Elder Ephraim's original greek. It's up to the listener to draw their own conclusions about the Old Calenderists and more importantly, the words of Elder Ephraim. 📖 Elder Ephraim on the Russian Orthodox Church Abroadhttp://orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/ephraim_roca.aspx🎧 PLAYLIST: Elder Ephraim of AZ & St. Joseph the Hesychast - Readingshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzFKi22k2KYg5pt1Tvc3lnjd41E9pdR-p🎧 The Church, Ecumenism, and the Salvation of the World - Elder Ephraim of Philotheou and Arizonahttps://youtu.be/Srl9lCkmCM4🎧 Pray the Jesus Prayer with Elder Ephraim:https://youtu.be/pmFA4LTADQE?si=ig5DyyyQgX-WEgOA🎧 On Trials and Temptations - Elder Ephraim of Arizonahttps://youtu.be/yX68hapAbjY⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/🎁Support my work here:https://buymeacoffee.com/orthodoxwisdom_______Elder Ephraim writes:The Apostolic Succession of the Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad cannot be impugned, since all of the present Bishops hold canonical Consecrations from the Bishops of the pre-Revolutionary era and their successors.Patriarch Tikhon, foreseeing a bleak future for the Russian Church, issued a decree to the Bishops outside Soviet Russia, granting them the right to organize self-governing synodal bodies. Despite this, the exiled Russian Hierarchs, having lived in an atmosphere of utmost loyalty to the law and obedience under the Tsar, insisted, during their first few years of exile, on maintaining contact with their base (Patriarch Tikhon and his successors) and to seek from there approval for their more momentous decisions at least—though this was difficult under their circumstances at the time (persecutions, banishments, etc.). This communion was abruptly cut off by the capitulation of the locum tenens and later Patriarch [Sergius] (Stragorodsky) in his infamous declaration—something totally unacceptable to the Bishops in exile—, assuring the full submission of the Church to the atheist regime and ordering the faithful to show full obedience to and pray for the Soviet authorities. In my opinion, this rupture in communion was justified by the Canons, which provide for the cessation of all commemoration of the first Hierarch of a local Church in the event that he preaches heretical teachings; for Marxism is not only a political system, but entails a secular worldview, indeed a heresy.

A spiritual son of St. Porphyrios describes how the elder served Christ with incredible love and devotion in the Divine Liturgy.A reading from “Father Porphyrios: The Discerning, The Foreseeing, The Healer” by Anargyros J. Kalliatsos, p. 52-54🎧 To Be A Christian You Must Become A Poet - St. Porphyrioshttps://youtu.be/sp_NV5zj9wo🎧 Noetic Sound Waves of the Heart - From the Life of St. Porphyrioshttps://youtu.be/n5dWVVDDvhM🎧 Original recording of Saint Porphyrios saying the Jesus Prayer:https://youtu.be/w7XSW7wpCfY?si=w3yUXGV94QMWg4FH📖 Wounded by Love: The Life and Wisdom of Elder Porphyrios:https://www.holycross.org/products/wounded-by-love-the-life-and-the-wisdom-of-elder-porphyrios?srsltid=AfmBOoorE21YcZGUDow6RQlSnMJLerM851JSD-JP01Rl_2lvrmd0tO7n📖Healing the Soul: Saint Porphyrios as a Model for Our Lives. The St. John Chrysostom Monastery in Wisconsin publishes this book. Email them to ask how to obtain a copy:https://www.stchrysostomoscrafts.com/⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/🎁Support my work here:https://buymeacoffee.com/orthodoxwisdom_______Father Porphyrios was actually living the divine mystery. This was obvious by the way he acted. The consecrated bread was for him really the Body of Christ. And when he cut it, he felt pain in his heart. He was more than sure that he cut Christ's Body itself! During the Prothesis, he was reading the prayers with particular emphasis and such expression that even the most faithless could not fail being moved. It is impossible to forget the way he prayed for the living and the dead: "Remember, Lord, your servant So-and-so." It was asked with such sweetness and in such a supplicatory tone that it was impossible to be refused; not by God, who is merciful, forbearing, and full of love, but even by the worst criminal of the world. I also noticed that during the Divine Liturgy Papouli gave the impression that he was not hearing or seeing. He was not in touch with the world around him. He was living in his own world. Nevertheless, I did not leave him in peace even there. Every now and then, I went near him to show him my love. With full response he made the sign of the cross on my forehead with the sacred spoon' or his cross, or any other sacred object that he had in his saintly hands at that time. That was not done in the way the other priests did it. He crossed with such faith and force on the forehead, the head, or any other part of the body that it was really felt. Sometimes, I had the impression that my forehead started bleeding. Of course, that never happened. What also impressed me enormously was the way he collected the Divine Pearls! His diligence, his devotion, his care, and his fear in case he lost one of them could not be described. He was literally sweating from agony. Finally, I would consider it an omission if I did not say anything, at least two words, about the way father Porphyrios chanted. His chanting bore no relation to the common chanting we hear in most churches today. It had something completely distinct. It was plain, unaffected, low, without high pitches and other vocal techniques reminding oriental songs. He avoided showing off his vocal ability. This does not mean that he lacked such an ability. What he was interested in was to pronounce correctly and clearly what he chanted; on the one hand, to offer the chant to the people comprehensibly and, on the other hand, to have a direct and continuous contact with God. He achieved both because he had great faith in God and he loved Him more than anything else in the world.

Written in 1972, Fr. Seraphim Rose draws attention to the significance of St. Paisius Velichkovsky (+1794) for us today, stating, "...for Orthodox Christians of the 20th century there is no more important Holy Father of recent times than Blessed Paisius Velichkovsky."A reading of Fr. Seraphim Rose's Introduction to: "Blessed Paisius Velichkovsky: The Man Behind the Philokalia" by Schema-monk Metrophanes📖 Read the Introduction here:https://jordanville.org/news_121129_2http://orthodoxinfo.com/phronema/intro_bpv.aspx📖 Currently available books by Fr. Seraphim:https://www.sainthermanmonastery.com/Fr-Seraphim-s/1817.htm🎧 On Prelest (Spiritual Deception) - Fr. Seraphim Rosehttps://youtu.be/Pt00jwZ37ik🎧 The Holy Fathers of Orthodox Spirituality, Pt. I - Fr. Seraphim Rosehttps://youtu.be/ZEDGphNMUw0🎥 Experiences with Fr. Seraphim Rose - from Archpriest Paul Babahttps://youtu.be/w2Ej6Z8e90w🎧 See my playlist of readings of Fr. Seraphim Rose:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzFKi22k2KYjDHTp3rJVE7B66juR7bDzI⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/🎁Support my work here:https://buymeacoffee.com/orthodoxwisdom_______Fr. Seraphim writes:"...for Orthodox Christians of the 20th century there is no more important Holy Father of recent times than Blessed Paisius Velichkovsky. This is so not merely because of his holy life; not merely because, like another Saint Gregory Palamas, he defended the hesychast practice of the mental Prayer of Jesus; not only because he, through his many disciples, inspired the great monastic revival of the 19th century which flowered most notably in the holy Elders of Optina Monastery; but most of all because he redirected the attention of Orthodox Christians to the sources of Holy Orthodoxy, which are the only foundation of true Orthodox life and thought whether of the past or of the present, whether of monks or of laymen.It is these very same sources—the Divine Scriptures and the writings of the Holy Fathers—which are the foundation of all genuine Orthodoxy in our own times. The observer of the Orthodox world today can see easily enough what "Orthodoxy" becomes when these sources are not made the foundation of life and thought.The followers of unenlightened custom are themselves innocent; they merely accept what has been "handed down" to them. But not seeing the meaning and not knowing the sources of what has been handed down, they are easily led into error, accepting customs which the Church has allowed only out of her condescension or economy as if they were the best of Orthodoxy, and also improper customs of recent heterodox origin and inspiration, together with the pure and meaningful Orthodox customs handed down from the Holy Fathers. Under strict yet prudent pastors, such people can be guided in the true path of Orthodoxy; but in our own time of such widespread irresponsible Church leadership, these people are more often guided gradually into a path of ever greater and more senseless innovation and reform, the clearest example of which is perhaps the Greek Archdiocese of America, where pews, organs, and Uniat spirituality and theology have become the new "customs" of an unfortunate people whose Orthodoxy has been stolen from it.

St. Seraphim addresses two related spiritual diseases that plague many at various times, offering insight into how to overcome them and remain close to Christ.This reading comes from: Life and Teaching of St. Seraphim of Sarov📖 Life and Teaching of St. Seraphim of Sarovhttps://churchsupplies.jordanville.org/products/life-and-teaching-of-saint-seraphim-of-sarov?srsltid=AfmBOopmeXl6e0F3AWUW23i0Sy5XOCVLP002Q85QzKN09lymGZj5VLdv🎧 Despondency in Prayer - St. John of Kronstadthttps://youtu.be/dlH-e6gQQEM🎧 Drive Out Despair With The Jesus Prayer - St. Barsanuphius of Optinahttps://youtu.be/ELcvcmLMI7A🎧 The Acquisition of the Holy Spirit - St. Seraphim of Sarovhttps://youtu.be/i5rTls7uTsM🎧 Never Despair of Your Salvation (Concerning the Sin of Self-abuse)https://youtu.be/OOQxdpPd_PI🎧 On Peace of Soul - St. Seraphim of Sarovhttps://youtu.be/6LTSr5pu00A⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/🎁Support my work here:https://buymeacoffee.com/orthodoxwisdom_______St. Seraphim teaches:An inseparable companion of the spirit of sorrow is boredom. It attacks a monk, as the Fathers have observed, at about midday, and it produces in him such a terrible restlessness that both the place where he lives and the brothers who live with him become unbearable to him; and during the reading there is aroused in him a kind of disgust, repeated yawning, and great hunger. Once the belly has been satisfied, the demon of boredom insinuates into the monk the idea of going out of his cell and talking to someone, suggesting that the only way of saving oneself from boredom is by constantly conversing with others. And the monk who is vanquished by boredom is like desert tumbleweed that now stops for a moment, and now is again at the mercy of the wind. He is like a wisp of cloud pursued by the wind.This affliction is cured by prayer, abstinence from idle talk, manual labor according to one's strength, reading of the Word of God, and patience; for it is born of faintheartedness, inactivity, and idle talk.When boredom vanquishes you, say to yourself, in accordance with the instructions of St. Isaac the Syrian: "You desire again an unclean and shameful life. And if the thought occurs to you: it is a great sin to kill oneself [with ascetic practices], — you should say in return:I am killing myself because I cannot live uncleanly. I shall die here so as not to see real death — the death of my soul in its relation to God. It is better for me to die here in purity than to live an evil life in the word. I have preferred such a death to my sins. I am killing myself because I have sinned against God, and I will no longer anger Him. What is life to me apart from God? This affliction I will bear, so as not to be deprived of the hope of heaven. Why should God care for my life, if I live evilly and anger Him? (Homily 22).Boredom is one thing, and the anguish of spirit that is called despondency is quite another. It sometimes happens that a man is in such a spiritual state that it seems to him that it would be easier to be annihilated or to be totally without consciousness or feeling than to remain any longer in this immeasurably painful state. One must come out of it quickly. Guard yourself against the spirit of despondency, for from it comes every kind of evil (St. Barsanuphius the Great, Answer 73)._______Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Paisios provides guidance on fighting the sins and passions that plague us, and how to win the battle to receive a heavenly crown.A reading from Spiritual Counsels, Vol. V: Passions and Virtues by St. Paisios, p. 21-36📖 Spiritual Counsels, Vol. V: Passions and Virtues by St. Paisioshttps://www.holycross.org/products/passions-and-virtues-elder-paisios?srsltid=AfmBOoosr8olgBCwD0SYQ-GFS_bfXyRVYAsxDAiBGL9MlAUJ1SC3ssyE🎧 The Struggle Against Thoughts - St. Paisios the Athonitehttps://youtu.be/5sN-zHdnjto🎧 On Attention and Distraction - St. Ignatius Brianchaninovhttps://youtu.be/v5ZIEmv8RwQ🎧 Everyone Needs a Spiritual Father - St. Paisios the Athonitehttps://youtu.be/xaSeWRcJPHo🎧 Fighting the Passions - Archbishop Theophan of Poltavahttps://youtu.be/tNYLK80dFvA🎧 Holiness is in the Struggle! - Elder Athanasios Mitilinaioshttps://youtu.be/Qhm2ffdEBsc⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/🎁Support my work here:https://buymeacoffee.com/orthodoxwisdom_______St. Paisios teaches:When there is no danger of becoming conceited and prideful, then God will certainly help. The Good God desires that we be delivered from our passions; but if we have pride or the predisposition to become prideful, then He does not help us to be delivered from our passions, for then we will imagine that we achieved it without His help.

— Geronda, is it better to do away with a passion or a bad habit at once, or little by little? — If you can get rid of it immediately, it is best; otherwise it may leave some... residue. There is no need for delay. When one is crossing a river, particularly in the winter, he tries to do it as quickly as possible; otherwise, he'll freeze from the cold. If he crosses quickly, before being overcome by the cold, he will soon warm up again. You see, even tethered horses that want to get free will snap the rope with a sudden strong pull. Temptation requires a very sharp tug in order to sever the rope.— Geronda, does the remembrance of death help in this inner work? — Yes, it is very helpful. If we bear in mind the remembrance of death with hope in God, we will become aware of the vanity of this world and be helped spiritually. This is why we should keep the criterion (judgment) of God in mind and not forget that we will be judged for the sins we have committed and not repented for. "What am I doing? How can I live with so much negligence?" should be our thoughts. "If I should die right now, how will I be judged? Do I have a contract with death? Death comes both to the young and the old." If I could keep in mind that God may call me soon, then I would not be so inclined to sin.We sometimes try to acquire God's Grace and gifts through some magical means. We delude ourselves by thinking that we can acquire a virtue or even be sanctified without a struggle. However, for God to give, we must sow. How will God give if we do not work? What does the hymn say? "You have cultivated the barren desert?" God will provide abundant rain to soften the soil, but we must also "cultivate" our field. The earth is ready, but we must put our hand to the plough and sow our field; and whatever we sow, we will reap. But if we do not plough, how can we sow? And if we do not sow, what will we harvest? For this reason, we should not only ask what God can do for us, but what we can do for ourselves. The bank of Christ offers great interest rates. But if we make no deposit in His bank, how can we expect to make a withdrawal?_______Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

What was the nature of paradise? How should we understand the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? St. John of Damascus explains this and more.

A reading from Chapter 2, Book 11 of the Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 📖 Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith by St. John of Damascushttps://stanthonysmonastery.org/products/exact-exposition-of-the-orthodox-faith?srsltid=AfmBOooIh2HMkYAbPmSR-vRxp3-t7gnDMG-wE35u0kLCM3RfpbB0cVyi

🎧 Against Those Who Attack the Divine Images (First Apology) - St. John of Damascushttps://youtu.be/bm2eV_anejw

🎧 The Divine Bait - Sts. Gregory of Nyssa, Maximus the Confessor, & John of Damascus

https://youtu.be/8olZ4qkUrJE🎧 Adam's Lament - St. Silouan the Athonitehttps://youtu.be/n0e2bb0lTa0

⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/

🎁Support my work here:https://buymeacoffee.com/orthodoxwisdom_______St. John teaches:

Since God intended to fashion man after His own image and likeness from the visible and invisible creation to be a sort of king and ruler over the whole earth and the things in it, He prepared a sort of kingdom for him, in which he might dwell and lead a blessed and blissful life. And this divine Paradise prepared in Eden by the hands of God was a treasure house of every joy and pleasure. For "Eden" is interpreted as meaning "delight." It was situated in the east and was higher than all the rest of the earth. It was temperate in climate and bright with the softest and purest of air. It was luxuriant with ever-blooming plants, filled with fragrance, flooded with light, and surpassing all conception of sensible fairness and beauty. In truth, it was a divine place and a worthy habitation for God in His image. And in it no brute beasts dwelt, but only man, the handiwork of God.

The tree of life was either a tree possessing a life-giving force or a tree that was to be eaten of only by such as were worthy of life and not subject to death. Some have imagined Paradise to have been material, while others have imagined it to have been spiritual. However, it seems to me that, just as man was created both physical and noetic, so did this most sacred domain of his have the twofold aspect of being perceptible both to the senses and to the nous. For, while in his body he dwelt in this most sacred and superbly beautiful place, as we have related, spiritually, that is, noetically he resided in a loftier and far more beautiful place. There he had the indwelling God as a dwelling place and wore Him as a glorious garment. He was wrapped about with His grace, and, like some one of the angels, he rejoiced in the enjoyment of that one sweetest fruit which is the theoria of God, and by this he was nourished. Now, this is indeed what is fittingly called the tree of life, for the sweetness of divine theoria communicates a life uninterrupted by death to them that partake of it. It is just this that God meant by "every tree" when He said: "Of every tree of Paradise thou shalt eat." For He is the all, in Whom and by Whom the universe endures._______Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Gregory details the nature and characteristics of the Triune God: Father, Son, & Holy Spirit. A reading from Homily 8 (p. 55-58) from Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies📖 Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilieshttps://mountthabor.com/products/saint-gregory-palamas-the-homilies🎧 The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ - Homily by St. Gregory Palamashttps://youtu.be/DHG2gakIqdQ🎧 The Filioque: From the Latins Which Were Obedient to Satan - St. Gregory Palamashttps://youtu.be/4FeQoutq16I🎧 Homily on the Eve of Theophany - St. Gregory Palamashttps://youtu.be/Z1whxp_kuV0🎧 The Hesychastic Life of the Young Mother of God - St. Gregory Palamashttps://youtu.be/uYsv8o0yyic⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/🎁Support my work here:https://buymeacoffee.com/orthodoxwisdom_______St. Gregory teaches:Believing in God is different from believing God. To believe God is to regard His promises to us as sure and true, but to believe in Him is to have a right understanding of Him. Both are necessary for us and we must speak correctly in both respects, in such a way that people with correct understanding can be confident that we are faithful before the God to whom our faith is directed and that, being faithful, we shall be justified by Him.The Father is timeless, without beginning and pre-eternal. He is the sole cause and root of the divinity beheld in the Son and the Holy Spirit; not the sole Creator, but the sole Father of the only Son and the sole producer of the one Holy Spirit. He is for ever, He is the Father for ever, and He is the sole Father and the sole producer for ever. His one Son is co-eternal with Him. Like Him, the Son is without beginning in time, but inasmuch as He has the Father as begetter, root, source and origin, He is not without beginning. Before all ages He alone was begotten of Him without a body, without passion of change, and was not divided from Him. Being God from God, He is not one thing as God and another as Son. He is for ever, He is the Son for ever and He is with the Father for ever without confusion. He is the living Word, the true light, the enhypostatic Wisdom, cause and origin of all created things, for by Him all things were made.From the eternal Father who is without beginning the Holy Spirit also proceeds. As timeless He is together with the Father and the Son without beginning, but He is not without beginning, inasmuch as He has the Father as root, origin and cause, from whom He proceeded before all ages, without passion or change. He was not divided from the Father or the Son when He came from the Father and rested in the Son, for He was united with Them without confusion and indivisibly distinct. Being also God from God, He is not one thing as God and another as Comforter, inasmuch as He is the hypostatic existence of the Holy Spirit. He has His existence from the Father and is sent through the Son, as the firstfruits of eternal life and the earnest of the everlasting good things to come. He too is the cause of all created things, for in Him all things were made. He does not differ from the Father and the Son except that He is neither unbegotten nor begotten._______Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Seraphim describes peace of soul in Christ and how to preserve this peace. As the saint says, "One must by every means strive to preserve peace of soul and not to be disturbed by offences from others..."This reading comes from: Life and Teaching of St. Seraphim of Sarov📖 Life and Teaching of St. Seraphim of Sarovhttps://churchsupplies.jordanville.org/products/life-and-teaching-of-saint-seraphim-of-sarov?srsltid=AfmBOopmeXl6e0F3AWUW23i0Sy5XOCVLP002Q85QzKN09lymGZj5VLdv🎧 The Acquisition of the Holy Spirit - St. Seraphim of Sarovhttps://youtu.be/i5rTls7uTsM🎧 On Refusal to Judge Our Neighbor - St. Dorotheos of Gazahttps://youtu.be/LiAZHn18uVI🎧 On God's Love For Us & The Grace of Humility - Elder Ephraim of Arizonahttps://youtu.be/SQblbVcDMts FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/_______St. Seraphim teaches:Nothing is better than peace in Christ; in it is destroyed every warfare of the spirits of the air and earth: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in bigh places” (Eph. 6:12). It is the mark of a wise soul when a man plunges his mind within himself and has activity in his heart. Then the grace of God overshadows him, and he is in a peaceful state, and by means of this also in a most peaceful state: peaceful, that is, with a good conscience; and most peaceful, for the mind beholds within itself the grace of the Holy Spirit, according to the word of God:“And His place is in peace” (Ps. 75:3).And so we must concentrate all our thoughts, desires, and actions in order to receive the peace of God and to cry out ever with the Church: “O Lord our God, give us peace” (Isa. 26: 12).One must by every means strive to preserve peace of soul and not to be disturbed by offences from others; for this one must in every way strive to restrain anger and by means of attentiveness to keep the mind and heart from improper feelings. And therefore we must bear offences from others with equanimity and accustom ourselves to such a disposition of spirit that these offences seem to concern not us, but others. Such a practice can give quietness to the human heart and make it a dwelling for God Himself.For the preservation of peace of soul one must likewise by every means flee from judgement of others. By not judging and by silence peace of soul is maintained: when a man is in such a state, he receives Divine revelations. In order to free oneself from judging, one must take heed of oneself, not to accept outside thoughts from anyone and to be dead to everything. For the preservation of peace of soul one must more often enter into oneself and ask: where am I? At the same time one must watch that the bodily senses, especially sight, serve for the inner man and do not distract the soul by means of sensuous objects: for they only receive grace-bearing gifts who have interior activity and are vigilant over their souls._______Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Silouan the Athonite writes on battling intrusive thoughts and recognizing delusions, emphasizing that we must "fight the enemy with the weapon of humility".

A reading from "Saint Silouan the Athonite" by St. Sophrony the Athonite, p. 440-447📖 Saint Silouan the Athonite by St. Sophrony the Athonitehttps://www.holycross.org/products/saint-silouan-the-athonite📖 Spiritual Counsels, Vol. 3: Spiritual Struggle by St. Paisios the Athonitehttps://www.athoniteusa.com/products/saint-paisios-the-athonite-spiritual-counsels-volume-iii-spiritual-struggle?srsltid=AfmBOorzehHI_pB20A84pZFWkAJxcyimzUiiZ-lhw3E6bX3XloJV4VFo📖 Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives: The Life and Teachings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnicahttps://www.sainthermanmonastery.com/product-p/otdol.htm🎧 The Struggle Against Thoughts - St. Paisios the Athonitehttps://youtu.be/5sN-zHdnjto🎧 On Prelest (Spiritual Deception) - Fr. Seraphim Rosehttps://youtu.be/Pt00jwZ37ik🎧 Holiness is in the Struggle! - Elder Athanasios Mitilinaioshttps://youtu.be/Qhm2ffdEBsc🎧 On Attention and Distraction - St. Ignatius Brianchaninovhttps://youtu.be/v5ZIEmv8RwQ🎧 Noetic Sound Waves of the Heart - From the Life of St. Porphyrioshttps://youtu.be/n5dWVVDDvhM🎧 Everyone Needs a Spiritual Father - St. Paisios the Athonitehttps://youtu.be/xaSeWRcJPHo⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/_______St. Silouan teaches:Beware these two thoughts, and fear them. The first suggests "You are a saint;' the other, 'You will not be saved.' Both come from the enemy, and there is no truth in them. Instead, think to yourself, 'I am a great sinner but the Lord is merciful. He loves man with a great love, and will forgive me my sins.' Believe in this way, and, you will see, the Lord will forgive you. But put no faith in feats of your own, however much you may have striven. An ascetic once said to me, 'I shall certainly be pardoned because I prostrate myself so many times a day;' but when death came, he rent his clothes.O how weak I am! I write a little and am already weary, and my body seeks rest. The Lord, too, when He was on earth in the flesh knew human weakness; and He, the Merciful One, grew weary on His way and slept in the boat during the storm; and when the disciples roused Him, He ordered the sea and the wind to be still, and there was a great calm. So, too, with us: great peace reigns in our souls when we call upon the holy name of the Lord. O Lord, grant us to praise Thee until our last breath!The Fathers of the Church say that the soul feels troubled and perplexed at visions proceeding from the enemy. But this applies only to the humble soul, who does not count herself worthy of visions, and feels either bewilderment or fear at the workings of the enemy; whereas the conceited man can experience neither fear nor even bewilderment, because he wants to have visions, and deems himself worthy of them, and so it is easy for the enemy to delude him. That which is of heaven is made known through the Holy Spirit, whereas earthly things are discovered by the mind — but the man who would discover God with his mind, through science and learning, is in a state of beguilement, for God is to be known only through the Holy Spirit. If in your mind you should think to see devils, humble yourself and try not to see them. Hasten to your confessor or the staretz to whom you have committed yourself. Tell him everything, and then the Lord will have mercy on you and you will escape delusion. But if you start thinking that you know more about the spiritual life than your spiritual father, and cease telling him in confession what befalls you, you will surely be beguiled for your pride. Fight the enemy with the weapon of humility.

Edifying excerpts from "The Way of a Pilgrim and The Pilgrim Continues His Way" concerning Jews and Orthodox Christianity. This reading is from the R.M. French translation of "The Way of a Pilgrim and The Pilgrim Continues His Way", p. 112-114, 139-140"Starets" means "Elder" in Russian🎧 Full audiobook:https://youtu.be/wh2Orojo1z0?si=LsyAccwIt7IzK94B⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/_______From his very earliest years he was preparing to be a rabbi and studied hard at all the Jewish chitchat which was meant to disprove Christianity. One day he happened to be going through a Christian cemetery. He saw a human skull, which must have been taken out of some grave that had been recently disturbed. It had both its jaws, and there were some horrible-looking teeth in them. In a fit of temper he began to jeer at this skull; he spat at it, abused it, and spurned it with his foot. Not content with that, he picked it up and stuck it on a post-as they stick up the bones of animals to drive off greedy birds. After amusing himself in this way, he went home. The following night he had scarcely fallen asleep when suddenly an unknown man appeared to him and violently upbraided him, saying, "How dare you insult what is left of my poor bones? I am a Christian—but as for you, you are the enemy of Christ.”I listened to this story with reverence and humility, and I thought to myself, "How good and kind our Lord Jesus Christ is, and how great is His love! In what different ways He draws sinners to Himself. With what wisdom He uses things of little importance to lead on to great things. Who could have expected that the mischievous pranks of a Jew with some dead bones would bring him to the true knowledge of Jesus Christ and be the means of leading him to a devout life?"One day a pilgrim came to see us. He complained bitterly about the Jews and abused them. He had been going about their villages and had to put up with their unfriendliness and cheating. He was so bitter against them that he cursed them, even saying they were not fit to live because of their obstinacy and unbelief. Finally he said that he had such an aversion for them that it was quite beyond his control. "You have no right, friend," said the starets, "to abuse and curse the Jews like this. God made them just as He made us. You should be sorry for them and pray for them, not curse them. Believe me, the disgust you feel for them comes from the fact that you are not grounded in the love of God and have no interior prayer as a security and, therefore, no inward peace._______Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Written in 1968, Met. Philaret examines the spiritual implications of the phenomenon of replacing a man's heart. It's worth noting that nothing here is said about replacement of other organs and therefore the listener should be wary to draw unnecessary conclusions from these words from Met. Philaret. Additionally, Met. Philaret does not address those who wish to be organ donors or who wish to save the life of another, such as their spouse or child. To my knowledge, this is only text addressing heart transplants from someone venerated as a saint. Please leave a comment below if you aware of other texts from saints and elders on heart and organ transplants.📖 An Orthodox View of Heart Transplantations by Met. Philaret of New Yorkhttp://orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/heart_trans.aspx🎧 Will the Heterodox Be Saved? - Met. Philaret of New Yorkhttps://youtu.be/wtI3PsNKpyY🎧 Who are the True Christian Patriots? - Met. Philaret of New Yorkhttps://youtu.be/dg208EJxByk🎧 The Life of Metropolitan Philaret of New Yorkhttps://youtu.be/4rR4jJ_23RY📖 Living According to God’s Will by Met. Philarethttps://churchsupplies.jordanville.org/products/living-according-to-god-s-will📖 Metropolitan Philaret of New York: Zealous Confessor for the Faithhttps://uncutmountainpress.com/products/metropolitan-philaret-of-new-york-zealous-confessor-for-the-faith⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/_______Met. Philaret writes:The heart is the center, the mid-point of man's existence. And not only in the spiritual sense, where heart is the term for the center of one's spiritual person, one's "I"; in physical life, too, the physical heart is the chief organ and central point of the organism, being mysteriously and indissolubly connected with the experiences of one's soul. It is well known to all how a man's purely psychical and nervous experiences joy, anger, fright, etc.,—are reflected immediately in the action of the heart, and conversely how an unhealthy condition of the heart acts oppressively on the psyche and consciousness... Yes, here the bond is indissoluble—and if, instead of the continuation of a man's personal spiritual-bodily life, concentrated in his own heart, there is imposed on him a strange heart and some kind of strange life, until then totally unknown to him—then what is this if not a counterfeit of his departing life; what is this if not the annihilation of his spiritual-bodily life, his individuality, his personal "I"? And how and as whom will such a man present himself at the general resurrection?How far from this is the radiant Christian view of life and death I Imagine a deeply-believing Christian who has labored his whole life on the fulfillment of the Lord's commandments and on the purification of his own heart, and who finally draws near to that Christian end for which he has prayed and for which he has been preparing his whole life; if suddenly one were to say to him: "Don't you want to live a while longer? Here—we will cut out your heart and put in its place a different one, perhaps an ape's—and you will live for a while yet..." What would a believing Christian answer to this but the words of the Gospel—"Get thee behind me, Satan—thou savourest not the things that be of God, but these that be of men" (St. Matt. 16: 23)._______Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Drawing upon St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop Averky examines this teaching from St. Paul and how modernists and ecumenists can and do twist it to their liking.📖 "There Must Be Heresies Among You" (1 Cor 11:19) (Orthodox Life, July-August, 1994)https://orthodoxlifemagazines.blogspot.com/🎧 Archbishop Averky: His Significance for the Ecumenical Orthodox Church - by Fr. Seraphim Rosehttps://youtu.be/04DCg8rZsDg🎧 What is Orthodoxy? - Archbishop Averky of Jordanvillehttps://youtu.be/cOIy6YaV5po🎧 I Have Not Come To Bring Peace, But A Sword - Archbishop Averky of Jordanvillehttps://youtu.be/e3FiL7CCN9M⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/_______Achrbishop Averky writes:See how these people who so blatantly violate one of the most important rules of our Holy Church even dare to call themselves "Orthodox" and try, by way of all kinds of false interpretations of the Word of God, to justify their "dissension" with the age-old teaching of the Universal Church of Christ. And what is especially horrible - they take shelter behind their imaginary "Christian love" for the "dissenters." O how great is the evil of these contemporary evil-doers, how unlawfully do they misappropriate for themselves the patent on "Christian love," and all those who disagree with them they accuse of a lack of "Christian love," and even fanaticism! Saint John Chrysostom (Commentary on the first epistle to the Corinthians): "By the word 'heresies' he [Saint Paull understands here not errors concerning dogmas, but actual (and similar) quarrels. If he were speaking of errors concerning dogmas, however, he would not have given occasion for offense (with the words, for there must be). For Christ said, 'It must needs be that offences come' (Mat. 18:7), but at the same time He did not violate our free will and establish this as a necessity and inevitability for us. He foretold the future which happens from the evil will of mankind, not as a result of His prediction but from the arbritariness of depraved people. Offenses occurred not because He foretold them, but rather He foretold them because they were going to occur. For if offenses occurred out of necessity and not according to the will of those who caused them, then in vain would He have said, Woe to that man by whom the offence cometh. That the Apostle actually called these disturbances and divisions during meals heresies' we see clearly expressed by him in the previous sentence. For he said, I hear that there be divisions among you. He did not stop here however. Desiring to explain what divisions he is referring to, he then says, 'For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper' (11:21). It is evident that he is speaking of these disturbances; but do not be surprised that he calls them divisions (schisms). As I said, he desired to have a greater effect on them by using such an expression. If he had meant dogmatical heresies he would not have spoken to them so briefly."_______Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Basil's mediation on the many virtues of bees and how Christians do well to imitate them. "Imitate the character of the bee," writes St. Basil, "because it constructs its honeycomb without injuring anyone or destroying another's fruit."An excerpt from homily eight of the Hexaemeron, a collection of nine homilies on the six days of creation. Note: in St. Basil’s time the queen bee was understood to be a king. They didn’t know the leader was a female until much later. I have kept the original text but when you hear “king” know that St. Basil is referring to the queen bee.📖 Hexaemeron by St. Basil the Greathttps://stanthonysmonastery.org/products/hexaemeron?srsltid=AfmBOopEzZqE0t0Z2M-lYo3Fmq7MeVjMJOG4eihWIa9zNc-wK5A5Pegl🎧 Scandalized? Be Like the Bee - St. Paisios the Athonitehttps://youtu.be/i9nRU9KnYIM🎧 A Lament for Sin - St. Basil the Greathttps://youtu.be/I6erTc_FPKI🎧 On Illness, Doctors, and Healing - St. Basil the Greathttps://youtu.be/WOxigGgPenw⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/_______St. Basil teaches:Imitate the character of the bee, because it constructs its honeycomb without injuring anyone or destroying another's fruit. It gathers the wax openly from the flowers, then, sucking in with its mouth the honey, a dew like moisture sprinkled in the flowers, it injects this into the hollows of the wax. At first, therefore, it is liquid, then in time being matured, it attains its proper consistency and sweetness. The bee itself has won honorable and becoming praise from the Proverb, which calls it wise and industrious. It gathers its food so laboriously ("Whose labors," it is said, "kings and private men set before them for their health."), and devises so wisely its storehouses for the honey (stretching the wax into a thin membrane, it builds numerous cells adjacent to each other) that the great number of the connecting walls of the very tiny cells supports the whole. Each cell fastens upon the other, separated from, and at the same time joined to it by a thin partition. Then these compartments are built upon each other two and three stories. The bee avoids making one unbroken cavity lest the liquid, because of its weight, should break through and escape to the outside. Notice how the discoveries of geometry are merely incidental to the very wise bee. The cells of the honeycombs are all hexagonal and equilateral, not resting upon each other in a straight line, lest the supports, coinciding with the empty cells, might meet with disaster; but, the corners of the hexagons below form a base and support for those resting upon them so that they safely sustain the weights above them and hold the liquid separate in each cell.

The same arguments against icons today are found in this 9th century debate between the Patriarch of Constantinople and the Emperor. As St. Nikephoros said, "But the ‘Logos became flesh [Jn. 1:14].' He was a man seen by men, otherwise we could not reproduce in pictures what is unseen."Text is from the Life of St. Nikephoros of Constantinople found in the The Great Synaxaristes of the Orthodox Church (Lives of Saints)📖 Icons are Idolatry? A Discussion Between St. Nikephoros and the Emperor Leo V the Armenianhttps://www.nepsisblog.com/2025/06/icons-are-idolatry-discussion-between.html🎧 Against Those Who Attack the Divine Images (First Apology) - St. John of Damascushttps://youtu.be/bm2eV_anejw🎧 Never Will I Cease Honoring the Matter Which Wrought My Salvation! - St. John of Damascushttps://youtu.be/Dnp_CZasZgw⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/_______The saint the explained that the Orthodox do not paint God, the transcendent reality, in images. For how can one paint what is not perceived by the eyes? When iconographers depict the Christian martyrs, the latter are not considered gods; but rather, they are deemed the faithful servants of God. Thus, we honor the martyrs for their valor, since they are like the attendants of the King. In our behalf do they represent our requests before Him. Nikephoros then attempted to make this clear to Leo in a manner in which he could understand. As emperor of so great a realm, did not have officials so that he might be among his subjects when absent? Thus, his subjects revere him through his officials. Certainly, Leo does not reproach his subjects for bringing their petitions before his officials. But Leo surely would not tolerate his functionaries to be addressed as emperor. Now Leo agreed with this example. How could he not?_______Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Excerpts from her 1917 diary from the section on marriage, family, and children. The wife of Tsar St. Nicholas II, Tsarina St. Alexandra's simple and beautiful words come from her small diary bound in light blue fabric sewn by the Tsarina herself with a small cross embroidered in the corner. On the inside of the cover, written by the hand of Her Majesty, is a simple “Alix, 1917.”📖 Garden of the Heart: Spiritual Diary by Her Majesty the Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna Romanovahttps://www.amazon.com/Garden-Heart-Alexandra-Fyodorovna-Romanova/dp/1533411999🎧 PLAYLIST: Marriage and Family Life - Teachings from Orthodox Saintshttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzFKi22k2KYgkVz_d0SAUQkWSGp-L75yd⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/_______St. Alexandra writes:The meaning of marriage is to bring joy. It is meant to be that married life is the happiest, fullest, purest, and richest kind of life. This is God's establishment of perfection.Thus the divine intention is for marriage to bring happiness, to make the lives of both husband and wife fuller, for neither of them to lose but both of them to win. If a marriage does not bring happiness and does not make life richer and fuller, it is not the fault of matrimonial ties themselves; it is the fault of people bound with them.The wedding day should be always remembered and emphasized among the other important dates of life. This is the day, the light of which will illuminate till the end of life all other days. The joy of entering a marriage is not exultant but deep and calm.Selfless love is a duty in a family. Each should forget about their self and dedicate themselves to the other one. Each should blame themselves, not the other one, when something goes wrong. Endurance and patience are necessary, while impatience can ruin all. A sharp word can decelerate the merging of souls for months. From both sides, there should be a willingness to make the marriage happy and overcome anything standing in the way of this. The strongest love needs to be strengthened every day. The most unforgivable rude words are those said in your own house to those you love.It should be that the hands of a husband could do everything, inspired by love. It should be that every loving husband has a big heart. Many sufferers should find help in a real family. Every husband of a Christian wife should unite with her in her love to Christ. Because of this love to her, he will go through challenges of faith. By sharing her life full of faith and prayers, he too will tie his life with heaven.Between siblings there should be a strong and tender friendship. In our hearts and our lives, we should protect and nurture everything that is beautiful, true, and holy. Friendship bonds in our own house, in order for them to be deep, genuine, and cordial, should be shaped by parents by helping souls become closer. There is no purer, richer, or more fruitful friendship in the world than that in a family if such friendship's development is guided. A young man should be politer to his sister than to any other young lady in the world, and a young lady, before she has a husband, should consider her brother the closest person to her. In this world, they should protect one another from dangers and dishonest and disastrous paths._______Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. John Maximovitch appears in a vision and comforts a young man who was grieving the death of his mother. As the young man understood, "[St. John] affirms the Church’s prohibition of offering public prayers for the departed non-orthodox, but also affirms the teaching that private prayers for them are of great value and should be encouraged."📖 Read the text of this recording here:https://orthodoxheritage.org/2007%20Issues.pdf📖 Man of God: St. John of Shanghai and San Franciscohttps://hvcbookstore.com/St-John-of-SF/Man-of-God📖 The Orthodox Veneration of the Mother of God by St. John Maximovitchhttps://www.sainthermanmonastery.com/product-p/ven.htm🎧 How Should We Treat the Non-Orthodox? Fr. Seraphim Rose Respondshttps://youtu.be/6b8MgXrudPs🎧 Life After Death - St. John Maximovitchhttps://youtu.be/PdW_p4CmF2A⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/_______I do not know the full meaning of what I experienced… One thing I noted is that Vladika said nothing and made no promises. I was simply assured of his prayers and of the need of my own and others’. I also note that he wore a monk’s mantle and staff. This would indicate to me that he did what he didin a private capacity rather than as a bishop in official capacity, which would mean that he affirms the Church’s prohibition of offering public prayers for the departed non-orthodox, but also affirms the teaching that private prayers for them are of great value and should be encouraged. _______Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

We all have times of apathy, boredom, and a general cooling off of our once fiery zeal. Elder Athanasios draws out valuable lessons from Christ’s words in Revelation to help us regain our zeal and our love for Christ.A reading from Lesson 10 (Rev. 2:4-7) on Revelation by Elder Athanasios MitilinaiosElder Athanasios Mitilinaios, a dynamic and beloved preacher, abbot of the Monastery of Komnineiou and Saint John the Theologian in Stomion, Larisa, Greece, gave 104 consecutive lessons of Revelation to thousands of faithful. This beloved elder, venerated by many in Greece and around the world, reposed in the Lord in the year 2006.The Lord said, "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent." -Revelation 2:4-5📖 Revelation - The Seven Golden Lampstands (Vol. 1) by Elder Athanasios Mitilinaioshttps://www.zoepress.us/revelation-the-books📖 Remember Thy First Love by Archimandrite Zachariashttps://mountthabor.com/products/remember-thy-first-love?srsltid=AfmBOor4QP28IF3HO0I2K1FW-QzVErUTQWKoT5b7SwDmeIbiQ0T7xCy0🎧 The Cowardly Shall Suffer in the Lake of Fire (Rev. 21:8) - Elder Athanasios Mitilinaioshttps://youtu.be/jflIrMj3TXw🎧 Freemasonry: The Depths of Satan - Elder Athanasios Mitilinaioshttps://youtu.be/CUu-6a0KhHw🎧 Idolatry of Sexual Relations: Separation of the Purpose from Pleasure - Elder Athanasios Mitilinaioshttps://youtu.be/Bg54rv4r6Zs⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/_______Elder Athanasios teaches:The bishop of Ephesus worked extensively to cleanse the Church of evildoers and especially of heretical teachers. Somehow, the anti-heretical struggle became the focus, the main preoccupation, of the church of Ephesus and in the process something was overlooked. What was overlooked was love for the Lord Jesus. I am very much afraid that this could be the case with a number of people in our audience who fight against evil and false faiths. They fail to develop their own spirituality. I have noticed this to be the reality among many of today's Christians. I am being very sincere in saying this. We need to become especially watchful and take up the necessary measures to correct this.Many times we notice this in people who are very active in the life of the parish. They lack this spiritual ascent and vice versa, those who have this spiritual sense do not have much involvement. They do not seek any involvement; they keep to themselves. The Lord reproves both. We will see in another epistle that He reproached the church that allowed People of a heretical influence to coexist with it. So, both of these are necessary—spiritual life and active involvement in the church. We must not gravitate towards one sector; we must work in all the areas of our spiritual life. We will work to defend our faith, but we will not ignore our own spiritual development. Just because I am active in the fight against the falsehood, I can't feel content that it is an indication that I am doing well spiritually.However, when some time passes, and we live many years in the faith, then this love may fade, and the result is a superficial form of worship. Our life enters the pattern of the daily routine. There is nothing worse than to reduce spiritual life to a routine and to keep going through the motions. Believe me, this routine is the death of the spiritual life.Now, if I can find something new in all this every day, then boredom in this daily routine will not become part of my life. Protect yourselves from this danger of the routine, because we can slip into the mode of superficial worship, and simply go through the motions. Woe to us if we left our first love, which is life itself, variety, interest, excitement—everything that the word life means.

A reading of the Life of St. Olga of Alaska, published by the Orthodox Church in America who glorified her as a saint in June 2025. St. Olga's life is very accessible to us who live in the world. She was a matushka and a mother of 13 children, always offering hospitality and whatever she could to those in need. Her quiet and sacrificial labors did not end when she reposed; many have found divine help when calling upon her for heavenly assistance. She is a great intercessor especially for midwives, pregnant women, couples hoping to conceive a child, abused women, and others suffering on earth. As St. Olga said in an appearance to a victim of sexual abuse, "God can create great beauty from complete desolation and nothingness."📖 The Life of St. Olga, published by the Orthodox Church in Americahttps://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2025/10/27/100561-righteous-mother-olga-of-kwethluktanqilria-arrsamquqwonderworker🎥 Uncovering of Saint Olga (Arrsamquq) of Alaska's holy relicshttps://youtu.be/2YwqgN0_VO0?si=W0c3aQS71jk2a3HN🎥 Glorification Liturgy of St. Olga in Kwethlukhttps://www.youtube.com/live/k0IJxQxOqyY?si=cM8wvwEroTMvB2j3📖 Akathist Hymn to St. Olga of Alaskahttps://arizonaorthodox.com/saints-north-america/matushka-olga-michael-kwethluk/akathist-matushka-olga-michael/🎧 Another version of her life, including a detailed miracle:https://youtu.be/2qSF1wCh95k⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/_______Troparion:God has chosen a humble mother from Alaska to be an example for all the servants of God; he has given us Saint Olga as a helper in afflictions and as a guide to leading a life of sacrificial love. Therefore we entreat thee, O holy mother Olga: pray that we, thy sinful children, may be saved and rejoice with thee in the Kingdom of Heaven.Kontakion:Guided by the heavenly light and touched by Christ’s rich mercy, thy loving hands heal the wounds of those hurt in the past. Thy soft voice encourages all to remain faithful to God, for the eternal Lord will give the steadfast a crown of life. O holy mother Olga, visit us with love and reassure us, that we may accept whatever cross we must bear as chosen by the merciful God and that, through thy prayers, we do the will of God for the salvation of our souls._______Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

How should Orthodox Christians share their faith? As an Athonite who spent many years as a priest in a busy Greek city, St. Porphyrios points us in the right direction.A reading from "Wounded by Love" p. 186-188📖 Wounded by Love: The Life and the Wisdom of Elder Porphyrioshttps://www.holycross.org/products/wounded-by-love-the-life-and-the-wisdom-of-elder-porphyrios?srsltid=AfmBOoorE21YcZGUDow6RQlSnMJLerM851JSD-JP01Rl_2lvrmd0tO7n🎧 The Orthodox Spirit is the True One - St. Porphyrios of Kafsokalyviahttps://youtu.be/3JgzCGJtfDc🎧 Divine Eros: Insatiable Love For Christ - St. Porphyrioshttps://youtu.be/v2iwE1FVYm0📖 Healing the Soul: Saint Porphyrios as a Model for Our Lives by Elder Savvas Hagiorite. The St. John Chrysostom Monastery in Wisconsin publishes this book. Email them to ask how to obtain a copy:https://www.stchrysostomoscrafts.com/⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you:https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/_______St. Porphyrios teaches:We should be zealots. A zealot is a person who loves Christ with all his soul and who serves his fellow men in Christ's name. Love for God and for our neighbour; they go together and cannot be divorced. Passion, yearning and tears along with contrition, not for a purpose, but all as an overflowing of the heart!Fanaticism has nothing to do with Christ. Be a true Christian. Then you won't leap to conclusions about anybody, but your love will cover all things. Even to a person of another religion you will always act as a Christian. That is to say, you will show respect for him in a gracious manner irrespective of his religion. You will care for a Muslim when he is in need, speak to him and keep company with him. There must be respect for the freedom of the other person. Just as Christ stands at the door and knocks and does not force an entry, but waits for the soul to accept Him freely on its own, so we should stand in the same way in relation to every soul.In our missionary endeavour we need to employ a very delicate manner so that people accept what we are offering, whether it be words, books or whatever, without reacting negatively. And something else: use few words. Words often provoke irritation. Prayer and living example find resonance. Living faith moves people, regenerates them and changes them, whereas words alone remain fruitless. The best form of mission is through our good example, our love and our meekness.Mastery of a subject is a great thing when it is combined with meekness, graciousness and love. This is true in all fields. When you have the relevant mastery of the subject, then speak. Otherwise, speak through your example.In debates, if you say a few words about religion you will prevail. Let the person who has a different opinion give free rein to his thoughts and speak as much as he likes... Let him sense that he is addressing himself to a calm and uncontentious person. Influence him through your graciousness and prayer and then speak briefly. You achieve nothing if you speak heatedly and tell him, for example, “What you're saying is untrue, a downright lie!” What will you achieve? Be as sheep among wolves. What should you do? Show indifference outwardly, but be praying inwardly. Be prepared, know what you are talking about and speak boldly and to the point, but with saintliness, meekness and prayer. But in order to be able to do this you must become saints._______Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Many answers to this question are offered today. Here we have a detailed answer from a saintly bishop. His answer may leave the listener wanting more, but with patience and consideration, the wisdom contained therein shines brighter and brighter.📖 Read the text of this recording here:http://orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/metphil_heterodox.aspx🎧 The Life of Metropolitan Philaret of New Yorkhttps://youtu.be/4rR4jJ_23RY📖 Living According to God’s Will by Met. Philarethttps://churchsupplies.jordanville.org/products/living-according-to-god-s-will📖 Metropolitan Philaret of New York: Zealous Confessor for the Faithhttps://uncutmountainpress.com/products/metropolitan-philaret-of-new-york-zealous-confessor-for-the-faith🎧 What is Orthodoxy? - Archbishop Averky of Jordanvillehttps://youtu.be/cOIy6YaV5po🎧 Life After Death - St. John Maximovitchhttps://youtu.be/PdW_p4CmF2A🎧 How Should We Treat the Non-Orthodox? Fr. Seraphim Rose Respondshttps://youtu.be/6b8MgXrudPs⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/_______Metropolitan Philaret writes:It is necessary to mention only one thing: that to "lead a perfectly righteous life," as the questioner expressed it, means to live according to the commandments of the Beatitudes—which is beyond the power of one, outside the Orthodox Church, without the help of grace which is concealed within it.It is self evident, however, that sincere Christians who are Roman Catholics, or Lutherans, or members, of other non-Orthodox confessions, cannot be termed renegades or heretics—i.e. those who knowingly pervert the truth... (The Greek word for "heresy" is derived from the word for "choice" and hence inherently implies conscious, willful rejection or opposition to the Divine Truth manifest in the Orthodox Church). They have been born and raised and are living according to the creed which they have inherited, just as do the majority of you who are Orthodox; in their lives there has not been a moment of personal and conscious renunciation of Orthodoxy. The Lord, "Who will have all men to be saved" (I Tim. 2:4) and "Who enlightens every man born into the world" (Jn. 1.43), undoubtedly is leading them also towards salvation In His own way.With reference to the above question, it is particularly instructive to recall the answer once given to an inquirer by the Blessed Theophan the Recluse. The blessed one replied more or less thus: "You ask, will the heterodox be saved... Why do you worry about them? They have a Saviour Who desires the salvation of every human being. He will take care of them. You and I should not be burdened with such a concern. Study yourself and your own sins... I will tell you one thing, however: should you, being Orthodox and possessing the Truth in its fullness, betray Orthodoxy, and enter a different faith, you will lose your soul forever."We believe the foregoing answer by the saintly ascetic to be the best that can be given in this matter._______Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

From the publisher: In the 1790s, the brightest promises of the Enlightenment turned violent with the eruption of the French Revolution. Europe watched in shock as the French, intoxicated with promises of freedom, equality, and reason, sent their king — along with thousands of nobles, clergy, and commoners — to the guillotine. Legitimate fears that the revolution might destabilize the entire continent provoked a whirlwind of responses. Amid this upheaval, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, first confronted by undercover agents of republican ideology and later by Napoleon’s advancing armies, turned to one of its most renowned teachers, Saint Athanasios Parios, for a response.This reading is an excerpt from Chapter 6 of An Apology for Christianity by St. Athanasios Parios📖 Philokalic Library Volume 2: An Apology for Christianity by St. Athanasios Parioshttps://newromepress.com/philokalic-library-volume-2-an-apology-for-christianity?srsltid=AfmBOorC6pe_vWoFBjKuc44EYxDGo7SzKujPMSmMDP2KHttiXigp6qXg🎧 Introduction to the Philokalia - St. Nikodemos the Hagioritehttps://youtu.be/nH8--dllcbk⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/_______St. Athanasios writes:In order for evil to be somehow restrained, it must certainly be countered by a fear of punishment from those in political authority. We read in Leviticus the command that anyone who blasphemes the true God ought to be led out of the camp and stoned by the synagogue (cf. Leviticus 24:16). It is of course absolutely true that the law of grace does not prescribe death today, although such measures may certainly be applied to their polluted writings, that is, they may be condemned, reviled, and burned, as the holy synods defined. Indeed, Holy Scripture affirms that both the impious individual and his impiety should be equally despised (cf. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18). But it does not seem that the writings of the godless Voltaire were dealt with in this way by the royal authority in France. Thus the aforementioned Don Clémence was right to complain in his introduction, pointing out that, if the severity of the royal laws had been applied to those works to the degree that they merit-ed, that is, if they had been consigned to the outer darkness, he would not have bothered to write against them. Certainly this ought to have been carried out by the king of France, since his title professes him to be "Most Christian." He should have sought out and destroyed the God-hating books of the godless Voltaire, which concern essentially no other subject, nor have any other purpose, than to prove the entirety of Holy Scripture to be a myth and a lie and our Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God to be a fraud._______Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Metropolitan Philaret of New York, a Russian bishop who served in the United States and Australia, describes the criteria for true Christian Patriotism and why being a patriot is virtuous.This is an excerpt from: Patriotism & War - Metropolitan Philaret of New York🎧 https://youtu.be/Za6rSKXyulM📖 https://www.orthodoxethos.com/post/patriotism-war-metropolitan-philaret-of-new-york-excerpt-from-on-the-law-of-god📖 Find the full text in his book: Living According to God’s Will by Met. Philaret of New Yorkhttps://churchsupplies.jordanville.org/products/living-according-to-god-s-will⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you:https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/_______Met. Philaret writes:Naturally, one will love one's own family and the relatives he grew up with, most of all, and secondly, the whole country, the people to which one belongs. One is tied to this people both by state and civil obligations and by culture and customs. One is bound to one's people, to one's own homeland, and one loves them. This love for homeland is that Christian patriotism which cosmopolitanists so strongly struggle against.Christian patriotism is, of course, alien to those extremes and errors into which "super-patriots" fall. A Christian patriot, while loving his nation, does not close his eyes to its inadequacies, but soberly looks at its properties and characteristics. He will never agree with those "patriots" who are inclined to elevate and justify everything native (even national vices and inadequacies). Such "patriots" do not realize that this is not patriotism at all, but puffed up national pride - that very sin against which Christianity struggles so strongly. No, a true patriot does not close his eyes to the sins and ills of his people; he sees them, grieves over them, struggles with them and repents before God and other peoples for himself and his nation. In addition, Christian patriotism is completely alien to hatred of other peoples. If I love my own people, then surely I must also love the Chinese, the Turks or any other people. Not to love them would be non-Christian. No, God grant them well-being and every success, for we are all people, children of one God._______Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Paisios provides guidance on essential questions about the inner life of thoughts that we deal with our entire lives. A reading from Spiritual Counsels, Vol. 3: Spiritual Struggle by St. Paisios, p. 62-760:12 Spiritual Life is Based on Thought8:03 Cultivating Good Thoughts12:07 The Purification of the Mind and the Heart14:28 We Must Not Be Suspicious21:23 Conversing with Thoughts24:30 Consenting to Thoughts📖 Spiritual Counsels, Vol. 3: Spiritual Struggle by St. Paisios the Athonitehttps://www.athoniteusa.com/products/saint-paisios-the-athonite-spiritual-counsels-volume-iii-spiritual-struggle?srsltid=AfmBOorzehHI_pB20A84pZFWkAJxcyimzUiiZ-lhw3E6bX3XloJV4VFo📖 Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives: The Life and Teachings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnicahttps://www.sainthermanmonastery.com/product-p/otdol.htm🎧 On Attention and Distraction - St. Ignatius Brianchaninovhttps://youtu.be/v5ZIEmv8RwQ🎧 Noetic Sound Waves of the Heart - From the Life of St. Porphyrioshttps://youtu.be/n5dWVVDDvhM🎧 Everyone Needs a Spiritual Father - St. Paisios the Athonitehttps://youtu.be/xaSeWRcJPHo🎧 Marriage or Monasticism? (The Young Facing the Two Paths in Life) - St. Paisios the Athonitehttps://youtu.be/g-LGlirprqc🎧 Holiness is in the Struggle! - Elder Athanasios Mitilinaioshttps://youtu.be/Qhm2ffdEBsc⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/_______St. Paisios teaches:You have to remove the worn-out machinery of your mental factory and install good machinery.The best enterprise is for someone to establish a factory of good thoughts. Then, even bad thoughts will be transformed into good ones by his mind. For example, when you look upon a person as a soul, as an angel, you can ascend angelically to Heaven and your life becomes a festival. But if you look upon a person in a carnal way, you descend into hell.All spiritual life is based on thoughts. Progress in spiritual life depends upon our thoughts.-Geronda, how can I be helped in the struggle against these sinister thoughts? -With vigilance and unceasing prayer. If you are vigilant, then you are attentive to good thoughts. For example, you look upon a glass or cup and you recall the sacred Chalice, the Last Supper, Christ and so forth; whereas if you are not vigilant, your mind may wander off to consider non-spiritual things or even wretched things. For this reason, try not to gather useless thoughts, which you will later struggle to get rid off. Concentrate and say the Jesus Prayer. And if your mind wanders, call it back again and again.-Geronda, when do we actually give our consent to these thoughts? -When you suck on them like they're candy. You must struggle not to suck on these thoughts that are sugarcoated on the outside but poison inside, causing you to despair. To have bad thoughts pass through us is not a cause for worry; only the Angels and those who are perfect have no bad thoughts. There is reason to worry when a person levels out a part of his heart to make a landing strip and accepts the little devils that come to him. And if this too happens once in a while, then go directly to Confession, plough up the landing strip, the mind and the heart, and plant fruit-bearing trees, to turn the heart again into Paradise._______Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

An interview with Elder Justin Parvu of Petru Vodă Monastery (Romania) given on October 7th, 2009. Elder Justin spent 16 years in prison under the communists and tirelessly served the Romanian people until his repose on June 16th, 2013. Read a brief account of his life with the text of this interview below.The vaccine Elder Justin is referring to is likely the mandated vaccine for the 2009 swine flu outbreak.📖 The Pinnacle of Nihilism: An Interview With Elder Justin Parvuhttps://www.nepsisblog.com/2025/03/the-pinnacle-of-nihilism-interview-with.html🎧 On Our Times - St. Paisios the Athonitehttps://youtu.be/0KIEmH-qt2Q🎧 Sermon on the 1910 Cholera Pandemic - St. Peter Zverevhttps://youtu.be/gBYKptqJ-pI🎧 How to Understand the Jews as Being a Chosen People: An Orthodox Analysishttps://youtu.be/Zwtcox3ivCs⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/_______Elder Justin teaches:I urge you not to seek solutions anymore. There are no human solutions, my dear ones! The solution is death for Christ. That is why I tell you, have trust that the Lord will give you the strength to confess Him. We live in an anarchic world; the entire political class is hostile to Christ and serves evil. Therefore, simply living without renouncing our Christian principles is a daily testimony and martyrdom.So, do not accept this vaccine and anything new brought by today's political powers. The Jews rule the world, and the Americans work for them, believing they have come to dominate it because they have no more shame.Our only weapons are spiritual: prayer, humility, love, and also confession. There cannot be love without confession [of faith]. Love is sacrificial, and if we are afraid to confess the truth, what sacrifice do we have? Or if we do not care about our neighbor who is ignorant and do not inform him, letting him fall prey to this system, what love do we have? Those who still fight today to awaken their brother, who have not remained indifferent to the future of their nation and their Church, are children of God's love, who lay down their lives for their brothers.If [political rule] opposes Christ, the voice of that ruling should no longer be obeyed. What kind of rulership is this that gives us poisoned bread to eat? That kills our children?Man comes to be formed in the Church, and what formation do we give if we preach the same teachings as the anti-Christian state? The Church is not indifferent to this entire political and social conjuncture and is obliged to be involved both in society and politics, as long as political laws hinder God's commandment. The priest, at ordination, swears to submit to God and His commandments, but also to state authority. To whom do we swear? Presidents and parliamentarians who legalize prostitution and [the micro]chip?It is not enough to confess a truth only to those under your epitrachelion; it must be proclaimed to everyone. We have a duty to bring the truth to light. You can withdraw out of strategy, but how long does this strategy last? The people suffer from so much strategy, and [to the point that] we do nothing. Let us not confuse strategy with laying down arms.Our greatest problem now is that we find ourselves in the darkness of ignorance and consider the sin of ignorance a great privilege. This generation has reached the pinnacle of nihilism. And what if they do this? Ah! It's nothing! You take the chip: Ah, it's nothing! You serve with the Catholics: Ah, it's nothing, and so on… everything is nothing. Nihilism has given birth to this libertinism, and this state somehow entitles you to do anything, whatever you want; to mix light with darkness, to go with both God and Mammon. In this case, we are no longer disciples of Christ._______Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Tikhon’s pointed advice to monk suffering from apathy and despondency. “If you follow these four instructions, believe me, little by little you will attain both zeal and inclination.”📖 Read St Tikhon’s letter here:https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/a8455a5a/files/uploaded/Moot%201.1.pdf🎧 On Love for God - St. Tikhon of Zadonskhttps://youtu.be/-OTb5r9wHlA🎧 Duties of Husbands & Wives in Marriage - St. Tikhon of Zadonskhttps://youtu.be/noirUMn89ac⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/_______St. Tikhon writes:I see from your letter that you have been assailed by the spirit of dejection. This is a grievous passion, against which Christians seeking salvation must struggle fiercely.As a lazy horse, driven by a whip, is compelled by man to walk and to trot, even so must we coerce ourselves into performing every kind of labor, and how the more to pray. God, beholding your efforts and your labor will grant you zeal and inclination.Zeal is acquired by variety in our occupations- that is, by turning from one task to another. And so you must do as follows: pray, then perform some manual task, then read a book, then meditate on your spiritual condition, on eternal salvation, and so on. And do these things alternately. If dejection grips you fiercely, leave your room, and walking up and down, meditate on Christ; lift your mind to God and pray. Thus dejection will leave you.If you follow these four instructions, believe me, little by little you will attain both zeal and inclination._______Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

A homily to stir up our hard hearts to sincerely repent, both now, wherever we are, and before our priest where we receive reconciliation with Christ and the Church.Reading from: Season of Repentance: Lenten Homilies of Saint John of Kronstadt, p. 76-81📖 Season of Repentance: Lenten Homilies of Saint John of Kronstadthttps://bookstore.jordanville.org/9780884653844📖 My Life in Christ by St. John of Kronstadthttps://bookstore.jordanville.org/my-life-in-christ-Hardcover📖 The Life of Saint John of Kronstadthttps://www.bostonmonks.com/product_info.php/products_id/986?srsltid=AfmBOooRVQ-AviJsWWeLqIOZ2qhT6w-7YTpOEEjKKMnVb_k_wRxJ4x2M🎧 Difficulties in Prayer - St. John of Kronstadthttps://youtu.be/9b6nz3ZfJCs🎧 What Has the Feast of Pascha Left In Our Souls? - St. John of Kronstadthttps://youtu.be/uWCkPqxuBt8⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/_______St. John teaches:What is required of a repentant person is compunction for his sins, the intention to correct his life, faith in Christ, and hope in His mercy.A great number of people come to confession with complete indifference in their souls, and, if they were not asked anything, they would either say nothing, or would speak very generally about how they "are sinful, spiritual father, having committed every sin." If only they said that in sincere recognition of their guilt, but no, what is worse, they say that without any conscience of their sins, and often they do it so that confession will be over quickly. Beloved! Let us not turn God's deed of extreme mercy toward us sinners into an occasion for God's wrath. Why are we so insensitive?! Have we nothing to regret during confession?!Can you not see your sins? Pray to God, so that He will grant you to see them; it is not in vain that you have often repeated after the priest in Church: Lord! Grant me to see my failings!The intention to correct his life is also required of the repentant person; pay attention to this. On your way to confession, tell yourself: after confession I will try with all my strength to correct my life from all the sins of which I wish to repent. I will deceive myself no more;I will not lie to God, nor will I insult again the mystery of repentance. Help me, Lord; strengthen the powers of my soul, Lord!Finally, a repentant person also must have faith in Christ and hope in His mercy. Every person who approaches confession must believe that during the Mystery Christ Himself stands invisibly and receives his confession; he must believe that only Christ can forgive sins, as He, through His suffering, through His Most-Pure Blood, and through His death, obtained for Himself from the Heavenly Father the right to forgive us all our transgressions without insulting the divine justice, and that He, according to His mercy, is always ready to forgive our every sin, if only we confess them with heartfelt compunction and have the intention to be better from now on, and to have faith in Him in our hearts. “Your faith has made you well. Go in peace” (Mark 5:34). He speaks within each person who repents as he should, after receiving absolution from the priest.Let us all repent with pure hearts; let us all take care to correct our lives; let us bring to God the fruits of repentance. Amen._______Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Abba Pambo, a 4th century Egyptian desert father, speaks prophetically about the state of the Church and the world in the last times.📖 Text is from the Gerondikon (Sayings of the Desert Fathers). The translation I read can be found here:https://orthodoxheritage.org/2003%20Issues.pdf🎧 The 38 Sayings of St. Anthony the Greathttps://youtu.be/YNh81oWWJUc⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/_______And I’ll tell you this, my child, that the days will come when the Christians will add to and will take away from, and will alter the books of the Holy Evangelists, and of the Holy Apostles, and of the Divine Prophets, and of the Holy Fathers. They’ll tone down the Holy Scriptures and will compose troparia, hymns, and writings technologically.The church leaders will consider useless anything concerned with salvation, as much for their own souls as for the souls of their flocks, and they will despise any such concern. All will show eagerness and energy for every matter regarding their dining table and their appetites. They’ll be lazy in their prayers and casual in their criticisms.As for the lives and teachings of the Holy Fathers, they’ll not have any interest to imitate them, nor even to hear them. But rather they will complain and say that “if we had lived in those times, then we’d have behaved like that”.And the bishops shall give way to the powerful of the world, giving answers on different matters only after taking gifts from everywhere and consulting the rational logic of the academics. The poorman’s rights will not be defended, they’ll afflict widows, and harass orphans. Debauchery will permeate these people. Most won’t believe in God, they’ll hate each other and devour oneanother like beasts. The one will steal from the other, they’ll be drunk and will walk about as blind.The disciple again asked: What can we do, in such a state?And Abba Pambo answered: My child, in these times whoever will save his soul and prompt others to be saved will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven._______Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. John Maximovitch describes the usual journey of the soul after death and how those still on earth can best help departed souls to be uplifted by the grace of God.Text here: http://livingorthodoxfaith.blogspot.com/2009/11/life-after-death-by-st-john-maximovitch.html?m=1📖 Man of God: St. John of Shanghai and San Franciscohttps://hvcbookstore.com/St-John-of-SF/Man-of-God📖 The Soul After Death by Fr. Seraphim Rosehttps://www.sainthermanmonastery.com/product-p/sad.htm📖 The Orthodox Veneration of the Mother of God by St. John Maximovitchhttps://www.sainthermanmonastery.com/product-p/ven.htm🎧 An Exorcism In Our Own Days by St. John Maximovitchhttps://youtu.be/HA7_5npF2Oc⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/_______But when it leaves the body, the soul finds itself among other spirits, good and evil. Usually it inclines toward those which are more akin to it in spirit, and if while in the body it was under the influence of certain ones, it will remain in dependence upon them when it leaves the body, however unpleasant they may turn out to be upon encountering them.At this time (the third day), it passes through legions of evil spirits which obstruct its path and accuse it of various sins, to which they themselves had tempted it. According to various revelations there are twenty such obstacles, the so-called “toll-houses,” at each of which one or another form of sin is tested; after passing through one the soul comes upon the next one, and only after successfully passing through all of them can the soul continue its path without being immediately cast into gehenna. Some souls find themselves (after the forty days) in a condition of foretasting eternal joy and blessedness, and others in fear of the eternal tortures which will come in full after the Last Judgment. Until then changes are still possible in the condition of souls, especially through offering for them the Bloodless Sacrifice (commemoration at the Liturgy), and likewise by other prayers.O relatives and close ones of the dead! Do for them what is needful for them and what is within your power. Use your money not for outward adornment of the coffin and grave, but in order to help those in need, in memory of your close ones who have died, for churches, where prayers for them are offered. Show mercy to the dead, take care for their souls. Before us all stands that same path, and how we shall then wish that we would be remembered in prayer! Let us therefore be ourselves merciful to the dead._______Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

So many in the West today are learning about Orthodoxy but may not yet have a concrete answer to the fundamental question: What is Orthodoxy? Archbishop Averky offers us the answer. 📖 What is Orthodoxy? (Orthodox Life, May-June, 1976) https://orthodoxlifemagazines.blogspot.com/2015/10/v41-1.html 🎧 Archbishop Averky: His Significance for the Ecumenical Orthodox Church - by Fr. Seraphim Rose https://youtu.be/04DCg8rZsDg 🎧 I Have Not Come To Bring Peace, But A Sword - Archbishop Averky of Jordanville https://youtu.be/e3FiL7CCN9M ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ Alas! How few people there are in our times, even among the educated, and at times even among contemporary "theologians" and those in the ranks of the clergy, who understand correctly what Orthodoxy is and wherein its essence lies. They approach this question in an utterly external, formal manner and resolve it too primitively, even naively, overlooking its depths completely and not at all seeing the fullness of its spiritual contents. The superficial opinion of the majority notwithstanding, Orthodoxy is not merely another of the many "Christian confessions" now in existence, or as it is expressed here in America "denominations." Orthodoxy is the true, undistorted, unperverted by any human sophistry or invention, genuine teaching of Christ in all its purity and fullness — the teaching of faith and piety which is life according to the Faith. Orthodoxy is not only the sum total of dogmas accepted as true in a purely formal manner. It is not only theory, but practice; it is not only right Faith, but a life which agrees in everything with this Faith. The true Orthodox Christian is not only he who thinks in an Orthodox manner, but who feels according to Orthodoxy and lives Orthodoxy, who strives to embody the true Orthodox teaching of Christ in his life. At the same tire one must realize and remember that Orthodoxy is not only and always that which is officially called "Orthodox," for in our false and evil times the appearance everywhere of pseudo-Orthodoxy which raises its head and is established in the world is an extremely grievous but, regrettably, an already unquestionable fact. This false Orthodoxy strives fiercely to substitute itself for true Orthodoxy, as in his time Antichrist will strive to supplant and, replace Christ with himself. Orthodoxy is not merely some type of purely earthly organization which is headed by patriarchs, bishops and priests who hold the ministry in the Church which offically is called "Orthodox." Orthodoxy is the mystical "Body of Christ," the Head of which is Christ Himself (see Eph. 1:22-23 and Col. 1:18, 24 et seq.), and its composition includes not only priests but all who truly believe in Christ, who have entered in a lawful way through Holy Baptism into the Church He founded, those living upon the earth and those who have died in the Faith and in piety. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

The full passage of St. Paisios’ famous saying: Be the Bee Reading from “Spiritual Counsels, Vol. III: Spiritual Struggle”, p. 29-31 📖 “Spiritual Counsels, Vol. III”: https://www.holycross.org/products/spiritual-struggle-elder-paisios?srsltid=AfmBOooXR9CN7PYCrw_LtAPzstMv45LrxH5kcB9DeLsMIOd7zKxBD9gj 🎧 Spiritual Laws - St. Paisios the Athonite https://youtu.be/8E9PIINma_Q 🎧 The Fragrance of Reverence - St. Paisios the Athonite https://youtu.be/RVEI8v6IXqU ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ Some people tell me that they are scandalized because they see many things wrong in the Church. I tell them that if you ask a fly, "Are there any flowers in this area?" it will say, "I don't know about flowers, but over there in that heap of rubbish you can find all the filth you want." And it will go on to list all the unclean things it has been to. Now, if you ask a honeybee, "Have you seen any unclean things in this area?", it will reply, "Unclean things? No, I have not seen any; the place here is full of the most fragrant flowers." And it will go on to name all the flowers of the garden or the meadow. You see, the fly only knows where the unclean things are, while the honeybee knows where the beautiful iris or the hyacinth is… As I have come to understand, some people resemble the honeybee and some resemble the fly. Those who resemble the fly seek to find evil in every circumstance and are preoccupied with it; they see no good anywhere. But those who resemble the honeybee only see the good in everything they see. The stupid person thinks stupidly and takes everything in the wrong way, whereas the person who has good thoughts, no matter what he see, no matter what you tell him, maintains a positive and good thought. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

"The striking phrase, 'God is dead,' is the poetical expression of modern unbelief", writes Eugene (Fr. Seraphim) Rose in his short but piercing analysis of the modern world and its apostasy. Christianity in the West fell long ago and its departure from the True Church, Holy Orthodoxy, is more and more evident. See the links below for more from Fr. Seraphim on this issue. 📖 The Orthodox Word, Jul-Aug 1966, Issue #9 https://deathtotheworld.com/articles/the-self-liquidation-of-christianity/ https://archive.org/details/100101V17N05061981SepOctNovDec/009%20V02N03%201966%20Jul%20Aug/page/n1/mode/2up 📖 Nihilism: The Root of the Revolution of the Modern Age by Eugene (Fr. Seraphim) Rose https://www.sainthermanmonastery.com/product-p/nihil.htm 📖🎧 Orthodox Survival Course by Fr. Seraphim Rose https://saintkosmas.org/orthodox-survival-course 🎧 Worldly Idealism, Social Mission, and the Kingdom Not of This World - Eugene (Fr. Seraphim) Rose https://youtu.be/vPlxSlHoDTs 🎧 The Holy Fathers of Orthodox Spirituality, Pt. I - Fr. Seraphim Rose https://youtu.be/ZEDGphNMUw0 ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ Fr. Seraphim writes: The striking phrase, "God is dead," is the poetical expression of modern unbelief. Much is expressed in this phrase that is not to be found in the more prosaic expressions of modern atheism and agnosticism. A vivid contrast is established between a previous age when men believed in God and based their life and institutions upon Him, and a new age for whose inhabitants, supposedly, this once all-illuminating sun has been blotted out, and life and society must be given a new orientation. The contemporary controversy, however, centers about a new and unusual phenomenon: it is now "Christians" who are the unbelievers. Yet in a sense this too is the logical culmination of an historical process that began in the West with the schism of the Church of Rome. Separated for over nine centuries from the Church of Christ, Western Christendom has possessed only a steadily-evaporating residue of the genuine Christianity preserved by Holy Orthodoxy. For Western Christendom God is indeed dead, and its leaders only prepare for the advent of the enemy of God, Antichrist. But Orthodox Christians know the living God and dwell within the saving enclosure of His True Church. It is here, in faithful and fervent following of the unchanging Orthodox path - and not in the dazzling "ecumenical" union with the new infidels that is pursued by Orthodox modernists that our salvation is to be found. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Elder Aimilianos the Athonite discusses the post-industrial and digital information era, its blessings and dangers, and how Orthodox Christians can preserve a true life in Christ. As he says, "In post-industrial society, [people] are also becoming consumers and slaves to images and information, which fill their lives. Restraint and spiritual vigilance are... a weapon... which abolishes the servitude of humanity and preserves our health and sovereignty as children of God." 📖 Orthodox Spirituality and the Technological Revolution https://deathtotheworld.com/articles/orthodox-spirituality-and-the-technological-revolution/ 📖 The Life and Teachings of Elder Aimilianos of Simonopetra, "The Orthodox Word", St. Herman of Alaska Press https://www.scribd.com/document/412122487/Orthodox-Word-296-2014-G-Aimilianos 🎧 On Reception into the Orthodox Church - Elder Aimilianos Receives Roman Catholic Fr. Placide https://youtu.be/OnRLdIWrfaE 🎧 Marriage: The Great Sacrament - Elder Aimilianos of Mount Athos https://youtu.be/V7dnuDo48zQ 🎧 The Divine Liturgy: The Window of Heaven - Elder Aimilianos https://youtu.be/DafPBuGokEE ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ Text is from “The Authentic Seal: Spiritual Instruction and Discourses” by Archimandrite Aimilianos. These talks were given between 1968 and 1994. I am not certain when this present talk was given. _______ Elder Aimilianos teaches: Through the blessings of God and wearisome toil, the gradual appearance of technology from agriculture through to industrialization thus provides Man with the opportunity to retain his position as lord over nature, despite the ancestral Fall. Technology is occasioned by Man’s powers of reason and is a way of compensating for his weakness, as against animals, which have sufficient strength to survive, as against the forces of nature, the necessities of life (Gregory of Nyssa, PG 44, 140D-144AB) and so on. It is natural that the rapid progress in nuclear physics and in genetics should open up new scientific horizons, but also create problems and dangers for the human race, so it is obvious that there is an imperative need for moral intervention in the field of technology. What is worrying is the absurd and “carefree” optimism of many scientists and political agencies. According to them, technological development contains within itself the solution to the problems which it causes, and hence it ought not to be trammelled, so that “technical solutions” to the various problems can arise. For example, who can exercise control in an ideological regime, when they are deliberately seeking to create a type of technological man? The saying of Saint Paul applies here: “Let do us do evil, that good may come” (Rom. 3:8). In general terms, our watchword should be: “Let the common aim be the meeting of a need” (PG 31, 968B). And Saint Peter the Damascene adds: “For everything which does not serve a pressing need, becomes an obstacle to those who would be saved; everything, that is. which does not contribute to the salvation of the soul or to the life of the body” (Philokalia, vol. III, p. 69, 11. 32-34). These principles are certainly not for monasteries alone. They could be guidelines for control over technology, unless we want to be exterminated. In the industrial era, people became consumers and slaves to things produced. In post-industrial society, they are also becoming consumers and slaves to images and information, which fill their lives. Restraint and spiritual vigilance are, for all those who come into the world, a weapon made ready from the experience of the monastic life and Orthodox Tradition in general, one which abolishes the servitude of humanity and preserves our health and sovereignty as children of God. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

A thorough examination of Fr. Alexander Schmemann's views on the historical development and meaning of the Orthodox Church's prayer and worship. Fr. Michael Pomazansky, author of the popular book Orthodox Dogmatic Theology, provides an antidote to the poisonous stance of Fr. Alexander, which Fr. Seraphim Rose warns of, describing it as "the inevitable iconoclastic conclusions from Fr. Schmemann's already Protestant views". 0:00 Beginning 0:11 Introduction by Fr. Seraphim "Renovated Orthodoxy": The Liturgical Theology of Father A. Schmemann 2:10 Article Begins 3:50 The Orthodox Liturgical Order 9:51 The Constantinian Era 13:37 The Sacraments and the Sanctifying Element In Sacred Rites 21:53 The Hierarchy and the Sacrament of Priesthood 28:13 The Invocation and Glorification of Saints 41:43 Church Feasts 48:30 Conclusion Letters 51:13 "If Fr. Schmemann is their 'theologian'..." -Fr. Seraphim, Apr 26/May 9, 1970 52:31 “Who are not Orthodox” -Fr. Seraphim, June 8/21, 1970 📖 "Renovated Orthodoxy": The Liturgical Theology of Father A. Schmemann (published both by Holy Trinity Publications and St. Herman Press) http://orthodoxinfo.com/phronema/pom_lit.aspx https://archive.org/details/100101V17N05061981SepOctNovDec/035%20V06N06%201970%20Nov%20Dec/ 📖 Selected Essays of Protopresbyter Michael Pomazansky https://bookstore.jordanville.org/9780884651451 📖 Unpublished Letters of Fr. Seraphim https://thoughtsintrusive.wordpress.com/letters-of-fr-seraphim-rose-1961-1982/ ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ In this article the work on liturgical theology of one well known and widely respected contemporary Russian theologian is carefully criticized and its "reformist" tendency pointed out. In all fairness it should be noted that Fr. Schmemann probably does not see himself as a 'reformer," and it will doubtless be left to other less sensitive souls, another generation removed from the life of genuine Orthodoxy, to draw the inevitable iconoclastic conclusions from Fr. Schmemann's already Protestant views. -Fr. Seraphim Rose, Introduction The author is convinced that he has succeeded, as he expresses it, in "escaping Western captivity" while using non-Orthodox sources. He avoids the extreme affirmations of Protestant historians. He writes: "We categorically reject the understanding of the Peace of Constantine (i.e., the era of Constantine the Great) as a 'pseudo-victory' of Christianity — victory bought at the price of compromise." But such affirmations are not enough in themselves, and we consider it our obligation to focus attention on the book's contents in one respect: has the author indeed escaped Western captivity? As many facts testify, he has in fact not escaped it. -Fr. Michael Pomazansky Basing himself on the ready conclusions of Western researchers in his judgements on the ancient Church, the author pays no attention to the direct evidence of the apostolic writings, even though they have the primary significance as memorials in the life of the early Christian Church. -Fr. Michael Pomazansky And which for us is more necessary and important: to strive for ecumenical communion and union with those who think differently and who remain in their different opinion, or to preserve catholic communion of spirit with those teachers of faith, luminaries of faith, who by their life and by their death showed faithfulness to Christ and His Church and entered into yet fuller union with Her Head? -Fr. Michael Pomazansky _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

A short but substantive article on priestly attire and why it is important that they wear their cassocks. Ecumenical Canons, comments from the author (a priest of the Russian Church Abroad), and stories illustrating the importance of the cassock for priests provide a memorable word on this topic.

A reading of "Priestly Attire" from Orthodox Life, Jan-Feb, 1991 (Holy Trinity Seminary & Monastery, Jordanville, New York)

0:00 Introduction 1:29 Canons 3:52 Commentary 4:35 Stories7:23 Concluding Remarks Thumbnail: Patriach Pavle of Serbia walking down a crowded street (Left); The priest mentioned in the article who desired to be photographed with his cross in his pocket (Right) 📖 Priestly Attire (Orthodox Life, Jan-Feb, 1991) https://orthodoxlifemagazines.blogspot.com/2015/10/v41-1.html ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ The 27th Canon of the 6th Ecumenical Council states: "None who is counted with the clergy should dress inappropriately, when in the city, nor when travelling. Each should use the attire which was appointed for clergy members. If someone breaks this rule, may he be deprived of serving for one week." Here everything is clear. If you do not wish to wear a priest's clothing, do not dare to stand before the altar of God. The great interpreter of Church Canons, Balsamon, in his interpretation of the 14th canon of the 7th Ecumenical Council, which speaks of the ordination of readers, notes: "He who has put on black attire with the purpose of entering the clergy, cannot remove it, for he has stated his intent of serving God and therefore cannot break his promise to God and ridicule this holy image, as other ridiculers do." If constant wearing of "black attire" is expected of the first rank of the priesthood, the reader, then all the more does it refer to those who are fully in the rank of the priesthood. We must remember that if the Church canons and laws were not important, the Church would not have written them. Physician heal thyself. I must admit, that I am a young priest, and at times find it very difficult to follow the above rules. There are times when one's nerves are raw, and I want to go somewhere with my Matushka and children and not stand out, i.e., be "one of the crowd." I am overweight, and in the summer it is hard to bear the heat in my cassock. Yet all this merely exposes my weakness, my lack of desire to constantly be a confessor of my faith; my lack of desire to suffer for Christ even to the most microscopic degree. A certain priest decided to have a photograph of himself made. He put on his coat and hat. For some reason he was embarrassed to be photographed with a cross on. He took the cross off and put it into his left coat pocket. The photograph was taken, developed and printed. To the amazement of both the photographer and the priest, on the photograph there was a huge ray (by shadows one can see that this ray is not from the sun), which pointed to the pocket, where the hidden cross lay. Batiushka asked to have this published after his death. Concerned about the question, "should and can a priest possible always wear a cassock?", I began asking the grown children of elderly or deceased pastors, whether or not their fathers always wore a cassock. Almost everyone has answered in the affirmative, recalling that they rarely saw their father-priest without a cassock. There are even cases where the children said that they never saw their father without a cassock. This means that the requirement of the Church is possible to fulfill with God's help. One only needs to try. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Theophan discusses the aether, the way our prayers reach God, Saints, and Angels, the covering of our souls, and how to live life according to the Spirit. A reading of letters 13, 14, and 15 from _The Spiritual Life And How to Be Attuned to It_ 0:00 Beginning 0:15 Letter 13: Aether, True Happiness, Soul's Covering 11:19 Letter 14: The Covering of the Soul 17:36 Letter 15: How Saints Hear Our Prayers, Aether, Prayer From the Heart 📖 _The Spiritual Life And How to Be Attuned to It_ https://stpaisiusgiftshop.com/new-products/the-spiritual-life-new-edition/ 🎧 Excerpt from "Creation, Early Man, & Evolution" - St. Theophan the Recluse https://youtu.be/HRZHvGc6XTk ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Theophan wrote: In case you have not forgotten, at one time I began talking with you about *an exceedingly subtle element that is finer than light. It is called ether.* Let us suppose that it exists as a matter of fact, and not just in name. *I recognize that such a very subtle element exists, and that it penetrates and passes everywhere, serving as the smallest particle of material substance.* Along with this, I suppose that *within this element soar all the blessed spirits—the angels and Divine saints—who are themselves garbed in a kind of raiment made of that very same element.* The covering of our soul (understand this word to refer also to the spirit, which is the soul of our human soul) is also made of this very same element. *The soul itself is the immaterial spirit; but its covering is made from this ethereal immaterial element.* Our bodies are coarse; *but that covering of the soul is very fine and serves as the intermediary between the soul and body. Through it the soul acts on the body and the body on the soul.* I am speaking of this only in passing, however. Just keep in mind that the soul has this very fine covering, and that our souls have the very same kind of covering as do all spirits. From this it will not be hard for you to conclude that *this omnipresent element, very fine, out of which these coverings are made and in which all spirits soar, is the intermediary for the intermingling of our souls and these spirits.* When true prayer that is, sincere prayer—moves in the soul, then that prayer, by means of the action of the element upon it, flies as if on a beam of light to the saints, and tells them what we want and what we are praying about. There is no gap between the time we make our prayer and when it is heard; the only necessity is that it come from our heart. (Note: Bolding is as found in the book) _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

A love poem written by St. Joseph to our Lord Jesus Christ. One can quickly feel the deep love he has for Christ. Reading from _Letters & Poems by Saint Joseph the Hesychast_ , p. 529-531 📖 _Letters & Poems by Saint Joseph the Hesychast_ https://www.monasterevmc.org/en-us/products/letters-poems 📖 _Monastic Wisdom: The Letters of Elder Joseph the Hesychast_ https://stanthonysmonastery.org/products/monastic-wisdom 📖 _My Elder Joseph the Hesychast_ https://stanthonysmonastery.org/products/my-elder-joseph-the-hesychast 📖 _Saint Joseph the Hesychast: A Narrative Biography for Children_ https://newromepress.com/saint-joseph-the-hesychast/?srsltid=AfmBOorhQKPF5m_Xxvl-g5UxUa0NyvhmdZZ9FWG2p-bRr9fXn5Oqnr7h 🎧 Elder Ephraim of AZ & St. Joseph the Hesychast - Readings (PLAYLIST) https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzFKi22k2KYg5pt1Tvc3lnjd41E9pdR-p ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Joseph wrote: My sweetest Jesus, balsam of my soul, Love of my heart, air of my breath, Noetic Light most sweet, my eros, my strength, Amazing love, yearning of my life, My faith and hope, my sweet love, O most coveted Savior, sweet consolation, Come, my sweet breath; come my divine life; Come, light of mine eyes, my sweet joy, And enlighten my bowels, mind, and heart, And bestow upon my body perfect dispassion. Flash in my mind Thy divine illumination- The most brilliant movement of Thy divine knowledge. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Two passages from St. Nikodemos on how Orthodox Christians should approach smoking in general, and specifically smoking tobacco. St. Nikodemos writes, "But when they inhale and swallow the foul fumes of tobacco through their nose and mouth... how afterwards are they to be, in accord with their calling [i.e. Bishops and Priests, but indeed all Orthodox Christians], sweet perfume and the savor of life to those who approach them?" Reading from _Smoking and the Orthodox Christian_ by Constantine Cavarnos (quoting St. Nikodemos in the section read for this recording). 📖 _Smoking and the Orthodox Christian_ by Constantine Cavarnos https://easternchristiansupply.biz/index.php/ecs/catalog/product/view/id/2888/s/smoking-and-the-orthodox-christian/category/41/ 📖 _Exomologetarion: A Manual of Confession_ by St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite https://uncutmountainpress.com/shop/product/exomologetarion-a-manual-of-confession/ 🎧 On Guarding the Mind and the Heart - St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite https://youtu.be/QYD5-u6sGRQ 🎧 Fasting On Wednesday & Friday - St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite https://youtu.be/4dqIdbwLX4w ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Nikodemos writes: It is a revolting sight for someone to put in his mouth the stem either of a turned and filthy piece of horn or cob or drilled-out wood, and from that fiery and smoking piece of wood to inhale puffs of hellish smoke through his throat and, exhaling it, to give off smoke like a burning furnace from the mouth and the nostrils, and, like Diomedes' horses and Jason's bulls, to spew out smoke and sparks from the mouth and nose. *Can there be found a filthier, more disgusting, or more detestable act than this?* Since the Bishop is a typos of God and an icon of Christ, all of his morals, then, must be Christlike, pure, and occasion not scandal, but benefit to the people. But what purity is to be had in the indecent use of the filthiest of weeds? And of what benefit-rather what scandal- for Christians to see their Bishop or Priest holding a little drilled-out rod in his teeth; lighting a little bowl at the end of it; exhaling from his mouth and nose foul-smelling smoke; and his house filled with a thick, darkish cloud of loathsome fumes? *Bishops and Priests need to breathe in a spiritual savor through all of their senses, in such a way as to make fragrant all those who approach them,* whether Christians or heathens, as Saint Paul says: "For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish." But when they inhale and swallow the foul fumes of tobacco through their nose and mouth (which causes many who cannot endure this to pass out), how afterwards are they to be, in accord with their calling, sweet perfume and the savor of life to those who approach them? Indeed, if they think it is noble and decorous to smoke a pipe and so on, let them hear how contemporary moral philosophers condemn them for this in their writings on ethics, saying: What kind of nobility and decorousness is this for man, a rational and noble creature, to put a drilled-out piece of wood in his mouth filled with burning weeds, which is what a pipe is? Or to blow out of his mouth and nose a black cloud of offensive smoke, like a furnace, thereby resembling a dragon, which is allegorically the Devil, about whom God says to Job: "Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or cauldron" (Job 41:20)? *What kind of decorousness and nobility, I ask you, is this? I doubt that a more barbaric or disorderly habit than this can be found.* _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Leo the Great, Pope of Rome (+461) offers another homily during the Holy Fast of Nativity calling us again to active love for God and neighbor. "[Satan] is aroused with keener stings of hatred, that under a false profession of the Christian name he may corrupt those whom he is not allowed to attack with open and bloody persecutions, and for this work he has heretics in his service whom he has led astray from the catholic Faith..." 📖 Read the homily here:

https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2017/12/sermon-5-on-fast-of-advent-st-leo-great.html

🎧 By Almsgiving We Redeem Our Sins - Pope St. Leo the Great (Nativity Fast, Homily 1)

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6TWyeeSPJR4uDiE4uOpAWO?si=ppllmzpoQ5akNa_D6lnYuQ

⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Leo teaches: And while all seasons are opportune for this duty, beloved, yet this present season is specially suitable and appropriate, at which our holy fathers, being Divinely inspired, sanctioned the Fast of the tenth month, that when all the ingathering of the crops was complete, we might dedicate to God our reasonable service of abstinence, and each might remember so to use his abundance as to be more abstinent in himself and more open-handed towards the poor. For forgiveness of sins is most efficaciously prayed for with almsgiving and fasting, and supplications that are winged by such aids mount swiftly to God's ears: since as it is written, "the merciful man does good to his own soul" (Prov. 11:17), and nothing is so much a man's own as that which he spends on his neighbor.

But at all these acts of godliness, dearly-beloved, which commend us more and more to God, there is no doubt that our enemy, who is so eager and so skilled in harming us, is aroused with keener stings of hatred, that under a false profession of the Christian name he may corrupt those whom he is not allowed to attack with open and bloody persecutions, and for this work he has heretics in his service whom he has led astray from the catholic Faith, subjected to himself, and forced under various errors to serve in his camp. And as for the deception of primitive man he used the services of a serpent, so to mislead the minds of the upright he has armed these men's tongues with the poison of his falsehoods. But these treacherous designs, dearly beloved, with a shepherd's care, and so far as the Lord vouchsafes His aid, we will defeat. And taking heed lest any of the holy flock should perish, we admonish you with fatherly warnings to keep aloof from the "lying lips" and the "deceitful tongue" from which the prophet asks that his soul should be delivered ; because "their words," as says the blessed Apostle, "do creep as does a gangrene" (2Tim. 2:17).

Display then a holy zeal of religious vigilance, and let all the faithful rise in one body against these savage enemies of their souls. For the merciful God has delivered a certain portion of our noxious foes into our hands in order that by revelation of the danger the utmost caution might be aroused. Let not what has been done suffice, but let us persevere in searching them out: and by God's aid the result will be not only the continuance in safety of those who still stand, but also the recovery from error of many who have been deceived by the devil's seduction. And the prayers, and alms, and fasts that you offer to the merciful God shall be the holier for this very devotion, when this deed of faith also is added to all your other godly duties. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

A few passages from Fr. Seraphim Rose regarding the canons of the Ecumenical Councils. There are other passages from Fr. Seraphim one should find and read (see link below, for example). This collection presents a good overview of his views. The canons are laid down by the fathers of the Ecumenical Councils, are the teachings of the Holy Spirit, and are the responsibility of bishops and priests to apply and enforce. But they are also profitable for laypeople to know, as long as divine discernment is applied. As Fr. Seraphim says, the canons "have their place", but "we must go deeper into our faith" "if we are to remain in the Church in these difficult times."

0:00 Beginning 0:08 Concerning Canons - Letter dated Oct. 18/31, 1972 to Fr. Alexey Young (excerpt) 2:50 We Must Go Deeper - "Orthodox Christians Facing the 1980's" (excerpt) 3:50 Iconoclast and Met. Sergius - Letter Mar. 25/Apr. 7, 1971 to Daniel Olsen (excerpt) 6:44 Advice for a New Convert - Letter Apr. 20/May 3, 1979 to Barry (excerpt) 📖 Fr. Seraphim's unpublished letters: https://thoughtsintrusive.wordpress.com/letters-of-fr-seraphim-rose-1961-1982/ 📖 The Rudder (Pedalion; Collection of Canons with Commentary) by St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite https://www.scribd.com/doc/113651636/The-RUDDER-Copyright-Ralph-J-Masterjohn-2006 🎧 Fr. Seraphim Rose - Articles and Teachings (PLAYLIST) https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzFKi22k2KYjDHTp3rJVE7B66juR7bDzI ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ Fr. Seraphim Rose wrote: The canons were made for man, and not man for the canons. Some canons simply cannot or should not, at certain times or in certain circumstances, be applied with strictness; hence the Church’s “economy.” Also, as a rule, the application of the canons (and their “economy”) is the business of bishops, and they do as much as possible with mutual consultation. How much more, then, should the rest of us refrain from trusting our own judgment with regard to them? Some of them, to be sure, that concern us directly, we must know about and, if possible, being taught by or consulting with others wiser in the faith, must be prepared to defend—for example, the canons regarding common prayer with heretics, the transgressing of which involves a betrayal of the very idea of the Church of Christ. Other canons, such as the permissible age for ordination to diaconate or priesthood, do not involve any such betrayal and are none of our business, and if we were to start making bishops accountable (to ourselves!) for them it would be exactly the same as if the bishops were to start interfering in the home and job life of ordinary parishioners. In general, however, the canons are doubtless too much stressed in polemics, and if we are to remain in the Church in these difficult times it will be primarily because we are faithful to the Spirit of the Church, and not to the canons.

In the testimony of the Catacomb bishops of the late 1920’s one finds again and again that the GPU agents asked them first of all whether they were for or against Sergius, and if they were against, then these agents demonstrated that Sergius had “violated neither dogmas nor canons”! Thus, either the atheist torturers are “defending the Church”—or else there is something dreadfully wrong, and the Church is up against an extremely formidable enemy. As it turns out, however, there are several dogmatic and canonical grounds on which Sergius was wrong; but first of all the Orthodox soul sensed that he was on the wrong side. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Fr. Daniel Sysoev (+2009) addresses the dynamics of men and women, husbands and wives, headcoverings, and the often misunderstood teachings of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 11. Fr. Daniel draws heavily on St. John Chrysostom and St. Theophan the Recluse in his analysis, offering timeless teachings for all Orthodox Christians.

"...he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man." -St. Paul, 1 Cor 11:7Reading from _Women in the Church: Submission or Equality?_ by Fr. Daniel Sysoev, p. 10-31 📖 _Women in the Church: Submission or Equality?_ by Fr. Daniel Sysoev -BUY here: https://mission-shop.com/product/women-in-the-church-submission-or-equality/ -READ a portion here: https://issuu.com/mission-shop/docs/05-women_in_the_church-submission_o 🎧 The Life and Final Homily of Fr. Daniel Sysoev https://youtu.be/ufXoK_C1eyU 🎧 Why Should We Dress Modestly? - Fr. Daniel Sysoev Answers https://youtu.be/2BliiHVYngc ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ In family life also, Christ is the head of the husband. This means that the husband must govern the family according to the will of Jesus Christ, based on His way of thinking. People often forget this. They think that since the husband is the head of the family and of the wife, he can do whatever he wants. But this is not the way in the Church. In the Church everything is part of a universal hierarchy. The husband in a Christian family must draw his way of thinking from God, from Christ…. This is why men pray with their heads bared: to be open to God. A woman who prays with bared head shows herself to be a rebel. These outward signs are very important. Each man is created in the image of God, but in the family the husband is the model of divine rule. As God is the head of the universe, so in the family the head is the husband. This is why he is called "the image and the glory of God." He must precisely convey the revelation of God to his whole family. Thus, through the husband the glory of God is revealed. Theophan the Recluse says, "First the man was created, created in the image and likeness of God. He is a reflection of the glory of God. The woman was then taken from the man, created in his image as it were, and hence is the image or a reflection of the glory of the man….” (Collected Works, vol. 6 of 31. Moscow, 2008 [Russian]). I have heard wives lament: "Why doesn't my husband obey me? How dare he?!" But the Lord did not charge the husband to obey the wife and be accountable to her in everything. The husband is charged with being accountable to God. When the wife attempts to subjugate the husband the family collapses. Even secular psychologists acknowledge this. They have a special list of what to do to make the husband abandon the family as quickly as possible. For example: every day ask him in detail where he was that dav and with whom he met. Have him prove that he was in fact there and not somewhere else. Be sure to watch him carefully, keep tabs on him, supervise everything he does, always contradict him even if he is right, etc. Then the husband's hasty departure is guaranteed. This is exactly what the apostle Paul is saying: this is a violation of the will of God, and the husband will leave for this very reason. Some may say, "My hair is nice and long; why should I cover my head?" Chrysostom replies: "And if it be given her for a covering,' say you, wherefore need she add another covering?' That not nature only, but also her own will may have part in her acknowledgment of subjection. For that you ought to be covered nature herself by anticipation enacted a law. Add now, I pray, your own part also, that you may not seem to subvert the very laws of nature; a proof of most insolent rashness" (Homily 26 on 1 Corinthians).

Drawing upon St. Theophan the Recluse's commentary, Fr. Seraphim Rose briefly discusses how souls formed in the "emotional and spiritual wasteland of our times" can become aware of this reality and how to live spiritually profitable lives in the Orthodox Church. Sometimes, as a stepping stone, even the best of the secular arts can be used to form the soul in godliness. 📖 Forming the Soul - Spirit, Soul and Body (from _Orthodox America_ , Issue #19, May 1982) https://www.roca.org/oa/volume-ii/issue-19/forming-the-soul 🎧 Fr. Seraphim Rose - Articles and Teachings (PLAYLIST) https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzFKi22k2KYjDHTp3rJVE7B66juR7bDzI ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ Note: It appears one more article in this series was published before Fr. Seraphim's repose just a few months after this first article appeared in print. It was a review of "Bleak House" by Charles Dickens in _Orthodox America_ , Issue #20, June 1982. _______ Fr. Seraphim writes: Many, of course, survive as Orthodox despite their background; some come to some spiritual disaster because of it; but a good number remain cripples or at least spiritually undeveloped because they are simply unprepared for and unaware of the real demands of spiritual life. In our own day, the chief ingredient missing from this ideal harmony of human life is something one might call the emotional development of the soul. It is something that is not directly spiritual, but that very often hinders spiritual development. It is the state of someone who, while he may think he thirsts for spiritual struggles and an elevated life of prayer, is poorly able to respond to normal human love and friendship; for "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar; for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God Whom he hath not seen” (1 John 4:20). In a few people this defect exists in an extreme form; but as a tendency it is present to some extent in all of us who have been raised in the emotional and spiritual wasteland of our times. This being so, it is often necessary for us to humble our seemingly spiritual impulses and struggles and be tested on our human and emotional readiness for them. Sometimes a spiritual father will deny his child the reading of some spiritual book and give him instead a novel of Dostoevsky or Dickens, or will encourage him to become familiar with certain kinds of classical music, *not with any “aesthetic” purpose in mind–for one can be an “expert” in such matters and even be “emotionally well-developed” without the least interest in spiritual struggle, and that is also an unbalanced state–but solely to refine and form his soul and make it better disposed to understand genuine spiritual texts.* Bishop Theophan, in his advice to a young woman who was preparing in the world for monastic life, allowed her to read (in addition to other non-spiritual books) certain novels which were “recommended by well-meaning people who have read them” (What the Spiritual Life Is, p. 252): With this in mind, this new column in “Orthodox America” will recommend and introduce certain works of literature and art (not excluding the modern art form of the movie) which can be of use in forming souls, especially of young people, in basic human attitudes and emotions which can dispose them to understand and pursue the higher things of the spiritual life. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Learn how St. Porphyrios responded to seeing women dressed immodestly and to his spiritual children who were a bit judgmental. A reading of two accounts translated from the Greek: https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2012/07/elder-porphyrios-and-scantily-clothed.html Source: Ἀνθολόγιο Συμβουλῶν Γέροντος Πορφυρίου, p. 168, 169. ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ *The Girl With the "Super Mini Skirt" Has a Wonderful Soul!* Years ago, when the Elder served at the Polyclinic of Athens, while walking in the area of Omonoia one day with two girls who were his spiritual children, he saw from across the street a young woman coming with a sexy appearance. She was wearing the familiar "super mini skirt" which was fashionable. When they saw her, the Elder said: "What do you have to say? What are you thinking? Are you judging that woman?" "No, Elder", they responded, understanding their position. "You do well to not judge her", said the Elder. "Do not judge people from their outward appearance. That girl you see has a wonderful soul! She has a dynamic soul. That which she is doing now, that is, provoking, is due to the strength of her soul. Imagine what would happen if that girl came to know Christ, and knew everything that you knew. Then she will certainly reach a high place." This was the way Fr. Porphyrios counseled and taught. He guided through life and experience. *They Came to the Elder With Indecent Clothing* One day, when I went to the Elder, he met with some girls who had come to see him. However, they were dressed indecently. Elder Porphyrios chatted with them on various spiritual topics, but he made no comment regarding their appearance. I, admittedly, was internally indignant with these girls, who went to such a holy Elder dressed in this way, and I was scandalized by the fact that Elder Porphyrios did not make any observations. When the girls left, he said to me, smiling: "Mr. (so and so), I am not as strict as you are." Of course, I knew immediately that he had captured my thoughts and scandalization. But I asked him: "Why do you say that, Elder?" He then said: "Those girls came here with that appearance and I did not make a comment. I have another tactic. Because, even if I did talk about their appearance, since they have no faith in Christ, they would not comply. I first attempted to bring them to faith in Christ, and then, by themselves, they will understand their error and correct it." _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Ever-timely gems of wisdom from St. John of Kronstadt on prayer. He speaks especially to people living in the world with everyday cares and responsibilities. Anyone discouraged in their prayer life will find consolation and inspiration in these words from this great saint of Russia. 0:00 Introduction 0:09 Perseverance in Prayer 5:17 The Ordering of Prayer 7:49 Hindrances in Prayer 13:03 Despondency in Prayer Reading from _The Spiritual Counsels of Father John of Kronstadt: Selected Passages from My Life in Christ_ , p. 47-56. 📖 _The Spiritual Counsels of Father John of Kronstadt: Selected Passages from My Life in Christ_ https://svspress.com/the-spiritual-counsels-of-father-john-of-kronstadt/?srsltid=AfmBOooJspRRbAgXWm6ERIqUEiy521j_H1M9hbdgZiz7Qxy-iX6qG0eB 📖 _My Life in Christ_ by St. John of Kronstadt https://bookstore.jordanville.org/my-life-in-christ-Hardcover 📖 The Life of _Saint John of Kronstadt_ https://www.bostonmonks.com/product_info.php/products_id/986?srsltid=AfmBOooRVQ-AviJsWWeLqIOZ2qhT6w-7YTpOEEjKKMnVb_k_wRxJ4x2M 🎧 What Has the Feast of Pascha Left In Our Souls? - St. John of Kronstadt https://youtu.be/uWCkPqxuBt8 ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. John teaches: We soon grow weary of praying. Why? Because we do not vividly represent to ourselves the Lord, who is at our right hand. Look upon him unceasingly with the eyes of your heart, and then, even if you stand praying all night, you will not grow weary. What do I say all night? You will be able to stand praying two and three nights without growing weary. People say that if you do not feel inclined to pray it is better not to pray; but this is crafty carnal sophistry. If you pray only when you are inclined to, you will cease praying altogether; this is what the fesh desires. The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence. You will not be able to work out your salvation without forcing yourself. Are you in a hurry to get to your place of service or work? Get up earlier; do not sleep so long; and pray fervently—you will get calm, energy and success for your whole day's work. You want to finish your rule of prayer quickly, in order to rest your weary body? Pray fervently, and you will enjoy peaceful, calm and healthy sleep. Do not hurry, then; nor say your prayers anyhow—by half an hour's prayer you will gain three whole hours of the soundest sleep. When during prayer your heart is overwhelmed with des pondency and melancholy, be sure that these proceed from the Devil, endeavouring by every means to hinder you in your prayer. Be firm, take courage, and by the remembrance of God drive away this deadly feeling. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Leo the Great, Pope of Rome (+461) calls us to embark on the Holy Fast of Nativity with gratitude and active love for God and neighbor. “For by prayer we seek to propitiate God, by fasting we extinguish the lusts of the flesh, by alms we redeem our sins: and at the same time God's image is throughout renewed in us, if we are always ready to praise Him, unfailingly intent on our purification and unceasingly active in cherishing our neighbor.” 📖 Read the homily here: https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2017/11/sermon-1-on-fast-of-advent-st-leo-great.html ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Leo teaches: Accordingly, as God wishes us to be good, because He is good, none of His judgments ought to displease us. For not to give Him thanks in all things, what else is it but to blame Him in some degree. Therefore, dearly beloved, in all works of godliness let us use what each year gives us, and let not seasons of difficulty hinder our Christian benevolence. The Lord knows how to replenish the widow's vessels, which her pious deed of hospitality has emptied: He knows how to turn water into wine: He knows how to satisfy 5,000 hungry persons with a few loaves. And He who is fed in His poor, can multiply when He takes what He increased when He gave. …even as this tenth month brings round again to us the opportunity when according to the ancient practice we may give more diligent heed to those three things of which I have spoken. For by prayer we seek to propitiate God, by fasting we extinguish the lusts of the flesh, by alms we redeem our sins: and at the same time God's image is throughout renewed in us, if we are always ready to praise Him, unfailingly intent on our purification and unceasingly active in cherishing our neighbor. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

How should a man relate to his wife, and a women relate to her husband? St. Paisios presents us the royal path: why love and respect are really the same thing, and how the husband is the head of his wife but also the "lowest laborer", and how the wife is subject to her husband but also the "noble lady of the household". A reading from _Spiritual Counsels, Vol. 4: Family Life_ by St. Paisios, p. 39-48 📖 _Spiritual Counsels, Vol. 4: Family Life_ by St. Paisios the Athonite https://www.holycross.org/products/family-life-elder-paisios 🎧 The Household and the Spiritual Life of the Mother - St. Paisios the Athonite https://youtu.be/U2XzGpJ6qKI 🎧 Marriage or Monasticism? (The Young Facing the Two Paths in Life) - St. Paisios the Athonite https://youtu.be/g-LGlirprqc ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Paisios teaches: Sacred Scripture says, "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church." God has determined that man should be head of the household. For the woman to be the head instead of the man is disdain for God. God first made Adam and then Eve. And Adam in seeing his wife, Eve said, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh." The Scripture says that the woman should fear her husband, that is, respect him, and that the husband should love his wife. It is through love that one can have respect. It is through respect that one can have love. What I love, I also respect; and what respect, I also love. In other words, love and respect are not two different things; they are one and the same. The equality sought by women can only be applied up to a certain point. Nowadays, women mistakenly believe that they're equal to men because they're working in all areas of society; they vote and take an active part in public life. Of course, their souls are equal. But when a husband doesn't love his wife, and a wife doesn't respect her husband, ugly scenes will take place in the family. In the old days, it was very grave for a wife to talk back to her husband. Nowadays a rather careless spirit has entered into the spousal relationship. How simple and beautiful it was back then! I knew a couple where the husband was very short and the wife was strong and quite tall. She could unload 500 pounds of wheat from the wagon all by herself. One time when one of the field workers — a tall man himself — tried to tease her, she grabbed him and tossed him like a matchstick! But you should have seen what tender respect and obedience she had for her husband! This is the only way to hold a family together. Someone asked me, "Geronda, what is it that most unites husband and wife?" "Gratitude," I answered. They love each other for what they give as a gift to one another. The wife offers her husband trust, devotion, obedience. The husband offers his wife assurance and security that he can protect her. The wife is the noble lady of the household, but also the mature servant. The husband is the captain of the household, but also the lowest laborer. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Practical advice for daily life in the world from St. Ignatius Brianchaninov. His wisdom is summarized when he says, "The essence of any striving toward the Lord is attentiveness." Reading of chapter 27 from _The Field: Cultivating Salvation_ by St. Ignatius Brianchaninov 📖 _The Field: Cultivating Salvation_ by St. Ignatius Brianchaninov https://www.holytrinitypublications.com/the-field 🎧 Exhortation on the Prayer Rule - St. Ignatius Brianchaninov https://youtu.be/YvCo0NiHMjU 🎧 On Attention and Distraction - St. Ignatius Brianchaninov https://youtu.be/v5ZIEmv8RwQ 🎧 My Cross and the Cross of Christ - St. Ignatius Brianchaninov https://youtu.be/RDmmWFqGGYA ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Ignatius writes: The essence of any striving toward the Lord is attentiveness. Without attentiveness, all our labors become fruitless, dead. He who desires to be saved must strive to maintain attentiveness to himself, not only in solitude but in the midst of distraction, into which circumstances sometimes hurl him against his will. May the fear of God outweigh all other feelings in the scales of his heart—then it will be easy to preserve attentiveness to oneself, both in the silence of the cell and in the midst of the surrounding noise of the world. Temperance in eating, which lessens the fire in the blood, greatly aids watchfulness over oneself; while the warming of the blood that occurs either from overeating, from excessive physical movement, from the inflammation of anger, from intoxicating vanity, or from other reasons, gives birth to a multitude of thoughts and images, in other words scattered thoughts. The Holy Fathers recommend that he who desires to be watchful over himself must first control his appetite temperately, steadily, and constantly to abstain from excessive eating. The amount of reading can depend on the strength of the person as well as external circumstances. In the same way as excessive eating disrupts and weakens the digestion, the intemperate consumption of spiritual food weakens the mind and makes it look on the ascetic life with disgust, leading it to despair. The Holy Fathers recommend beginners to pray often, but not for long periods of time. When the mind becomes more spiritually mature and becomes stronger and firmer, then it will be capable of praying unceasingly. If you have any free minutes during the course of the day, use them to read some chosen prayers with attentiveness, or read selected passages from the Scriptures, and through them once again strengthen your spirit, which has become tired through constant activity in the busy world. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

The great Theologian of the 11th century stirs up the hearts of his readers, calling us to a truly Christian life that daily stands ready for the dread Day of the Lord. Reading from St. Symeon's Tenth Ethical Discourse "On the Fearful Day of the Lord and the Future Judgement" from _On the Mystical Life, The Ethical Discourses, Vol. I: The Church and The Last Things_ p. 166-170 📖 _On the Mystical Life, The Ethical Discourses, Vol. I: The Church and The Last Things_ by St. Symeon the New Theologian https://svspress.com/on-the-mystical-life-the-ethical-discourses-st-symeon-the-new-theologian-volume-i-the-church-and-the-last-things/?srsltid=AfmBOoo3FTmj3IffQOCkTpoLgHkVw9ZUV9Td8jNa5myzU10fZLPmy6oR 🎧 On the Mystery of the Resurrection of Christ - St. Symeon the New Theologian https://youtu.be/FlR9rgfFCX0 🎧 On Conscious Participation in the Mystical Supper - St. Symeon the New Theologian https://youtu.be/mXYj7-fnnFQ ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St Symeon writes: Blessed are they who even now have put on His light, for they are clothed already with the wedding garment. They will not be bound hand and foot, nor will they be cast into the everlasting fire. Blessed are they who hourly taste of the ineffable light with the mouth of their intellect, for they shall walk "becomingly as in the day" (Rom 13:13), and spend all their time in rejoicing. Blessed are they who have not reasoned in themselves that men in this life have no assurance of salvation but receive on their departure from it or, indeed, after it, for they have struggled to receive it now. Blessed are they who ever weep bitterly for their sins, for the light shall seize them and change the bitter into sweet. Blessed is he who has seen the light of the world take form within himself, for he, having Christ as an embryo within, shall be reckoned His mother, as He Himself Who does not lie has promised, saying: "Here are my mother and brothers and friends." Who? "Those who hear the word of God and do it" (Luke 8:21). So those who do not keep His commandments deprive themselves voluntarily of so great a grace, because the thing was and is and will be possible, and has happened and happens and will happen for all who fulfill His ordinances. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Porphyrios of Kafsokalyvia on Mount Athos discusses how to pray the Jesus Prayer and why it is "the key to the spiritual life" for every Orthodox Christian. A reading of _Wounded by Love_ p. 118-122 📖 _Wounded by Love: The Life and the Wisdom of Elder Porphyrios_ https://www.holycross.org/products/wounded-by-love-the-life-and-the-wisdom-of-elder-porphyrios?srsltid=AfmBOoorE21YcZGUDow6RQlSnMJLerM851JSD-JP01Rl_2lvrmd0tO7n 🎧 Original recording of Saint Porphyrios saying the Jesus Prayer: https://youtu.be/w7XSW7wpCfY?si=w3yUXGV94QMWg4FH 🎧 Divine Eros: Insatiable Love For Christ - St. Porphyrios https://youtu.be/v2iwE1FVYm0 📖 _Healing the Soul: Saint Porphyrios as a Model for Our Lives_ by Elder Savvas Hagiorite. The St. John Chrysostom Monastery in Wisconsin publishes this book. Email them to ask how to obtain a copy: https://www.stchrysostomoscrafts.com/ ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Porphyrios teaches: As the most effective prayer the Church Fathers use the short phrase, Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me: This prayer is the key to he spiritual life. It is a prayer that cannot be taught either by books, or by spiritual fathers or by anyone else. Its sole teacher is divine grace. If tell you honey is sweet and runny, or this and that, you won't understand unless you taste it. The same is true of prayer. If I say, this is what it's like or 'this is how you'll feel, you won't understand, nor will you pray except in the Holy Spirit. When grace comes, when love comes, you say the name 'Christ and your mind and heart are flooded. This love, this craving, also has degrees. When you experience this love, you desire to acquire spiritual things, not only when you are awake, but even in your dreams you see the same things. You desire to do everything within the embrace of this love, to move within this love. You wish to engage in effort, in every effort, out of love for God. You feel love and gratitude towards God, without having in mind to achieve anything specific. What is of value is to repeat the Jesus Prayer with tenderness of soul, with love, with longing, and then it doesn't appear at all as a chore to you. It's like when you say, 'my mother...my father, and you feel perfect consolation. Force, therefore, is not the way to acquire prayer. Pray without forming images in your mind. Don't try to imagine Christ. The Fathers emphasized the need for prayer to be free of images. With an image, the focus of prayer is easily lost, because one image can easily be displaced by another. And the evil one may intrude images and we lose the grace. You can say the prayer, 'Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, gently, without straining and without contortion wherever you happen to be — on a stool, on a chair, in a car, walking along the road, at school, in the office or at work. Don't tie yourself down to a specific place. What is all-important is love for Christ. If your soul repeats with worship and adoration the seven words, Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, it never can have enough. They are insatiable words! Repeat them all your life. There is such life-giving sap hidden within them! _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

What separates the Orthodox Church and the various Non-Chalcedonian churches? Is it merely semantics and misunderstandings, as some today proclaim? The Holy Monastery of Gregoriou on Mount Athos, in this 1994 treatise, gives a detailed examination of the issues and offers much for anyone interested in the truth of Christ, His Church, and the Non-Chalcedonian heresy. 📖 This is a reading of _The Non-Chalcedonian Heretics_ by the Monastery of Gregoriou (Mount Athos) (originally published as _The Non-Chalcedonian Heresy_ in Orthodox Life (Jordanville)). Buy here: https://www.ctosonline.org/ecumenism/N.html 0:00 Beginning 0:19 Prologue by Abbot George Kapsanis 2:00 Introduction Part I: Ecclesiological Presuppositions 5:30 The Orthodox Church is the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church 6:01 The Church is Conscious of Her Identity Over Time 6:47 Using “Polemical” Language Part II: The Historical Witness 8:34 Union Attempts in the Past 13:24 The Agreements of 433 Expose the Non-Chalcedonians 22:03 The Witness from the Synaxaria (Lives of Saints) Part III: Dogmatic Differences 28:42 Is Severos Orthodox? 32:32 1) The Theology of Serveros is Aristotelian 37:09 2) Severos Accepts that the Human Nature of Christ Subsists as a Hypostasis 43:54 3) The Hypostatic Union According to Severos 50:59 4) Severos teaches Monoenergism 56:56 5) Severos Accepts the Heretical Teaching of Individual Essences 59:03 6) How Does Severos Conceive the Deification of Man? 1:02:22 The Theopaschite Addition to the Trisagion 1:06:10 St. Maximus the Confessor on the Phrase “In Thought Alone” 1:09:26 Iconoclasm and its Monophysite Presuppositions 1:14:00 Thoughts on the Joint Declarations of 1989 and 1990 1:17:22 Conclusions *Primary Sources* 📖 _The Acts of the Council of Chalcedon_ translated and introduced by Fr. Richard Price (Roman Catholic) https://archive.org/details/the-acts-of-the-council-of-chalcedon-translated-texts-for-historians-lup-volume-45 📖 Letters 1-50 of St. Cyril of Alexandria https://archive.org/details/letters-1-50-cyril-of-alexandria-etc.-z-library 📖 Letters 51-110 of St. Cyril of Alexandria https://dokumen.pub/fathers-of-the-church-saint-cyril-of-alexandria-letters-51-110-0813200776-9780813200774.html 📖 The "Tome" of Pope St. Leo of Rome https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3604028.htm 📖 _Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith_ by St. John of Damascus (see Book 3) https://stanthonysmonastery.org/products/exact-exposition-of-the-orthodox-faith *Secondary Sources* 📖 _Saint Cyril of Alexandria and the Christological Controversy_ by Fr. John McGuckin https://svspress.com/saint-cyril-of-alexandria-and-the-christological-controversy/ 📖 The Political Subterfuge of Chalcedon by Patrick Craig Truglia https://orthodoxchristiantheology.com/2022/09/07/the-political-subterfuge-of-chalcedon/ *Audio* 🎧 Oriental Orthodoxy Refuted (Playlist) by David Erhan https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3QQ7jHr1GrTO3WLauMBQ6kbTEphu2rHg&si=epm0F_1DRZaz3Aqc *From Non-Chalcedonians* 📖 From V.C. Samuel (a Copt), quoted in the text from Gregoriou: _The Council of Chalcedon Re-Examined_ https://a.co/d/if45jyR

From an historical perspective, it should be said that the Holy Fathers knew well with whom they were conversing, and there is no possibility that they misconstrued and condemned the Non-Chalcedonians on account of a misinterpretation. It is neither theological terminology nor racial and cultural factors that played a decisive role in the separation of the Non-Chalcedonians from the communion of the Catholic [i.e., Orthodox] Church, but chiefly their erroneous conception, and consequently their formulation, of the manner of the union of the two Natures in Christ. The dogmatic differences between the two sides are so great that, if they were forgotten, salvation itself would be put at risk.

A reading of the revelation of Jesus Christ to St. Silouan from _Saint Silouan the Athonite_ by St. Sophrony (p. 429-431) 📖 _Saint Silouan the Athonite_ by St. Sophrony: https://www.holycross.org/products/saint-silouan-the-athonite 🎧 Keep Thy Mind in Hell and Despair Not - St. Silouan and St. Sophrony (Commentary on the Saying) https://youtu.be/n0CCxFuH5I4 🎧 Playlist from Orthodox Wisdom: St. Silouan & St. Sophrony - Teachings and Prayers https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzFKi22k2KYiWHl-XYYh_Jqr5w539qw2s ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Silouan writes: 'Lord, Thou seest that I desire to pray to Thee with a single mind but the devils will not let me. Tell me what I must do to make them leave me.' And in my soul came the Lord's reply: 'The proud always suffer thus from devils.' ‘Lord,' I say, "Thou art merciful. My soul knoweth Thee. Tell me what I must do that my soul may grow humble?' And the Lord answered me in my soul: 'Keep thy mind in hell, and despair not.' Since then I have stayed my mind in hell and I burn in the sombre fire, yearning after the Lord and seeking Him in tears, and saying: ‘Soon shall I die and take up my abode in the dark prison of hell. And alone shall I burn there, and long for the Lord, and lament: 'Where is my Lord, Whom my soul knoweth?' And I had great profit from these thoughts: my mind was cleansed and my soul found rest. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

What is the firmament? What does Scripture mean by “waters above the heavens”? St. Ambrose expounds upon the Scriptural testimony and raises our minds and hearts both to God’s creation and God Himself. As he asks rhetorically, "When you hear this, why do you marvel if, by the operation of such majesty, water can be held suspended above the celestial firmament?" 📖 "Hexaemeron" by St. Ambrose of Milan https://www.scribd.com/doc/46349268/Hexaemeron-of-Saint-Ambrose-of-Milan 🎧 The Firmament and the Waters Above - St. John Chrysostom https://youtu.be/ZMCuHkVA-lo 📖 "Hexaemeron" by St. Basil the Great https://stanthonysmonastery.org/products/hexaemeron ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Ambrose teaches: We follow the tradition of the Scriptures and we value the work by our esteem of the Author [Moses], as to what was said, who said it, and to whom it was said. ‘Let there be a firmament made,’ He said, ‘amidst the waters and let it divide the waters from the waters’ (Genesis 1:6). From this I learn that the firmament is made by a command by which the water was to be separated and the water above be divided from the water below. What is clearer than this? He who commanded the waters to be separated by the interposition of the firmament lying between them provided also the manner of them remaining in position, once they were divided and separated. The word of God gives nature its power and an enduring quality to its matter, as long as He who established it wishes it to be so, as it is written: ‘He hath established them forever and for ages of ages. He hath made a decree and it shall not pass away’ (Psalm 148:6). And that you may know that He said this concerning these *waters which you say cannot exist in the higher parts of the heavens,* listen to the words which precede: ‘Praise Him, ye heaven of heavens, and let all the waters above the heavens praise the name of the Lord’ (Psalm 148:4).... *When you hear this, why do you marvel if, by the operation of such majesty, water can be held suspended above the celestial firmament?* -Hexaemeron, p. 53-54 This firmament cannot be broken, you see, without a noise. *It also is called a firmament because it is not weak nor without resistance.* Hence, in dealing with thunderbolts, which give forth a tremendous crash when currents of air on the point of arising in the midst of the clouds meet together in collision, the Scripture speaks of strengthening the thunderbolt. Therefore, *the firmament is called because of its firmness or because it has been made firm by divine power,* just as Scripture teaches us, saying: "Praise ye him in the firmament of his power" (Psalm 150:1). And I am not unaware that some refer "the heaven of heavens" to the intelligible powers, the firmament to the efficient powers and that the heavens praise and "shine forth the glory of God and the firmament declareth it"—yet, as we have said above, they declare them not as spiritual powers, but as things of the world. Others also interpret the waters to mean the purificatory powers. We accept this interpretation as a simple adornment to our treatise. To us, however, it does not appear to be inappropriate nor absurd, if we are to understand these to be *real waters* for the reasons given above. According to the hymn of the Prophet, dew, frost, cold and heat bless the Lord, the earth, too, blesses Him. Furthermore, we do not understand the stars to be unseen powers of nature, but as having real existence. Even dragons give praise to the Lord, because their nature and aspect, if one examines them closely, are not without presenting a certain modicum of beauty and design. -Hexaemeron, p. 62 _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, one of the most beloved Russian saints of the past few centuries, describes the duties of husbands and wives towards each other in marriage. Text is from "Journey to Heaven: Counsels on the Particular Duties of Every Christian" by St. Tikhon of Zadonsk ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Tikhon writes: The husband and wife must lay virtue, and not passion, as the foundation of their love, that is, when the husband sees any fault in his wife, he must nudge her meekly, and the wife must submit to her husband in this. Likewise when a wife sees some fault in her husband, she must exhort him, and he is obliged to hear her. In this manner their love will be faithful and unbroken, and thereby having mutually composed their happiness, they shall take pleasure in the virtue There is a custom that some men leave their wives and some wives leave their husbands under the pretense of abstinence, but this is a very dangerous matter, for instead of continence there may follow the grace sin of adultery in one or the other or in both parties. When the husband leaves his wife and the wife sins with another, then the husband is responsible for this sin, as he gave his wife occasion for sin. Likewise when a wife leaves her husband and the husband sins with another, then the wife is guilty of that sin, for the same reason. A man must not treat his wife as a slave, but as a helpmate; but the wife ought to submit to her husband. As the Apostle teaches, "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord" (Eph. 5:22), and a little further, "And let the wife see that she reverence her husband" (v. 33), and in another place, "Wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord" (Col. 3:18). When the husband and the wife are of the same character and of good morals then the marriage will be happy and excellent, for there will always be unanimity, agreement, and peace among them, in which consists great happiness. "Behold now, what is so good or so joyous as for brethren to dwell together in unity?" (Ps. 132:1), says the Prophet. But because Satan, the enemy of human souls, attempts to break the union of love and agreement, then the husband and wife must condescend to any infirmity that the other may have and suffer each other with love, and thus concord and peace will be preserved. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Excerpt from "For Catechumens in the Orthodox Church" by Metropolitan Augoustinos (Kantiotis) of Florina (+2010), from his book “On the Divine Liturgy: Vol. 1" 📖 “On the Divine Liturgy: Vol. 1" by Met. Augustinos: http://ibmgs.org/chatechetic.html 🎧 For Catechumens in the Orthodox Church - Met. Augoustinos of Florina https://youtu.be/pE52JnVeueQ ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ Met Augustinos teaches: The catechumens were permitted to attend Church, to stand in a designated place, and attend a part of the Divine Liturgy, but not all of it. They stayed in church, prayed with others, listened to the readings and preaching; and after the deacon said the Ektenes and other special petitions for the catechumens, he called them to leave the church. Only when they had all left would the Divine Liturgy continue. And because only the faithful attended it, it was called the Liturgy of the Faithful. In the ancient church, not only the catechumens were obliged to leave, but others as well. Those who were baptized and registered in the books of the Church as faithful, but after baptism had not watched their way of life and had fallen into certain sins, which became known to the community and scandalized the people: fornicators, adulterers, thieves, unjust and greedy people, gossips, blasphemers, those who denied the faith, criminals and murders had no place in the church. Those who sincerely repented were later allowed to stand with the catechumens in church to attend the Divine Liturgy until the preaching was done, when they were obliged to leave. The Church in the time of Her glory was a vigilant guardian of the faith and of morals. She was gentle and compassionate to those who sincerely repented, but severe to those who committed heinous sins and did not show sincere and appropriate repentance. Among these were individuals of high estate whom the whole world held in awe and fear. She closed out general, kings, and emperors and would only allow them entry to attend the Divine Liturgy if they showed true repentance, like that of David. The ancient Church most certainly did these things. But what is our modern day Church doing? Unfortunately, She leaves Her doors open, and anyone can walk in and attend the Divine Liturgy without exception ‒ individuals who have committed horrible sins, who have scandalized the people, who do not believe in anything the Church teaches, but speak disrespectfully and blaspheme. Many are attached to error, heresy, and anti-Christian organizations. Our Church has become like the unprotected vineyard. The fault rests with us, the bishops, who will not imitate the example of the holy Fathers and Teachers of the Church. Let us hope that new days will come to our Church, when She will again be like She was in the ancient days of Her glory. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

A reading of Homily 8 from St. Isaac the Syrian's Ascetical Homilies 📖 Buy “Ascetical Homilies of Saint Issac the Syrian” here: https://www.bostonmonks.com/product_info.php/cPath/75_105/products_id/635 🎧 The Prayers of St. Isaac the Syrian https://youtu.be/nq5L6RXiH9M 🎧 On the Power of Sin & What Causes Sin To Cease - St. Isaac the Syrian https://youtu.be/sV8QJ0AcDmg ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Isaac teaches: Blessed is the man who knows his own weakness, because this knowledge becomes to him the foundation, the root, and the beginning of all goodness. For whenever a man learns and truly perceives his own weakness, at that moment he contracts his soul on every side from the laxity that dims knowledge, and he treasures up watchfulness in himself. But when a man becomes humble, at once mercy encircles him, and then his heart is aware of Divine help, because it finds a certain power and assurance moving in itself. And when a man perceives [the coming of] Divine help, and that it is this which aids him, then at once his heart is filled with faith, and he understands from this that prayer is the refuge of help, a source of salvation, a treasury of assurance, a haven that rescues from the tempest, a light to those who are in darkness, a staff of the infirm, a shelter in time of temptations, a medicine at the height of sickness, a shield of deliverance in war, an arrow sharpened against the face of his enemies, and, to speak simply: the entire multitude of these good things is found to have its entrance through prayer. From this time forward he revels in the prayer of faith, his heart glistens with clear assurance, and does not continue in its former blindness and the mere speech of the tongue. -(Brackets included in published text from HTM) All these good things are born to a man from the recognition of his own weakness. For out of his craving for God's help, he presses on toward God by the petitions of his prayer. Therefore, whoever is walking upon the path of God must give thanks to Him for all the things that come upon him, and revile and blame his own soul, and know that he would not have been delivered over by his Provider except for the sake of negligence, in order that his mind might be awakened, or else because he has become puffed up. But he should not be overly disturbed on this account, nor quit the arena and the fight, nor leave himself free of self-reproach, lest his evil grow twofold. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

A homily describing the dreadful Antichrist, his deceitful tactics, and how Christians of the last times can remain faithful to Christ amidst intense pressure. As St. Ephraim says, "I entreat you, brethren, being the least among you, let us not be lax, O Christ-lovers, rather let us strengthen ourselves even more by the power of the Cross. The inevitable contest is at the doors. Let us take up the shield of faith.”

This is a reading from "Eschatological Hymns and Homilies" by St. Ephraim the Syrian, p. 117-129 📖 "Eschatological Hymns and Homilies" by St. Ephraim the Syrian, published by St. Anthony's Monastery in Arizona https://stanthonysmonastery.org/products/eschatological-hymns-and-homilies?srsltid=AfmBOoqyfIIWEb5EY1wyOjyHonsNu2R8B3j92hIscVw6f7dXHsXqwc82🎧 The Antichrist Will Be the Natural Result of the Spiritual Direction of Man - St Ignatius Brianchaninovhttps://youtu.be/Y97eoXfZJ_k🎧 Signs of the Times: Antichrist, Zionism, & Jews - St. Paisios the Athonitehttps://youtu.be/V1fKxGkS2Tc ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Ephraim teaches: Brethren, we must understand with all exactness the odious and illusory miracles of the enemy. Indeed our Lord will come to all of us in the stillness, and will repulse the subtleties of the beast for our sakes. Keeping the steadfast faith of Christ in purity, we will make the power of the tormentor falter. Let us acquire an unwavering and firm reason, and the powerless one will withdraw from us, being unable to do anything to us. The most despicable one will come as a robber, in a manner such as to deceive all; he will come as one humble, meek, a hater (as he will say of himself) of unrighteousness, despising idols, giving preference to piety, good, lover of the poor, beautiful to an extreme degree, constant, gracious to all. He will especially esteem the Jewish race, since the Jews will await his coming.

Take note, my brethren, of the boundless evil cunning of the beast and the subtleties of his maliciousness, how he begins with the stomach in order that man, when he is brought to a state of extreme want of food, shall be forced to receive the seal of the beast, that is, the impious brand. He will not be required to receive this brand on just any member of the body, but on the right hand and also on the forehead, so that it will be impossible for a man to make the sign of the cross with his right hand, and likewise impossible to sign the holy name of the Lord and the glorious and venerable Cross of Christ our Savior on the forehead. For the wretch knows that the Cross of the Lord, signed upon a man, destroys all his power, and therefore he puts his seal on man's right hand, as it seals all our members with the Cross. Similarly the fore-head, like a lampstand which carries the lamp of light on high, the sign of our Savior. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, one of the most beloved Russian saints of the past few centuries, describes the duties of the pastor towards his flock and of the flock towards their pastor. 0:00 Beginning 0:10 On the Duty of Pastors (Bishops and Priests) 9:02 On the Duty of the Flock Toward the Pastor Text is from "Journey to Heaven: Counsels on the Particular Duties of Every Christian" by St. Tikhon of Zadonsk ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodox-world.org/ https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Tikhon writes: For the Pastor: A pastor must without fail teach people, lead them to true repentance, plant the fear and love of God in men's hearts, put the fear of God's judgement in reckless and unrepentant sinners, encourage the troubled and doubtful and those inclined to despair with he mercy of God and the consolation of the Gospel, and root out superstition, schism and heresy. He must draw all this teaching from the wellsprings of Israel, the sacred books of the word of God, and transmit it to the people under him. When people, whoever they may be, commit iniquity and you know it openly, take extreme care not to be silent, but everywhere reprove their iniquity in your speech, lest you be like a dumb dog that does not bark when thieves break into a house and loot it, and wolves fall upon the flock and devour it. Without the help of God, the efforts of the pastor himself as well as those of the people will not be discharged or meet with success. For this reason the pastor has an obligation to pray diligently to God for himself and for the people, that He help both himself and all the people. For the Flock: Because the pastor speaks the word of God, then to whatever he teaches, pay diligent heed, O Christian, and do it. Because many among the people are not men of goodwill and as they do not love pastoral reroof but wish to live according to their own will, they invent and broadcast no little slander against the pastor. Then when you hear such slander and ill report against the pastor, do not believe it and guard your lips, lest you say anything about it to anyone else. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

A reading of the Life of Saint Meletius, Archbishop of Antioch (February 12) from the Great Collection Collection of the Lives of Saints by St. Dimitri of Rostov The life of St. Meletius of Antioch is instructive regarding many things, including those of our times who have separated themselves from unity with the rest of the Orthodox Church in their zeal, too often “not according to knowledge.” Long after the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea and the condemnation of Arianism, St. Meletius was elected bishop by a council primarily of Arians. His consecration occurred in 357, thirty-two years after the Ecumenical Council in Nicea. St. Meletius was still in communion with Arians, and participated in a council with Arians, decades after their conciliar condemnation. Undoubtedly, that communion existed between Arians and Orthodox after the first Ecumenical Council is rather surprising to many of us Though the Arians thought St. Meletius agreed with their confession of faith, he proved after his consecration to be completely Orthodox, confessing the Divinity of the three Persons of the Holy Trinity. However, the followers of St. Efstathios, the bishop of Antioch before him who defended the Faith against the Arians at the First Ecumenical Council, refused to recognize St. Meletius as bishop of Antioch because he had been elected mostly by Arians. St. Meletius and the other Orthodox with him did not completely separate from the Arians until after St. Meletius boldly confessed the Faith and the Arians responded by persecuting St. Meletius and driving him out of Antioch. The Efstathians were then led by Paulinus the presbyter, and his followers became known as the Paulianists. While initially wanting to resolve the schism between the two Orthodox factions, the Paulianists and Meletians, Bp. Lucifer of Cagliari saw that the Paulianists were opposed to reconciling and so consecrated Paulinus to the episcopacy. This intervention by Bp. Lucifer did not heal the schism but actually made matters much worse, and the schism persisted for 85 years. St. Meletius recognized Bp. Paulinus as a bishop and sought in humility to reconcile with him, but the latter in his commitment to being “correct” regarding St. Meletius’ election to the episcopacy refused to be reconciled. When the Second Ecumenical Council was eventually called to put an end to the heresies that had developed since the First Ecumenical Council, St. Meletius was called upon to preside over the council which included such great saints as St. Gregory of Nyssa who described him as “that bright sail which was ever filled by the Holy Spirit”, St. Gregory the Theologian who called him “a saintly man… a true product of the Holy Spirit”, and St. Timothy of Alexandria. Neither the Paulinists nor the Pope of Rome recognized St. Meletius and neither participated in the council (though Rome accepted the council afterwards). Despite being rejected by the Paulinists for having been elected by Arians, St. Meletius was honored as a saint, filled with the Holy Spirit, by St. Gregory of Nyssa and St. Gregory the Theologian who knew him on earth, and he was afterwards glorified by the entire Church. St. Meletius had baptized St. John Chrysostom and ordained him to the diaconate and had also ordained St. Basil the Great to the diaconate. The greatest saints of this time supported and lauded this holy hierarch whom the zealots of the time broke communion with for having remained in communion with, and been elected by, Arians who had been condemned as heretics by the First Ecumenical Council. Through the prayers of St. Meletius may we be preserved from both heresy and false zealotry. _______ 📖 Some of the months of this collection of the Lives of Saints are available from St. Herman of Alaska Press: https://www.sainthermanmonastery.com/Lives-of-the-Saints-January-p/jan.htm ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/

Upon meeting the Holy Virgin Mary, St. Dionysius the Areopagite wrote to the Apostle Paul about his experience with her. This letter is found in the Great Collection of the Lives of Saints of the Orthodox Church on the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, August 15th. https://panagiaquicktohear.com/2016/09/05/the-theotokos-and-st-dionysius-the-aeropagite/ 📖 "The Life of Saint Dionysius the Areopagite", including a critical defense of the authenticity of the writings often said to be written by Pseudo-Dionysius: https://www.amazon.com/Life-Saint-Dionysius-Areopagite/dp/B0CTG6KLJP 📖 "The Divine Names and The Mystical Theology" by St. Dionysius https://stanthonysmonastery.org/products/the-divine-names-and-the-mystical-theology?srsltid=AfmBOoqEkGkDVLzCo8vbQYJ-ulMpHbVVRhaxNFp7-Z-1dVnw8dZPBii7 ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Dionysius writes to St. Paul the Apostle: I tell you as if I were standing in front of God, for me, our great leader, it was beyond any doubt, that aside from the Most High God, there could be nothing, which is so filled with heavenly power and marvelous grace [as Mary], and still it is impossible for a human mind to perceive what I saw with my own eyes. It was not with the eyes of my soul only but with my bodily eyes—I, with my own eyes, saw the most beautiful, the most holy Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ who exceeds all the heavenly hosts in her holiness. This gift was granted to me by the grace of God, as an honor by the company of the apostles, and also as an unspeakable kindness and compassion of the merciful Virgin herself. And again I testify in front of the omnipotence of God, in front of the grace of the Savior, and in front of the great glory of the Virgin, His Mother. When I, with John—the first among the evangelists and the prophets, who, while living in the flesh, shines like the sun in the sky—was led inside to the beautiful and the most pure Virgin, then a great heavenly radiance that enlightened my soul, poured over me, at the same time I sensed such wonderful fragrance that my spirit and body were hardly able to bear this manifestation of glory and foretaste of eternal bliss. My heart and my spirit were enervated from Her heavenly grace. Let God, who abode in the most pure womb, be my witness, that I would have recognized her for the true God and venerated Her with worship appropriate only to God if the newly illumined soul of mine would not have preserved inside you heavenly instructions and laws. No honor and glory of men who were glorified by God can be compared with the bliss that I, the unworthy one experienced and was honored with at the time. This time was a time of the greatest bliss for me. I thank my most high and most blessed God, the heavenly Virgin, John, who is great among the Apostles, and you as well who is the adornment of the church and the invincible leader, who all so mercifully showed me such a great favor. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, one of the most beloved Russian saints of the past few centuries, describes how fitting it is for man to love God and the signs that such love is true and genuine. "Truly is it said by all, 'How can we not love God?'" Text is from "Journey to Heaven: Counsels on the Particular Duties of Every Christian" by St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, p. 1-8 ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Tikhon writes: "Whom shall we love, if not God?" God is the supreme good, uncreated, without beginning, without end, existent, and without change. As the sun always shines, as fire always warms, so God is by nature good; He is and always does good, since there is none good, but One, that is God (Matt. 19:17). O the most beloved and beautiful of God's creation, man, the image of God! He bears it in himself as a royal seal. As the king is hon-ored, so is his portrait. As to God the Heavenly King is due all honor, so to His image, man. God poured forth this goodness on us in our creation, O Christian. How then can we not love God? As we all call Him, God is the Lover of Mankind; then man must be a lover of God. For nothing can be given in return for love but love and gratitude. Truly is it said by all, "How can we not love God?" Love, like every other virtue, must also reside in our heart. For if love does not reside in the heart, then it does not exist. God does not say, "Love, be humble, be compassionate, pray, beseech, call unto Me," and so on, to our lips, but to our heart. Then love, humility, compassion, prayer, and the rest, must reside in the heart. And if it abides in the heart, then it will inevitably appear outwardly like a belch from stomach. A hidden fire gives itself away by its heat, and a fragrant balm by its smell. The true lover of God disdains the world and all that is in the world, and strives toward God, his most beloved. He counts honor, glory, riches, and all the comforts of this world which the sons of this age seek, as nothing. For him only God, the uncreated and most beloved good, suffices. The true lover of God keeps God ever in mind, and His love toward us and His benefactions. We see this even in human love, for we often remember the one we love. So whoever loves God remembers Him, thinks of Him, and finds consolation in Him, and is enrapt in Him. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

The Pope wanted Elders Paisios and Porphyrios to visit him at the Vatican…how did they respond? 0:00 Beginning 0:21 The Invitation from the Pope and the Elders’ Response —Commentary by Elder Savvas Hagiorite on the meaning of the Elders' Response— 1:00 The Pope is a heretic 1:56 Not dialogue, but prayer is helpful 2:58 The Pope believes the Orthodox do not possess the truth 3:44 St. Porphyrios: “The attitude of the Pope has always been to subject the Orthodox Church…” A reading from “Healing the Soul: St. Porphyrios of Kafsokalyvia as a Model for Our Lives" by Hieromonk Savvas of the Holy Mountain, p. 97-101. 🎧 A reading of "The Orthodox Spirit is the True One - St. Porphyrios": https://youtu.be/3JgzCGJtfDc 🎧 Ecumenism is "Downright Scum, Spiritual Filth" - St. Porphyrios of Kafsokalyvia https://youtu.be/QxFFmBHbFqM 🎧 Original recording of Saint Porphyrios saying the Jesus Prayer: https://youtu.be/w7XSW7wpCfY?si=w3yUXGV94QMWg4FH 📖 "Wounded by Love: The Life and Wisdom of Elder Porphyrios": https://www.holycross.org/products/wounded-by-love-the-life-and-the-wisdom-of-elder-porphyrios?srsltid=AfmBOoorE21YcZGUDow6RQlSnMJLerM851JSD-JP01Rl_2lvrmd0tO7n 📖 "Healing the Soul: St. Porphyrios of Kafsokalyvia as a Model for Our Lives" here: https://www.stchrysostomoscrafts.com/old-style-icons ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ "A certain American woman, a professor, passed along a message from the Pope to an Orthodox clergyman stating that Elder Paisios and Elder Porphyrios were invited to go to the Vatican. The answer from both was the following: No, we cannot go, because the Roman Catholic Church and the Pope are not ready for us yet. They have way too much pride. Not only do they wish to subjugate us, but they also believe that we do not possess the truth. There is no need for us to go. We will better aid the cause through our prayers.” —Lisikatos Sotirios, ΧΑΡΙΤΩΜΕΝΕΣ ΔΙΔΑΧΕΣ ΤΟΥ ΓΕΡΟΝΤΟΣ ΠΑΪΣΙΟΥ [Graced Teachings of Elder Paisios] (Thessaloniki: Palimpsiston Publications, 2004), and http://pigizois.gr/afieromata/paisios/xaritomenes_didaxes.htm _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Three accounts of St. Porphyrios' teachings regarding ecumenism and ecumenical meetings. —"Did he say nothing? Was he never asked by anyone about Ecumenism?" asked Prof. Tselengidis. —"But," replied the Saint's spiritual child, "he certainly was, Professor! Of course! He told us so... We used to ask him... And he said: 'Downright scum, spiritual filth.'" 0:00 Introduction 0:22 "Those Uniates, this Trojan horse..." 0:50 Ecumenism is "Downright scum, spiritual filth" 2:37 On Ecumenical Meetings, the Pope and Patriarch These teachings are found in the sources listed below and in the book "Love in Christ or Meta-Patristic Agapology?" by Archimandrite Savvas Hagiorite, published by the Holy Monastery of the Holy Trinity, Edessa, Greece (2023) with the blessing of Metropolitan Joel of Edessa. 🎧 A reading of "The Orthodox Spirit is the True One - St. Porphyrios": https://youtu.be/3JgzCGJtfDc 🎧 Original recording of Saint Porphyrios saying the Jesus Prayer: https://youtu.be/w7XSW7wpCfY?si=w3yUXGV94QMWg4FH 📖 "Wounded by Love: The Life and Wisdom of Elder Porphyrios": https://www.holycross.org/products/wounded-by-love-the-life-and-the-wisdom-of-elder-porphyrios?srsltid=AfmBOoorE21YcZGUDow6RQlSnMJLerM851JSD-JP01Rl_2lvrmd0tO7n 📖 "Healing the Soul: Saint Porphyrios as a Model for Our Lives". The St. John Chrysostom Monastery in Wisconsin publishes this book. Email them to ask how to obtain a copy: https://www.stchrysostomoscrafts.com/ ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ "Don't fear, the Pope has always longed to subdue the Orthodox Church and there will be a day when the dialogue will be cancelled. Nothing will come out of it. Anyway those Uniates, this Trojan horse, more than obviously want nothing else than the Orthodox to recognize the Pope as their head." —St. Porpyrios, “Anthology of Advice”, p. 290. From the “Orthodoxos Typos” of 3/26/1993, testimony of Archimandrite Pavlos Nikitaras. http://www.impantokratoros.gr/420E74B9.el.aspx -Prof. Tselengidis: "Did he say nothing? Was he never asked by anyone about Ecumenism?" -Spiritual Child: "But he certainly was, Professor! Of course! He told us so... We used to ask him... And he said: 'Downright scum, spiritual filth.' Now you will say: Yes, but this is not written. So what? Is the truth only what is written? What, then, is the Holy Tradition of our Church? Is absolutely everything written in the Holy Scripture? Are we Protestants or something? And in any case, all this is being verified by the facts themselves." —Tselengidis Dimitrios, Professor of Dogmatic Theology, "Dogma and Life, An Indivisible Co-Existence", transcribed extract from the Professor's homily in the Cultural Centre of Kalambaka Municipality, on 11/26/2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEwns3MvuD8 “You cannot say," St. Porphyrios said, "to the Papists that they have Grace and Mysteries. The Patriarch should not have journeyed to Rome, because it is only to their own benefit, without them being corrected, and Orthodoxy loses. Papism is sheer pride. Orthodoxy is sheer humility. I saw with my discernment the Cathedral of Saint Peter, and the Vatican making every effort to impress with the ceremony. The Patriarch stood stern and thoughtful." "However," Hieromonk Damascene said, "in the same way as some distort the conversation between Christ and the Samaritan woman, or distort even the Holy Fathers, they also distort Saint Porphyrios and present him as allegedly approving inter-religious dialogue, to support their fallacies." —Hieromonk Damascene (Holy Community of Philadelphou, Mount Athos), Ο Άγιος Πορφύριος, ο Παπισμός και το Άγιον Όρος [Saint Porphyrios, Papism and Mount Athos] https://orthodoxostypos.gr/ο-άγιος-πορφύριος-ο-παπισμός-και-το-άγι/ _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Porphyrios, our God-bearing Elder abounding in love and divine gifts, is not known for addressing contemporary issues of dogma and how Orthodoxy compares to other religions. However, the Elder did address these topics and in these two recorded conversations we hear his views plainly expressed: he embraces Orthodoxy as the only true religion, the only faith inspired by the Spirit of God, and rejects ecumenism and its evil philosophies. 0:00 Beginning 0:10 Introduction from the Publisher 2:33 First Conversation 27:26 Second Conversation 30:49 Quote from First Conversation "The Orthodox Spirit is the True One" is published in greek by the Holy Convent of the Transfiguration of the Saviour, Melesi, Greece. The Elder entrusted all his material to this convent, which he helped establish, before his repose in 1991. 📖 Full text of "The Orthodox Spirit is the True One" https://www.oodegr.com/english/oikoumenismos/porphyrios_orthodox_spirit.htm 🎧 Original recording of the conversations included in this podcast: https://youtu.be/QkhE7Vs-zQw?si=WRrr4o81EOY5T-kO 🎧 Original recording of Saint Porphyrios saying the Jesus Prayer: https://youtu.be/w7XSW7wpCfY?si=w3yUXGV94QMWg4FH 📖 Buy "Wounded by Love: The Life and Wisdom of Elder Porphyrios": https://www.holycross.org/products/wounded-by-love-the-life-and-the-wisdom-of-elder-porphyrios?srsltid=AfmBOoorE21YcZGUDow6RQlSnMJLerM851JSD-JP01Rl_2lvrmd0tO7n 📖"Healing the Soul: Saint Porphyrios as a Model for Our Lives". The St. John Chrysostom Monastery in Wisconsin publishes this book. Email them to ask how to obtain a copy: https://www.stchrysostomoscrafts.com/ ⛪ FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Porphyrios teaches: VISITOR: But don’t all religions teach love, Elder? ELDER: Bah! What kind of love do they teach? Don’t be so gullible! Hush now! True love is only Christ’s love. Don’t imagine that it’s like parents who love their children. Can you imagine, if there were rumors that I have a “free spirit” and that I acknowledge all religions? Well, I don’t. Regardless who tells me – even if an angel comes and tells me – that “the way so-and-so believes is the right way”, I will say “No, you are lying. You are not a benevolent spirit. You are an evil spirit for saying so.” That’s what I will say to the angel… I won’t believe it… (…) Of course I don’t want you propagandizing here and there, saying that “all religions are one, there aren’t any differences between them, all of them are God’s, you can go to any one of them, and you can worship any God you want…” I don’t want such things – I can’t tolerate them. That’s how my spirit is. Look, there are Masons, there are all sorts of things and people believe them all, and they go along with Satan and they have all sorts of satanic events and mysterious things, because they exist, and Satan exists, and mysterious things exist… evil things. ELDER: I’m telling you, that... I personally love you very much…. And that my love has not diminished on account of these things. I may of course complain a little, worrying why such good youngsters are involved in such fallacies and aren’t Orthodox Christians… I feel truly sorry… but I do pray that God will enlighten you so that you realize our faith – Orthodoxy – has nothing to do with other religions. But nowadays, everyone has all sorts of mentalities… different people, even older ones, who don’t even believe that God exists… they are of the opinion that there shouldn’t be many religions because they cause divisions among people and generate hostility among them. So, everyone – young and old and nations and entire … are striving to ensure the creation of one religion. And it will be accomplished in such a way – by claiming that “all religions are the same”; that “we shall form a new religion”… This is being done by something they call Zionism.

What is feminism? What are the consequences of the movement? What is the role of women in the Church and the world? And what women and the priesthood? Abbess Theologia gives succinct and clear answers to these questions. 0:00 Intro The Feminist Movement 0:14 Causes for the Movement 1:51 The Movement’s Success 3:00 Problems with the Movement Orthodoxy and the Feminist Movement 5:16 Women and the Priesthood 11:36 Feminism and the Holy Mountain 📖 "The Perfection of Women in Christ" by Abbess Theologia https://newromepress.com/perfection-of-women-in-christ/ 📖 "The Disappearing Deaconess: Why the Church Once Had Deaconesses and Then Stopped Having Them" by Dcn. Brian Patrick Mitchell: https://www.amazon.com/Disappearing-Deaconess-Hierarchical-Ordering-Diaconate/dp/099101698X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= 📖 "Occult Feminism: The Secret History of Women's Liberation" by Rachel Wilson: https://www.amazon.com/Occult-Feminism-Secret-History-Liberation/dp/B09NGXZKHB 🎥 "The Mother of God Destroys Secularism and Feminism" by Fr. Josiah Trenham: https://youtu.be/J7X1TwsaIN8?si=IOxssrzaT_ZaNGkW 🎧Fr. Josiah's lectures on Contemporary Women Saints https://app.patristicnectar.org/discover/theological-lectures/contemporary-women-saints 🎥 "The Orthodox Deaconess: Partial Acceptance, Complete Abandonment" with Dcn. Brian Patrick Mitchell and Fr. Peter Heers: https://www.youtube.com/live/7nCkRHCXcb4?si=EcatFPOsa7Npr8Rt This is a reading from "The Perfection of Women in Christ" by Abbess Theologia, p. 33-43. Abbess Theologia is the abbess of the Holy Monastery of the Dormition of the Mother of God at Mikrokastro, Greece The image on the left side of the thumbnail is of recently ordained Deacon Angelic and her bishop, Metropolitan Seraphim of Zimbabwe. It's important to note that she was ordained a deacon, she is not a deaconess as the early Church had, but a Deacon. The Deaconate is part of the priest, and as Abbess Theologia says, echoing Holy Tradition, the priesthood is only for men. Read more: https://ocl.org/bishop-ordains-orthodox-christian-woman-as-deaconess-in-response-to-local-needs-in-africa/ -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ Abbess Theologia writes: The problem with the feminist movement was that it went too far. It was not satisfied with the new equity of things. It began to espouse materialistic theories of life. It imagined that the past history of the debasement of women was attributable to the Christian faith, and thus rushed to discard religious life [as an oppressor]. She fought against the indissolubility of marriage, without giving proper consideration to the fact that the legal obligation of a man to care for his family is an important restraining force against divorce. She accepted the idea of cohabitation, without realizing that by doing so she took part in reestablishing the harems of old. And the very worst part of this transformation was the crippling of her own nature. God endowed woman with a hidden river of affection, issuing from deep within her very nature, which is able to reshape the world: to tame it, reconcile and sweeten it, to give and receive love, and elevate it out of its banality. Instead of this, women became ensnared in a relentless vocationalism, competing with men, and steadfastly uncompromising in regard to his unique qualities. She abandoned her duty as nurturer, educator, and guardian, thus allowing herself to become a sterile fountain. Women are not barred from the Priesthood because they are somehow less worthy than men. Indeed, many times unworthy priests transmit the sanctified grace of the Mysteries to holy women! Rather, it is because the woman has a different vocation than the man. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Fellow soldiers in Christ’s army: our weapons are fully sufficient to defeat our spiritual enemies. In this brief passage, St. Paisios re-awakens us to the power of Christ and His Cross. Reading from “Spiritual Counsels, Vol. 1: With Pain and Love for Contemporary Man”, p. 58-61 -BUY “Spiritual Counsels, Vol. I”: https://www.holycross.org/products/with-pain-and-love-for-contemporary-man-elder-paisios?srsltid=AfmBOooG0oxZfwjniLoIMF1LXDQHdMBKr8W6eXoQxM2xf-AEqHLNx31u -BUY the Life of the saint: "Saint Paisios of Mount Athos": https://churchsupplies.jordanville.org/products/saint-paisios-of-mount-athos -LISTEN to my playlist "St. Paisios - Teachings and Prophecies" https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzFKi22k2KYiSgEA_N0bQIIeUFas-lw_P -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ ______ —Geronda, my thoughts tell me that now more than ever the devil has great power. —The devil has malice and hatred but he does not have power. It is God's love that is all-powerful. The devil tries to appear powerful but he can't make it. He appears strong but in reality he is powerless. Many of his destructive schemes fail even before they start. Would a good father ever allow a few young hoodlums to bully his children? —Geronda, the demons scare me. —What are you afraid of? The devil has no power. Christ is All-powerful. The tempter is rotten. Don't you wear a cross? The devil's weapons are weak. Christ has armed us with His Cross. Only when we abandon our spiritual armour is the enemy strong. An Orthodox priest had only to show a small cross to a sorcerer and the demon he had invoked started trembling. —Why is the devil so afraid of the Cross? —Because when Christ received the spitting, the blows and the beatings, the kingdom and the power of the devil were crushed. How wonderful is the way in which Christ defeated the devil! The devil's dominion was crushed with a reed," used to say a Saint. When Christ was given the last blow with a reed, at that very moment, the devil's power was destroyed. In other words, patience is our spiritual defence and humility our greatest weapon against the devil. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Speaking to Russians in exile who saw firsthand the Bolshevik revolution, Archbishop Averky contrasts the true freedom in Christ from the tyrannical slavery of sin, indulgence, and worldly ambition that many falsely call “freedom.” As St. Paul wrote, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Gal 5:1). Reading from "The Just Shine Like The Stars: A Photographic Biography on the Life of Archbishop Averky of Jordanville Including Some of His Selected Sermons", pp. 59-61 -BUY Archbishop Averky’s most popular book “The Struggle for Virtue: Asceticism in a Modern Secular Society”: https://www.holytrinitypublications.com/the-struggle-for-virtue -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ ______ And so now, having lived through all the bloody horrors and the merciless destruction of everything created by our forefathers over the centuries, those of us who still have a conscience can easily give an answer to the author's question: "Do you want a freedom which offers no restrictions and has no bounds?" No! You easily understand that this is not true freedom, not the freedom for which each human soul yearns. True freedom cannot carry with it hatred, sorrow and distress. This is not freedom; this is arbitrariness, a most crude and most cruel arbitrariness. Our reason, our heart and conscience, tell us that true freedom cannot be found in self-will, that self-will and arbitrariness are the enemies of freedom. Golden words! Do we not see, both in our Homeland and in the so-called "free world," this soul-terrifying randomness, under the wicked guise of "freedom"? This self-will reigns everywhere, in all aspects of our lives: personal, social, governmental and religious. People no longer think about the justice, fairness and humanity encompassed in the true sense of this word. Contemporary powers strive towards one goal: to make their own will become law for others, and are prepared to dole out harsh punishment to anyone who stands up in the name of the true Law — the Law of God — and who follows the principles of church and state which conform with this law. Where is this true Christian freedom, to which alone we should all strive? The Apostle Paul gives us the answer: "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty" (II Corinthians 3:17). And this same holy Apostle commands us to preserve this true freedom unceasingly, admonishing us: "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." In our times it is especially important to parry all the deceitful propaganda of the many false teachers, who are so energetically preparing throughout the world a foundation for the reign of the Antichrist. We must unmask this propaganda whenever possible, and we must act against it using all the means available to us, or we, too, might find ourselves in the camp of these self-proclaimed "teachers." And more than anything else, we must cherish our spiritual freedom, reminding ourselves as often as possible of the words of the Apostles: "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." (Galatians 5:1). "He that hath ears, let him hear." (St. Luke 8:8). _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

What is the firmament? What does scripture mean by “waters above the heavens”? St. John expounds upon the Scriptural testimony and raises our minds and hearts both to God’s creation and God Himself. 0:00 Introduction 1:26 Scripture: Genesis 1:6-8 and Psalm 148:4-6 2:33 Commentary on Psalm 148:4 3:00 Commentary on Genesis 1 (Homily 4) 18:16 Commentary on Genesis 1 (Homily 6) 22:00 On the Statues to the People of Antioch (Homily 9) 22:59 On the Statues to the People of Antioch (Homily 12) 25:04 Commentary on Matthew 26:6-7 (Homily 80) 25:22 Commentary on Hebrews 8:1-2 (Homily 14) 26:52 Commentary on Hebrews 9:2 (Homily 15) 27:14 Commentary on Ephesians 5:15-17 (Homily 19) 31:36 Scripture: Psalm 148:4-6 To my knowledge, what follows are all of St. John Chrysostom’s teachings on day two of creation, the firmament and the waters above that are available in English. I did not focus on his commentary on the sun, moon, and stars when placed into the firmament on day four. The golden-mouthed Archbishop poured over the scriptures and his homilies on Scripture continues to stand out as exceedingly faithful to the truth and inspired by the Holy Spirit. Regardless of what modern scientists and astronomers tell us, the Patristic axiom remains immovable: we must follow the Holy Fathers. So much of modern science is saturated with philosophy and pseudo-science. The modern heliocentric model has turned the plain reading of many scriptures on their head. In addition to the many scientific and observational reasons to question the heliocentric dogma so often assumed today, the Holy Scriptures and the Holy Fathers, especially St. John Chrysostom, beckon us to revisit modern assumptions and reconsider the truth about the realm in which we God has placed us to work out our salvation. -READ St. John’s commentary on Genesis 1-17: https://archive.org/details/saint-john-chrysostom-homilies-on-genesis-1-17/page/59/mode/1up -READ St. John’s homilies on Matthew, Ephesians, Hebrews, and more: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/ -READ St. John’s commentary on Psalm 148: https://www.amazon.com/St-John-Chrysostom-Commentary-Paperback/dp/B010TSV5E2 -READ St. John’s homilies On the Statues to the People of Antioch: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf109.xix.xi.html#fna_xix.xi-p40.1 -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. John teaches: ‘The water above the heavens.’ You hear Moses also saying that he left some of the waters below, and caused some to float on the surfaces of the heavens, fixing the firmament in the middle of the abyss, and let the waters remain on the surfaces. -Commentary on Psalm 148:4 And what is more pleasing or more beautiful than the firmament of Heaven. -Homily 80 on the Gospel of Matthew The text goes on: "God made the firmament, and God divided the water which was below the firmament from the water which was above the firmament." That is to say, once the firmament existed, he ordered some of the water to go below the firmament, and some to be on top of the firmament. Now, what would you say this means, the firmament? Water that has congealed, or some air that has been compressed, or some other substance? No sensible person would be rash enough to make a decision on it. Instead, it is better to be quite grateful and ready to accept what is told us and not reach beyond the limits of our own nature by meddling in matters beyond us, but rather to know only the simple fact and keep it within us—namely, that by the Lord's command the firmament was produced, causing division of the waters, keeping some below and being able to carry the rest elevated on top of it. -Homily 4 on Genesis _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

A reading of Chapter Four from "Noetic Prayer as the Basis of Mission and the Struggle Against Heresy" by Archimandrite Ephraim Triandaphillopoulos In six short chapters Fr. Ephraim, like a spiritual doctor and specialist in spiritual diseases, dissects the disease of heresy and its cause, offering both as method of cure and cure itself the medicine of noetic prayer. This book is required reading for every Orthodox missionary, or, rather, every Orthodox Christian, for there is no Christian who does not seek to be made whole and bring wholeness and spiritual health to his neighbor. -BUY the book here: https://uncutmountainpress.com/shop/product/noetic-prayer-as-the-basis-of-mission-and-the-struggle-against-heresy/ Archimandrite Ephraim Triandaphillopoulos, an inspirational and influential preacher, is the Protosyngellos (Chancellor) of the Diocese of Siatista in north western Greece. He is the author of many books, including: The New Age: Challenge or Invitation?, Magic and Its Various Manifestations, The Old Testament and the New Idol Worshipers.” You can read more about Fr. Ephraim and his work at: http://www.patirefraim.com/ -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ This recording was originally posted on the @OrthodoxEthos channel in December 2022: https://youtu.be/gqBfkiQbyKA?si=3nOrC-XDg3ar_RL8 _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

The story of how Gerondissa Makrina become a beacon of Orthodox life in Greece under the guidance of St. Joseph the Hesychast. Gerondissa's nuns later helped start many monasteries in America and Canada under the leadership of Geronda Ephraim of Arizona. Text is from "My Elder Joseph the Hesychast" by Elder Ephraim of Arizona, p. 574-580 -BUY "My Elder Joseph the Hesychast" here: https://stanthonysmonastery.org/products/my-elder-joseph-the-hesychast -BUY "Words of the Heart", the Life and Homilies of Gerondissa Makrina of Volos: https://stanthonysmonastery.org/products/words-of-the-heart -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ From "My Elder Joseph the Hesychast": From her blessed sisterhood, nuns were sent to populate the monasteries of the Holy Forerunner in Serres and of the Archangel Michael in Thasos. In turn, these monasteries sent nuns to North America who established new monasteries with the ideals of traditional Orthodox monasticism. Something similar happened when Gerondissa Makrina became gravely ill and was coughing up blood. We didn't have a telephone to inform him about it. But in our next letter to him, we concealed her illness from him because we didn't want to upset him and interrupt his prayer. But then he sent us a letter and said: "My little children, why didn't you write to me that Gerondissa is I and is suffering, so that we could pray for her? You made a big mistake thinking that this would interrupt my prayer. When Father Arsenios and I were praying last night, we noetically saw that she was seriously ill, and we prayed hard for her. My children, I want you to inform me about Whatever is happening with the monastery and especialy with Gerondissa. Write me about it." St. Joseph wrote the sisters: “So submit yourselves to Maria, who is trying to benelt you, and all of us here are praying that the Lord will hep you and make you worthy of eternal life.” _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

The Christian soul loves the Mother of God and that love is exemplified and ignited listening to these reflections from St. Silouan the Athonite. This text is found in "Saint Silouan the Athonite" by St. Sophrony the Athonite, pp. 390-393 -BUY "Saint Silouan the Athonite" by St. Sophrony here: https://churchsupplies.jordanville.org/products/saint-silouan-the-athonite?_pos=1&_psq=silouan&_ss=e&_v=1.0 -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ -PLAYLIST from Orthodox Wisdom: St. Silouan & St. Sophrony - Teachings and Prayers https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzFKi22k2KYiWHl-XYYh_Jqr5w539qw2s _______ St. Silouan writes: Never by a single thought did the Mother of God sin, nor did she ever lose grace, yet vast were her sorrows; when she stood at the foot of the Cross her grief was as boundless as the ocean and her soul knew torment incomparably worse than Adam's when he was driven from paradise, in that the measure of her love was beyond compare greater than the love which Adam felt when he was in paradise. That she remained alive was only because the Lord's might sustained her, for it was His desire that she should behold His Resurrection, and live on after His Ascension to be the comfort and joy of the Apostles and the new Christian peoples. We cannot attain to the full the love of the Mother of God, and so we cannot thoroughly comprehend her grief. Her love was complete. She had an illimitable love for God and her Son but she loved the people, too, with a great love. What, then, must she have felt when those same people whom she loved so dearly, and whose salvation she desired with all her being, crucified her beloved Son? We cannot fathom such things, since there is little love in us for God and man. Just as the love of the Mother of God is boundless and passes our understanding, so is her grief boundless and beyond our understanding. St. Silouan’s prayer to the Mother of God: O holy Virgin Mary, tell us, thy children, of thy love on earth for thy Son and God. Tell us how thy spirit rejoiced in God thy Saviour. Tell us of how thou didst look upon His fair countenance, and reflect that this was He Whom all the heavenly hosts wait upon in awe and love. Tell us what thy soul felt when thou didst bear the wondrous Babe in thine arms. Tell us of how thou didst rear Him, how, sick at heart, thou and Joseph sought Him three long days in Jerusalem. Tell us of thine agony when the Lord was delivered up to be crucified, and lay dying on the Cross. Tell us what joy was thine over the Resurrection. Tell us how thy soul languished after the Lord's Ascension. We long to know of thy life on earth with the Lord but thou wast not minded to commit all these things to writing, and didst veil thy secret heart in silence. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

"I'm bored!" we hear people say, maybe even we ourselves have said this. St. Theophan the Recluse offers practical advice to overcome boredom and the feeling of being all alone. -BUY the book which includes this text: "The Spiritual Life and How to Be Attuned to It": https://stpaisiusgiftshop.com/new-products/the-spiritual-life-new-edition/ -LISTEN to "What is an Anathema?" by St. Theophan the Recluse: https://youtu.be/N7LEV_WqRw0 -LISTEN to "On Truth & Love" by St. Theophan the Recluse: https://youtu.be/rIOg5LTU-p4 -BUY “The Path to Salvation” by St. Theophan the Recluse: https://stpaisiusgiftshop.com/books/monastery-publications/the-path-to-salvation/ -BUY “Thoughts for Each Day of the Year” by St. Theophan the Recluse: http://www.sainthermanmonastery.com/mobile/Product.aspx?ProductCode=tedy -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Theophan writes: You write, "I am left alone and I am bored." This is a natural feeling. But it seems to me that you should not feel this way after the decisions you made and what you were told to do in consequence of this. If the latter took root in you at all, then you would never have realized that you were alone, even though you are by yourself. You would not have realized you were alone, because you would have realized that the Lord is close by, as is your Guardian Angel—not in thought, but in actuality. Then the feeling of loneliness would have seemed out of place, and consequently, the boredom that follows. Here is the most reliable way for you to avoid it: Arrange things so you do not have a single idle moment and all your time is filled with suitable occupations so that, upon completion of one activity, you have another one ready to begin. What kind of activities should these be? 1) Aesthetic occupations: music, singing, painting. 2) Some sort of handicraft: knitting, needlework and the like. 3) The best remedy for boredom, however, is to acquire a taste for serious reading and the study of subjects that you are unfamiliar with. It is not so much the reading that drives away boredom as the study. would note for you that the study Count Speransky is referring to is the study of entire sciences, or certain parts of them. By this, it is obvious that one avoids any reading of frivolous books. It seems that you do not like to do this anyway. That is good. Do not give up this habit. Read more the spiritual books (than scientific ones). This is the sphere of the most serious subjects, and, most importantly, the most necessary. In this sphere everything is new and never becomes obsolete. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Elder Ephraim reflects on the great love of God for man and how critical humility is to remain in communion with God and His grace. Excerpt "Counsels from the Holy Mountain: Selected from the Letters and Homilies of Geronda Ephraim of Arizona", p. 379-384 -BUY "Counsels from the Holy Mountain": https://stanthonysmonastery.org/products/counsels-from-the-holy-mountain -LISTEN to many audiobooks from St. Anthony's Monastery in Arizona: https://stanthonysmonastery.org/pages/audiobooks -PRAY the Jesus Prayer with Elder Ephraim: https://youtu.be/pmFA4LTADQE?si=ig5DyyyQgX-WEgOA -READ "A Call From the Holy Mountain": https://www.scribd.com/document/166719693/124153494-a-Call-From-the-Holy-Mountain-Elder-Ephraim -LISTEN to "A Demon Reveals the Power of the Jesus Prayer to Elder Ephraim of Arizona": https://youtu.be/sujsxSdh-MM -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ Elder Ephraim writes: Love is the Christian's triumph over the devil, hatred, and envy. In order to reach the divine harbor of God's love, we must first fear Him as God, Who chastens sin and transgression. It is not possible to cross the sea and reach the harbor without a boat. Likewise, it is impossible to reach the harbor of love without repentance. The fear of God, as commander and captain, makes us sit in the boat of repentance and takes us across the murky sea of life and guides us to the divine harbor of divine love. Just as we are unable to live without air, likewise it is impossible to live in the eternal life with God if we do not breathe the very sweet and fragrant air of God's love. God is love and full of compassion. Let us not sadden Him in anything! He endured the Cross for us; His head was pricked by the crown of thorns; His side was pierced by the spear; His feet were nailed; His back was scourged; His All-holy mouth was given gall and vinegar; His heart ached from the insolence and ingratitude; He was naked up on the Cross in front of such a demonic mob. This, my children, is Whom we should not sadden with our carelessness, which intensifies His suffering. The Jews were His enemies, whereas we have been baptized in His holy name we are His disciples who are devoted to serving Him! _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

"What is the hallmark of a priest? To gather prosphora? To perform nice services? To preach sweetly and 'usefully' from the ambo and make a few young ladies tear up emotionally from his contemplative thoughts? What is the hallmark of a priest and bishop in these difficult years?..." A reading from "The Christian in the End Times", 2nd edition, pp. 39-41 -READ the text here: https://www.orthodoxethos.com/post/how-to-recognize-a-good-priest-or-bishop -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ Met. Augustinos says: I'll say something that I've never said before. You'll say it's egotistical, but I'll give you a set of scales so you can weigh the priests, the bishops and all the clergy and theologians. What is that set of scales? What is the hallmark of a priest? To gather prosphora? To perform nice services? To preach sweetly and "usefully" from the ambo and make a few young ladies tear up emotionally from his contemplative thoughts? What is the hallmark of a priest and bishop in these difficult years? The hallmark of a bishop and a priest is their fighting spirit, their outspokenness. It's what the Apostle Paul said, that all who desire to lead a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. (2 Tim. 3:12). If you see a priest, if you see a theologian, if you see a metropolitan or archbishop who is not being persecuted, but is enjoying the love and honour of all, then the following word of God is being applied: Woe to you when all men speak well of you (Lk. 6:26). You should know very well, that that person is not heading in the right direction. The same thing applies if he is called Orthodox but doesn't want to go against the trend, the avalanche which is coming to demolish the world. An Orthodox priest goes against the trend. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

The miraculous sign of St. Euphemia at the 4th Fourth Ecumenical in Chalcedon proved the truth of the Orthodox confession of two natures in Christ, united and yet distinct. This text includes a brief Life of St. Euphemia, the events of the 4th Ecumenical Council, including those preceding it, and the miracle of St. Euphemia. St. Euphemia's miracle is commemorated on July 11th. She is also commemorated on September 16th. This reading is from The Great Synaxaristes (Lives of Saints) Thumbnail: icon of St. Euphemia embracing the Orthodox confession in her hands and placing the heretical Monophysite confession under her feet. -READ the Life of St. Euphemia: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2023/09/16/102626-great-martyr-euphemia-the-all-praised -READ additional historical sources testifying of St. Euphemia's miracle: https://arizonaorthodox.com/2022/07/21/historical-sources-for-the-miracle-of-st-euphemia-at-the-fourth-ecumenical-synod/ -BUY ($6) the best text in English (to my knowledge) on the Non-Chalcedonian/Oriental/Monophysite controversy: "The Non-Chalcedonian Heresy" by Elder George of Gregoriou https://www.ctosonline.org/ecumenism/N.html -MORE resources on the Orthodox and Non-Chalcedonians, including recent developments: http://orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/ea_mono.aspx -WATCH videos by David Erhan refuting the heresies of the Non-Chalcedonians: https://youtu.be/TAa2iwupUZA?si=RscJPZLdAqbCb-FL -READ teachings from St. Justin Popovich, Vladyka Philaret of NY, and St. John Maximovitch on "The Anti-Chalcedonian Monophysites" -READ Craig Truglia has a handful of articles and videos on this issue, including some videos with an Oriental Orthodox subdeacon. Here is one article: https://orthodoxchristiantheology.com/2022/07/14/the-miaphysite-schisms-inauspicious-origin/ -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Why does God allow the righteous to suffer? What spiritual laws are at work when we are prideful and when we fall? How does God help both the humble and the proud to walk the narrow path of salvation? St. Paisios the Athonite answers these questions and more. -BUY St. Paisios' book, "Elder Hadji-Georgis the Athonite": https://www.athoniteusa.com/products/elder-hadji-georgis-the-athonite -LISTEN to my playlist "St. Paisios - Teachings and Prophecies" https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzFKi22k2KYiSgEA_N0bQIIeUFas-lw_P -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Paisios writes: Since some people might have the question, "Why does God allow righteous men, such as the man of God Hadji-Georgis, even though he was a very pure soul from the time of his childhood, to be tormented with trials, slanderings, etc.?", I thought it good to write my feelings on this. Naturally, the unjustly treated are the most beloved of God's children. However, according to my thinking, they themselves do not see things this way. On the contrary, they see themselves as guilty, and if the Grace of God were to abandon them they would even be in prison as guilty and their consciences would torment them; they would be overcome with remorse. Although unjustly treated, they have in their hearts the unjustly treated Christ, and rejoice in exile and in prison as if they were in Paradise; because wherever Christ is, there is Paradise. Of course, those who work for reward are la-bourers, and those who avoid sin so as not to be condemned, again are looking after their own interests. Indeed, that is good, but there is no nobility in it because in the face of the great sacrifice which Christ made in order to redeem us, out of philotimo we ought not to go to hell, so as not to grieve Him through His sensing that we are suffering. This is the kind of love that the Holy Fathers of our Church had for Christ. But unfortunately many of us have only an inferior love that only goes far enough so as not to be punished. Love of this kind goes hand in hand with lack of faith; in other words we enjoy the things of this world to a degree just enough so as not to be punished in this life, but also not to be deprived of Paradise. The higher we throw an object, the greater the force with which it is drawn down by the gravity of the earth and is shattered (law of physics). As much as one is exalted, so too will be his spiritual fall, and according to the magnitude of his pride he will be shattered — unless his pride surpasses that of humans and reaches that of the demons. Then he is no longer within the grasp of spiritual laws of this life but rather that of the Apostolic one: "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived? However, when a man immediately perceives the lifting up of his pride, and humbly asks forgiveness of God, the merciful hands of God immediately pick him up with joy and bring him gently down without his descent being perceptible, and so he is not shattered since he has already been crushed in his heart beforehand by his repentance. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Theophan's answer to arguably the most fundamental question for each man: How can I save my soul?

"What does one say to the person who asks: 'How can I save my soul?' This: Repent, and being strengthened by the power of grace in the Holy Mysteries, walk in the path of God's commandments, under the direction which the Holy Church gives you through its God-given priesthood. All of this must be done in a spirit of sincere faith which has no reservations." -St. Theophan the Recluse -READ the text of this recording: http://orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/soul_save.aspx#:~:text=Theophan%20the%20Recluse,through%20its%20God%2Dgiven%20priesthood. -LISTEN to "What is an Anathema?" by St. Theophan the Recluse:https://youtu.be/N7LEV_WqRw0-LISTEN to "On Truth & Love" by St. Theophan the Recluse:https://youtu.be/rIOg5LTU-p4 -BUY “The Path to Salvation” by St. Theophan the Recluse: https://stpaisiusgiftshop.com/books/monastery-publications/the-path-to-salvation/ -BUY “Thoughts for Each Day of the Year” by St. Theophan the Recluse: http://www.sainthermanmonastery.com/mobile/Product.aspx?ProductCode=tedy _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

A word for us all from one the greatest Russian saints of recent times. "The sons of the world consider distraction to be something innocent, but the holy fathers recognize it to be the origin of all evils." -LISTEN to other recordings of St. Ignatius Brianchaninov ---My Cross and the Cross of Christ https://youtu.be/RDmmWFqGGYA ---Exhortation on the Prayer Rule https://youtu.be/YvCo0NiHMjU ---The Antichrist Will Be the Natural Result of the Spiritual Direction of Man https://youtu.be/Y97eoXfZJ_k ---On Prayer https://youtu.be/ElPypoFJM3A -BUY a number of books by St. Ignatius here: https://www.holytrinitypublications.com -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ Text is from "Divine Ascent: A Journal of Orthodox Faith", Autumn 2001, No. 7 _______ St. Ignatius writes: The sons of the world consider distraction to be something innocent, but the holy fathers recognize it to be the origin of all evils. The person who is given up to distraction has, concerning all subjects and even the most important ones, a very light and most superficial understanding. One who is distracted is usually inconstant. The feelings of his heart usually lack depth and strength; they are not solid but transitory. As a butterfly flits from flower to flower so also a distracted person passes from one earthly satisfaction to another, from one vain care to another. Distraction itself punishes the one who is devoted to it. With time everything bores him, and as one who has not acquired any sound understandings and fundamental impressions whatsoever, he is given up to a tormenting endless despondency. As much as distraction is harmful in general, it is especially harmful in the work of God and the work of salvation, which requires constant and intense vigilance and attention. "Watch and pray lest you enter into misfortune," says the Savior to his disciples (Matthew 26: 41). "I say to all: watch," (Mark 13:37), the Savior said to all Christianity, and therefore, he said it to us in this time. He who is leading a distracted life is directly contradicting the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ with his life. All of the saints diligently fled from distraction. They were concentrated in themselves constantly or at least as often as possible They paid attention to the movements of their mind and heart and they directed them according to the testament of the gospel. The habit of attending to oneself keeps one from distraction, even amongst distractions which are noisy and surrounding one on all sides. The attentive person abides in solitude, even amidst a multitude of people. A certain great father who had learned by experience the benefit of attention and the harm of distraction said that without intense watchfulness over oneself it is impossible to succeed in even one virtue. The attentive life weakens the effect of a person's bodily feelings. It sharpens, strengthens and warms the feelings of the soul. While on the contrary, distraction dulls the feelings of the soul. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Elder Athanasios Mitilinaios, in his examination of the Book of Revelation, sees "the depths of Satan" (Rev. 2:24) applying to today's satanic, neo-gnosticism: Freemasonry. Spreading its wicked tentacles throughout society, often in ways unknown the average person, Freemasonry is a powerful force that all Christians must not underestimate. Elder Athanasios reveals the true nature of Freemasonry, her symbols, rituals, and philosophy, offering to Orthodox Christians, and all who love the truth, tools to fight this satanic, secretive organization. 0:00 Beginning, Rev. 2:240:36 Homily begins 3:01 Freemasonry is Neo-Gnosticism and we will always fight it 4:57 The basics of Gnostic philosophy; the Apostles and Church Fathers wrote against Gnosticism 9:27 Masonic symbolism: The letter “G” 15:28 12th degree initiation ritual, Gnosis, and “Supposedly Historical Events” 19:01 Faith rejected, Rationalism embraced 21:14 St. Paul addressed Gnosticism in Colossians 2:8-9 24:37 12th degree initiation cont’d 26:34 The Freemasons despise the body and matter and hate that Christ came to save both 29:20 The Masons help the good god (Lucifer) overcome the evil god (Christ) 32:55 Why Gnostics venerate the evil figures in the Bible 35:25 18th degree initiation, “The Rosicrucians” 38:41 Leo Taxil on Freemasonry and Lucifer 39:36 Freemasonic prayer to Lucifer 42:19 33rd degree initiation: Worship of Baphomet 43:46 Freemasons are inside and outside the Orthodox Church 44:21 We must fight Freemasonry and bring Freemasons to Christ This homily is found in Vol. 1 of the Revelation Series from Zoe Press Thumbnail, top right: Ecumenical Patrairch Meletios (Metaxakis), and to the right, Ecumenical Patrairch Athenagoras (Spyrou) kissing the forehead of U.S. President Harry Truman. All three were 33rd degree Freemasons. See more below: -BUY the Revelation Series from Zoe Press: https://www.zoepress.us/all-books-cds/revelation-the-seven-golden-lampstands-volume-1 -READ: Freemasonry: Official Statement of the Church of Greece (1933): http://orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/masonry.aspx -READ: ​​Freemasonry in American Orthodox History https://orthodoxhistory.org/2012/11/20/freemasonry-in-american-orthodox-history/#:~:text=Freemasonry%20and%20other%20secret%20societies,Ecumenical%20Patriarch%20%E2%80%94%20was%20a%20Freemason -READ: Freemasonry and the Orthodox Church https://orthodoxhistory.org/2023/09/27/freemasonry-and-the-orthodox-church/ -READ: Greek Freemasons embrace EP Athenagoras: https://www.grandlodge.gr/athinagoras-w-57864.html -BUY “On The Masons And Their Lies” by Michael Witcoff https://www.amazon.com/Masons-Their-Lies-Every-Christian/dp/1986325474 -READ “Notes On The Influence of Freemasonry On Early Greek Ecumenism” by Fr. Seraphim Zisis: https://www.scribd.com/document/374965401/Seraphim-Zissis-Notes-on-the-Influence-of-Freemasonry-on-Early-Greek-Ecumenism -WATCH: Freemasonry: Today’s Satanic Gnosticism by Fr. Peter Heers (analyzing the teachings of Elder Athanasios) https://youtu.be/kUv6jfzRcts?si=uhoR9694xoQSflpU -LISTEN: On the Freemasonic Roots of the Ecumenical Movement - St. Seraphim of Sofia https://youtu.be/VyZS80sQRsw -WATCH: at 17:22 in “The Ungodly Errors of Archbishop Elpidophoros: All You Need to Know” we see the GOArch Archbishop wrote the Introduction to a book written by an open Freemason, saying, “With great joy and deep satisfaction, I read the work of the exceptional intellectual Nicholas Laos…” https://youtu.be/q6dBuopgoYg?si=FF5veI_o9oWJbXMP

"Masonry is a contemporary reality which affects everyone and everything in our times. It is certainly not a good strategy to underestimate the capabilities of the enemy. In order to fight an enemy successfully, we cannot underestimate his power. Masonry is powerful; it is the power of Satan. That is precisely why we are fighting, and we will always continue to fight, as long as we live, against Freemasonry." -Elder Athanasios

Bishop (then Hieromonk) Luke gives a firsthand account of the Glorification (Canonization) services of St. John Maximovitch of Shanghai & San Francisco (+1966). Holy Hierarch John, pray to God for us! Photo in thumbnail is from the 1994 Glorification services at Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco. -READ: the text of this recording from Orthodox Life, July-August, 1994: https://orthodoxlifemagazines.blogspot.com/ -READ: The Life of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco (+1966): https://orthochristian.com/54575.html -BUY many icons and other items of St. John from the SF Cathedral bookstore: https://www.hvcbookstore.com/ -BUY: the book "Man of God" which includes the reminiscences, miracles, sermons, and more on this exceptional saint on the 20th century: https://notofthisworldiconsandbooks.com/products/man-of-god-saint-john-of-sf?variant=4087103193115 _______ No one present during these holy days was there simply out of curiosity or by accident. Each person who took part had a sense of purpose, a conscientious desire to witness to an honor Saint John. We were all humbled by the knowledge that we venerated and sought help from on of whol Saint Paul wrote, "the world was not worthy" (Heb. 11:38). With this knowledge of our spiritual poverty, we were humbled and speechless when calling to mind the words of Holy Scripture, "What shall I render unto the Lord for all that He hath rendered unto me" (Psalm 115:3). Holy Hierarch John, pray to God for us! _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

These prayers come from the excellent book "On the Upbringing of Children" by Bishop Irenaius, published by St. Xenia Press

0:00 Intro

0:06 A Prayer of Parents for their Children

1:53 A Prayer of Children for their Parents

2:17 Another Prayer of Children for their Parents

3:33 A Prayer of Spouses for Each Other

-BUY "On the Upbringing of Children" by Bishop Irenaius ---Physical book: https://sjkp.org/products/on-the-upbringing-of-children-1 ---Audiobook: https://stpaisiusgiftshop.com/cds/on-the-upbringing-of-children-cd/ ---Read the first 3 chapters free: https://saintkosmas.org/on-the-upbringing-of-children-bishop-irenaius

-EDUCATION: Orthodox education resources at Saint Kosmas Orthodox Education Association: https://saintkosmas.org/ -PREGNANCY RESOURCES: ZOE for life! is a support center (in person and online) for women needing recourse for unplanned and planned pregnancies, adoption, and more: https://zoeforlife.org/ -BUY: Orthodox Christian Parenting by Zoe Press: https://www.zoepress.us/all-books-cds/orthodox-christian-parenting-recipes-for-raising-children-2020-2nd-edition -PRAYER: Akathist to the Mother of God, "Nurturer of Children": https://www.akathists.com/the-most-holy-theotokos/nurturer-of-children/ -LISTEN: Admonitions for Parents - St. John Chrysostom: https://youtu.be/lFcUbGHnU28 -LISTEN: The Holy Childhood of Archbishop John Maximovitch: https://youtu.be/hXB4wW4iozw --FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

In addition to St. Justin Popovic's piercing theological clarity, this text offers us three significant examples: 1) The Serbian Hierarchs humbly asked a priest for his thoughts before making their decision 2) This priest, St. Justin, responded boldly and clearly 3) The Serbian Hierarchs followed his advice. All this is regarding a most tempting and powerful heresy attacking the Orthodox Church today: Ecumenism. -READ the text here: https://www.orthodoxethos.com/post/orthodoxy-and-ecumenism-an-orthodox-appraisal-and-testimony 0:00 Begin 0:11 Introduction and Historical Context by Bishop 7:17 Quote from Bishop Athanasius Yevtich on St. Justin not breaking communion with the local Churches 8:39 St. Justin’s reply to the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church -BUY “The Orthodox Church and Ecumenism” by St. Justin: https://lazarica.co.uk/bookshop/ -BUY "Orthodox Faith and Life in Christ" by St. Justin: https://ibmgs.org/miscellaneous.html -LISTEN to more recordings by Orthodox Wisdom of St. Justin's teachings: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzFKi22k2KYgxvJMJchHwGAWGZebY0s2s -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Justin writes: The Church of Christ has defined her stand towards heretics— and all non-Orthodox are heretics—once and for all through the Holy Apostles and the Holy Fathers, namely, through the Holy Theanthropic Tradition, which is unique and immutable. In keeping with this stand, Orthodox are forbidden to engage in joint prayer or liturgical communion with heretics.

Was it really necessary for the Orthodox Church, the all-immaculate Theanthropic Body and organism of the God-Man Christ, to be so monstrously humiliated that Her theological representatives, including even Hierarchs (among whom were also Serbs), should seek after “organic” participation and inclusion in the World Council of Churches, which thus becomes a new ecclesiastical “organism,” a “new Church” above the churches, of which the Orthodox Church and non-Orthodox churches are merely “members,” “organically” joined to each other? Alas, an unprecedented betrayal! Orthodox theologians should participate not in “ecumenical joint prayers,” but in theological dialogues in the Truth and about the Truth, as the Holy and God-bearing Fathers have done throughout the ages. _______ Bishop Athanasius Yevtich writes: “We were closely acquainted with the Blessed Father Justin and we know that he had never broke communion with any of the Orthodox Churches or a Bishop or a Patriarch, not even with the Serbian Patriarch Germans (1958-1990—as some "zealots "shamelessly lie—not even when the Patriarch Ger-manos was one of the "presidents of WCC" (a formal and honorary title without any binding conditions or duties as indeed was the participation of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the WCC). As a free and responsible member of the Church of Christ, Justin prophetically reproved and, when necessary, criticized in written form (having written a couple of criticism letters to Patriarch Germans and the Synod, inter alia, the letters pertaining to superficial western ecumenism). But on no account did he ever create a schism, but on the contrary used to say: “Schisms are easily made but they are enormously difficult to heal.” -Notes on Ecumenism, pp. 36-37 _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Listen to St. Nektarios praise these holy mothers who raised some of the greatest saints the earth has ever seen. He describes how these holy women planted Christ in their sons' hearts and cultivated the grace to maturity. How critical the role of the mother is in raising children and how firm the foundation she can lay down in the hearts and minds of her children. -St. Nonna is the mother of St. John Chrysostom -St. Anthousa is the mother of St. Gregory the Theologian -St. Emmelia is the mother of St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. Macrina the Younger, St. Peter of Sebaste, and St. Theosebia This is an excerpt from "Mothers and the Upbringing of Children" by St. Nektarios of Aegina https://youtu.be/_e4Fn_MsxLI A new book I suggest reading for those interested in Orthodox education, homeschooling and more: "Formation in the Love of Truth: Principles of Orthodox Education" by Archpriest Peter Heers: https://uncutmountainpress.com/shop/product/formation-in-the-love-of-truth-principles-of-orthodox-education/ _______ -EDUCATION: Orthodox education resources at Saint Kosmas Orthodox Education Association: https://saintkosmas.org/ -PREGNANCY RESOURCES: ZOE for life! is a support center (in person and online) for women needing recourse for unplanned and planned pregnancies, adoption, and more: https://zoeforlife.org/ -BOOK: Orthodox Christian Parenting by Zoe Press: https://www.zoepress.us/all-books-cds/orthodox-christian-parenting-recipes-for-raising-children-2020-2nd-edition -PRAYER: Akathist to the Mother of God, "Nurturer of Children": https://www.akathists.com/the-most-holy-theotokos/nurturer-of-children/ -PODCAST: Admonitions for Parents - St. John Chrysostom: https://youtu.be/lFcUbGHnU28 -PODCAST: The Holy Childhood of Archbishop John Maximovitch (OW podcast): https://youtu.be/hXB4wW4iozw -TEXT OF THIS PODCAST: https://saintkosmas.org/st-nektarios-mothers-and-the-upbringing-of-children -FIND A CHURCH: Find an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Nektarios writes: These mothers, desiring to educate their children as perfectly as possible and to polish their minds through Greek learning and knowledge, did not at all hesitate to entrust them to pagan teachers, so that they might be suitably developed intellectually. They considered the teachers’ heterodoxy of no importance, because they had confidence in themselves, confidence that by their own example they had wholly channeled their own love for true learning and their fervent zeal for religion into their children’s hearts. They recognized that nothing would be strong enough to shake their sons’ religious principles and convictions, because these principles and convictions had been carefully built upon a rock! Consistent, then, with their convictions, Nonna and Emmelia, the good and noble mothers of Basil and Gregory, sent them off to Athens, to the hearth of learning and enlightenment, but the center also of idolatry, where the pagan religion was enthroned with all its magnificence. But their confidence was not disappointed, for the two young students, having alive in the hearth of their heart the fire of faith in Christ, remained uninfluenced during the whole period of their studies. What radiant examples we have before us in these pious mothers! What wondrous images! What wondrous models! Who can deny that it is the mothers who produce great and virtuous men? _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

On occasion, I depart from my standard approach and record texts by those still alive in this world. Generally, I stick to texts from those who finished their race and are widely embraced as being victorious in Christ. This text from Fr. Zacharias, the disciple of St. Sophrony of Essex, is truly life-changing and worthy of your heart’s attention. As it has been said, “many confess, few repent.” Fr. Zacharias inspires us to confess more genuinely, bearing our shame, and teaches us how to make a confession that attracts the grace of God and brings greater power to live the life in Christ. The original title of this talk is "The Awakening of the Heart through Bearing Shame in the Sacrament of Confession". The video title is shortened due to YouTube and Spotify character limitations. Also, a Q&A immediately following this talk is included in the book. I did not record it in order to encourage listeners to buy the book and support the monastery in Essex, England. -BUY "The Hidden Man of the Heart (1 Peter: 3:4): The Cultivation of the Heart in Orthodox Christian Anthropology" https://essexmonastery.com/bookshop/the-hidden-man-of-the-heart-BUY the first book in this series of four, "Christ, Our Way and Our Life: A Presentation of the Theology of Archimandrite Sophrony"https://essexmonastery.com/bookshop/christ-our-way-and-our-life -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ Fr. Zacharias teaches: When the believer becomes aware of his iniquity, he no longer does anything to conceal it, but he will confess his iniquity to the Lord against himself (cf. Ps. 32:5 Lxx). And the Lord forgives the ungodliness of his heart and renews him with the grace of eternal salvation in return for the shame he bears in the act of repentance. The deeper the shame with which he reveals his sins in the sacrament of confession, the greater the power and grace he receives for his regeneration. The presence of shame in the mystery of confession is not only healthy and normal, but also confirms that repentance is offered from the heart — that it is voluntary and deeply humble. Whoever truly repents and confesses his transgressions takes full responsibility for them, without justifying himself as Adam did in Paradise. He does not blame God or his neighbour. Instead, he endures the shame of his sins with humility and courage.

The Gospel account of Zacchaeus' encounter with Jesus throws a great deal of light on our subject (Luke 19:1-10). This notable and influential man, a tax-collector of ill-gotten wealth, Was overcome by the desire to see who Jesus was. But his desire Was frustrated by the density of the crowd for he was of small stature. Zacchaeus, however, was so eager that he thought nothing of becoming a laughing-stock to the crowd. Because he was willing to accept whatever shame might come his way, he took courage, and climbed up into a sycamore tree so that he would be able to see Jesus. The Lord drew near, and He noticed Zacchaeus. Then He called him down from the tree so that He could meet him. He even gave him the honour of visiting his house and staying with him. And the result of this visit was truly marvellous: Zacchaeus who had despised his standing with the crowd was put right. All his former iniquities were made good, and his debts were restored fourfold in righteousness. Christ our God and Saviour declared: 'Salvation is come to this house.' _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Our holy father Paisios the Athonite exposes the plans of the enemy and calls those who love the Truth, Christ Himself, to be aware and resist. Repent, receive the Mysteries, prayer fervently, since, as St. Paisios says, "Perhaps you, too, will live to see many of the signs written in the Book of Revelation." This text is found in “Spiritual Counsels, Vol. II: Spiritual Awakening” by St. Paisios, pp. 197-201 -BUY “Spiritual Counsels, Vol. II: Spiritual Awakening” by St. Paisios: https://www.holycross.org/products/spiritual-awakening-elder-paisios -BUY "Saint Paisios of Mount Athos": https://churchsupplies.jordanville.org/products/saint-paisios-of-mount-athos -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ A similar text from St. Paisios: "On Our Times" -READ: http://apantaortodoxias.blogspot.com/2015/06/on-our-times-st-paisios-of-holy-mount.html -LISTEN: https://youtu.be/0KIEmH-qt2Q ______ St. Paisios teaches: -Geronda, tell us something about the Antichrist. -Let us for once say something about Christ... We must be as close to Christ as we can. Will we be afraid of the Antichrist if we are united with Christ? Isn't the antichrist spirit present today? One way or another, evil is done by the antichrist spirit. And even if an antichrist monster is created to do some horrible things, in the end he will be ridiculed. But many events will take place. Perhaps you, too, will live to see many of the signs written in the Book of Revelation. Ecumenism, the European Union, one huge nation, one religion made to fit — these are the schemes of the devil. The Zionists are preparing someone to be the Messiah. For them the Messiah is a king who will reign here on earth. The Jehovah's Witnesses are also looking toward an earthly king. The Zionists will present someone and the Jehovah's Witnesses will accept him. They will say, "He is the one." There will be great confusion. In that confusion, everyone will be looking for a Messiah to save them. And then they will present some who will say, "I am the Imam, I am the fifth Buddha, I am the Christ expected by the Christians, I am the one expected by the Jehovah's Witnesses, I am the Messiah of the Jews." He will have five "selves"… Rather, the anticipated Antichrist will, in some manner, be the incarnate devil, who will present himself to the Jewish nation as the Messiah and will mislead the world. Difficult years are ahead; we will be tested very severely. The Christians will suffer great persecution. And, you see, people are not at all aware that we are living during the signs of the times, that the sealing is already advancing. -Geronda, do the Zionists believe what is said about the Antichrist? -They would like to govern the whole world. To achieve their goal, they will use even sorcery and satanism. -Geronda, when I hear about the Antichrist, I feel a fear inside of me. -What do you fear? Will he be more terrible than the devil? He is a man after all. Saint Marina used to beat the devil, and Saint Justina dispelled so many demons. After all, we didn't come in this world to have an easy life. ______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

You may never hear more inspiring, humbling, and challenging words on illness, its purpose, and the best way we can face it. This excerpt from "Wounded by Love" exhibits his insatiable love for Christ, his wounded yet healed heart. St. Porphyrios knew about suffering with illness both by personal experience and his many years as a hospital chaplain in Athens. The holy Elder suffered from the following illnesses: myocardial infarction (anterior diaphragm with lateral ischaemia), chronic kidney disease, duodenal ulcer (with repeated perforations), operated cataract (loss of lens and blindness), herpes zoster (shingles) on the face, staphylococcus dermatitis on the hand, inguinal hernia (frequently strangulated), chronic bronchitis and cancer of the pituitary gland. Cf. Dr. Georgios Papazachou in an article in the periodical Synaxis, 41 (Jan–Mar) 1992, 93. This reading is from "Wounded by Love: The Life and the Witness of Saint Porphyrios", pp. 224-231 -READ the text here: http://orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/elderporphyrios_illness.aspx -BUY Wounded by Love here: https://www.holycross.org/products/wounded-by-love-the-life-and-the-wisdom-of-elder-porphyrios -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ _______ St. Porphyrios teaches: I thank God for granting me many illnesses. I often say to Him: ‘My Christ, Your love knows no limits!’ That’s why I do not pray for God to make me well. I pray for Him to make me good. I’m certain that God knows that I am in pain. But I pray for my soul, for God to forgive my transgressions. I didn’t want to think about hell and about tollgates. I didn’t remember my sins, although I had many. I set them aside. I remembered only the love of God and was glad. And I made entreaty, "O my God, for the sake of your love, may I also be there. But if on account of my sins I must go to hell, may your love place me wherever it wishes. It is sufficient for me to be with You." We benefit greatly from our illnesses, as long as we endure them without complaint and glorify God, asking for His mercy. When we become ill, the important thing is not that we don’t take medicines or that we go and pray to Saint Nektarios. We need also to know the other secret, namely, to struggle to acquire the grace of God. This is the secret. Grace will teach us all the other things, namely, how to abandon ourselves to Christ. That is, we ignore the illness, we do not think about it, we think about Christ, simply, imperceptibly and selflessly and God works His miracle for the good of our soul. Just as we say in the Divine Liturgy, "we commend all our life to Christ our God." _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

The Church worldwide loves St. John of Kronstadt… but do we love him for plainly speaking the truth? I can only imagine if parish priests today gave a homily like this. Most would get a lot of complaints from their parishioners, maybe even yelled at during coffee hour, and the bishops might hear of it, too. God grant us humility to accept the bitter medicine meant to heal our souls! -READ the text here: http://orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/sjok_pascha.aspx -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ ______ St. John teaches: The Great Fast was a defeat of, was death for, the devil; because he fled from many souls and died to them, as it were, after their sincere repentance and communion of the Holy Mysteries; but on the feast of Pascha he rose again in not a few souls. How did he arise? Through gluttony, drunkenness, outrage and other vices that drunkenness gives rise to, and to which many Christians gave themselves over. It is thus that Christians love Christ; it is thus that they celebrate the greatest holiday of the year! What benefit is there in such people calling themselves Christians? ______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Nikolai Velimirović offers comments on the seven phrases Christ spoke on the Cross, helping us go deeper in our understanding and love for Christ. -READ the text here: https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2019/04/the-seven-phrases-christ-spoke-on-cross.html -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ ______ St. Nikolai teaches: The fourth phrase: "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?" (Matt. 27:46). These words show both the strength of human nature and the Lord’s foreknowledge. As a man, He was suffering, but underneath human pain there’s a mystery. You see, only these words would be able to dispel the heresy which was later to shake the Church and which stated that the divine nature suffered on the cross. But the eternal Son of God became incarnate as a man so that He could be a man in body and soul, so that, when the time came, He’d be able to suffer for people and to die on their behalf. Because, if the divine nature of Christ had suffered on the cross, this would mean that His divine nature would have died. And that’s something we shouldn’t even contemplate. Ponder as deeply as you can on these great and terrible words: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" The seventh phrase: "It is finished" (Jn. 19:30). This doesn’t mean that life is ended. No! It means that His mission, which was concentrated on the salvation of the human race, had ended. The divine task of our sole, true Messiah had been completed and was sealed with His blood and earthly death. The torments were over, but life was just beginning. The tragedy was finished, but not the drama. Next to come was the majestic achievement: victory over death, the resurrection, and glory. ______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Ephraim offers a dynamic commentary on this famous story (Matthew 26:6-13) that the Orthodox Church reads each year on Holy Wednesday. Presenting detailed conversations between the sinful woman, the devil, Simon the Pharisee, and Christ, this homily is faithful to Scripture yet expands our understanding and experience of this most instructive example of repentance and love. -READ the text here: https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2018/04/homily-on-sinful-woman-st-ephraim-syrian.html -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ Troparion for Holy Week's Bridegroom Matins: "Behold, the Bridegroom comes at midnight, and blessed is the servant whom He shall find watching; and again unworthy is the servant whom He shall find heedless. Beware, therefore, O my soul, do not be weighed down with sleep, lest thou be given up to death, and lest thou be shut out of the Kingdom. But rouse thyself crying: Holy, Holy, Holy art Thou, O God. Through the Theotokos, have mercy on us." ______ From St. Ephraim's homily: The sinful woman answered and said to him, (even) to Satan, after his speech: "Well have you said that I go to inter the dead, one that has died to me. The sin of my thoughts has died, and I go to bury it." Christ speaking, "The great Physician is in your house. Allow sinners to look upon Me, for their sakes have I abased Myself. I will not ascend to heaven, to the dwelling whence I came down, until I bear back the sheep that has wandered from its Father's house, and lift it up on My shoulders and bear it aloft to heaven." Christ explaining who owes the 500 pence and who owes 50, speaking to Simon: "You are he that owes five hundred, and this woman owes fifty. Lo! I came into your house, O Simon; and water for My feet you brought not; and this woman, of whom you said that she was an harlot, one from her childhood defiled, has washed My feet with her tears, and with her hair she has wiped them. Ought I to send her away, O Simon, without receiving forgiveness? Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will write of her in the Gospel. Go, O woman, your sins are forgiven you and all your transgression is covered; henceforth and to the end of the world." ______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, one of the most beloved Russian saints of the past few centuries, exhibits his apostolic love and zeal in these brief exhortations. Always remember the sufferings, the love of Christ Jesus.

0:00 Beginning

0:11 Remembrance of the Divine Passion

3:16 Imitation of the Life of Christ Text is from "Journey to Heaven", p. 99-103. To my knowledge, this book is out of print and unavailable except for overpriced third party copies. If this book is available for a reasonable price, please add a comment below. -READ the text here: https://www.fatheralexander.org/booklets/english/tikhon_zadonsk_2.htm#_Toc530611586 -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ ______ St. Tikhon teaches: A real and powerful encouragement in the struggle against sin, and in the holy and Christian life, is the contemplation of the sufferings of Christ. Keep the faith, then, and guard it against your enemy the devil, who desires and attempts to seize it away from you and make you his captive. Struggle against this enemy; consider, then, the suffering of Christ and it will teach you every virtue. In order to correct yourself and become a true Christian, that is Christ's, set the holy life of Christ before your eyes and imitate its example. And even though your heart, corrupt as it is, does not wish it, force and convince yourself to imitate the beautiful virtues of Christ. You look into a mirror so that you may know what is in your face, whether there are any blemishes in it, and having seen blemishes, you cleanse them. Let the immaculate life of Christ be a mirror to your soul, look into it often and know what is in your soul. Does it desire the same things that Christ desires? And does it do what Christ did when He lived on earth? And in it you will see what is contrary to the life of Christ, and you will cleanse it all like blemishes with repentance and contrition of heart. ______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

This short excerpt from Elder George's treatise discusses the characteristics of experiences of theosis, union with God, the true purpose of each and every human being. Elder George (Kapsanis), former Abbot of the St. Gregorios Monastery on Mount Athos who reposed in the Lord on Pentecost 2014, presents the Orthodox understanding of Theosis and the essential path towards receiving this divine gift. -READ "Theosis: The True Purpose of Human Life" by Elder George in many languages: http://orthodoxinfo.com/general/theosis.aspx -LISTEN to "Theosis: The True Purpose of Human Life - Part I" https://youtu.be/ReheAcnRPmU -READ a reflection on the life and works of Elder George by Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos: https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2014/07/fr-george-kapsanis-former-abbot-of.html -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ This recording is an excerpt from "Theosis: The True Purpose of Human Life - Part II" https://youtu.be/E5tLjZBrpS0 ______ Elder George teaches: If man cannot be deified with divine Grace and divine energies what purpose does his life have? Only that he becomes morally better. But moral perfection is not enough for man. It is not enough for us simply to become better than before, simply to perform moral deeds. We have as our final aim to unite with holy God Himself. ______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

This short excerpt from Elder George's treatise explains the qualifications for attaining the true purpose of each and every human being: union with God, or Theosis. Elder George (Kapsanis), former Abbot of the St. Gregorios Monastery on Mount Athos who reposed in the Lord on Pentecost 2014, presents the Orthodox understanding of Theosis and the essential path towards receiving this divine gift. -READ "Theosis: The True Purpose of Human Life" by Elder George in many languages: http://orthodoxinfo.com/general/theosis.aspx -LISTEN to "Theosis: The True Purpose of Human Life - Part I" https://youtu.be/ReheAcnRPmU -READ a reflection on the life and works of Elder George by Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos: https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2014/07/fr-george-kapsanis-former-abbot-of.html -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ This recording is an excerpt from "Theosis: The True Purpose of Human Life - Part II" https://youtu.be/E5tLjZBrpS0 ______ Elder George teaches: If man cannot be deified with divine Grace and divine energies what purpose does his life have? Only that he becomes morally better. But moral perfection is not enough for man. It is not enough for us simply to become better than before, simply to perform moral deeds. We have as our final aim to unite with holy God Himself. ______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Luke teaches: "With this deep and fiery repentance the force that prevented her from entering the church receded and she finally entered. There she fell before the life-giving Cross of the Lord and did not get up until the end of the service. Tears flowed from her eyes, from the eyes that once seduced men and are now cleansed with wholehearted and fervent repentance." -READ the Life of St. Mary of Egypt by St. Sophronius of Jerusalem: https://www.orthodox.net/saints/mary-of-egypt.html -READ St. Luke's homily here: https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2021/04/homily-for-fifth-sunday-of-great-lent.html -WATCH Trisagion Films video on the Life of St. Mary of Egypt: https://youtu.be/BBXvDuNElB8?si=Uk16Pa18mAXX9BMq -READ about St. Luke’s life here: http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2008/10/st-luke-archbishop-of-simferopol.html?m=1 -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ ______ St. Luke teaches:

On the fifth Sunday of Great Lent, our Holy Church honors the memory of Saint Mary of Egypt. Her truly wonderful life is known to you because every year on this day it is narrated in the churches. But I will describe her again in a few words to remember the unusual and unique life of this Saint.

Let us stand with Saint Mary at the gate of the church. We now see her heart overwhelmed by the fear of God, when she realizes that she cannot, in God's judgment, enter the church with the others. She alone is unworthy to enter, while everyone else enters freely. Her entrance is prevented by an invisible force. When she realizes her tragic situation, a strong flame of the fear of God lights up in her soul. She is shaken by the fear she feels in front of All-Holy, All-Wise, Almighty and Just God. It was not a fear of punishment, it was a shame that burned like fire, a shame for the impurity of her soul and body. It was a shame and pain for her that God, because of her impurity, did not allow her to enter the church and appear before Him. Then she prayed fervently. She fell before the icon of the Panagia which was placed above the entrance of the church and with tears begged the Mother of God to pray for her to her Son. With this deep and fiery repentance the force that prevented her from entering the church receded and she finally entered. There she fell before the life-giving Cross of the Lord and did not get up until the end of the service. Tears flowed from her eyes, from the eyes that once seduced men and are now cleansed with wholehearted and fervent repentance. ______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

In this letter, Fr. Seraphim expresses his reaction to unhealthy approaches to Blessed Augustine, the great bishop and Church father of Africa, and shares a more personal side of his own experience with Augustine and his works: "I feel in Augustine the love of Christ." In Fr. Seraphim Rose’s time, as well as today in 2024, many diverse and strongly held opinions exist when it comes to how we should regard Blessed Augustine of Hippo. In one extreme, some treat him as either the greatest father of the first millennium, as one can see in some western confessions and even by some Orthodox. In another extreme, some see him as the root source of a multitude of heresies, even explicitly or implicitly condemning him as a heretic. The text of this recording is his full letter to Fr. Michael Azkoul written on June 13/26, 1981. -BUY “The Place of Blessed Augustine in the Orthodox Church” by Fr. Seraphim Rose: https://www.sainthermanmonastery.com/mobile/Product.aspx?ProductCode=blaug -LISTEN to a fuller treatment of the Orthodox Church's understanding of Blessed Augustine according to Fr. Seraphim Rose: https://youtu.be/1KT4APf8GFM -READ this letter and others from Fr. Seraphim Rose: https://thoughtsintrusive.wordpress.com/letters-of-fr-seraphim-rose-1961-1982/ _______ Fr. Seraphim writes: If your attempt is to find our Augustine’s real place in the Orthodox Church, I think your approach is all wrong. It assumes that “we moderns” are the ones who can do this—that we can “know better” than anyone in the Orthodox past. I don’t think so. I have a deep distrust of all of us who are writing on theological subjects today—we are more under “Western influence” than anyone before, and the less we are aware of it, the more obnoxious our “Westernism” becomes. Our whole cold, academic, and often disdainful approach to theology is so remote from the Fathers, so foreign to them. Let us admit this and try not to be so presumptuous (I speak for myself also). I myself am no great admirer of Augustine’s doctrines. He does indeed have that Western “super-logicalness” which the Eastern Fathers don’t have (the same “super-logicalness” which the critics of Augustine today display so abundantly!). The one main lovable and Orthodox thing about him is his Orthodox feeling, piety, love for Christ, which comes out so strongly in his non-dogmatic works like the Confessions (the Russian Fathers also love the Soliloquies). I myself fear the cold hearts of the 'intellectually correct' much more than any errors you might find in Augustine. I sense in these cold hearts a preparation for the work of Antichrist (whose imitation of Christ must also extend to 'correct theology'); I feel in Augustine the love of Christ. _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

St. Seraphim of Sofia discusses an important aspect of the Ecumenical Movement in the 20th century: Freemasonry. Presenting to the Moscow Pan-Orthodox Congress of 1948, which included representatives from nearly all autocephalous Orthodox churches, St. Seraphim highlights the well-known Freemason, John Raleigh Mott, the main promoter of "unity" among separate Christian groups. Mott spearheaded the 1910 World Missionary Conference in Edinburgh and the first meeting of the World Council of Churches in 1948. Mott helped send Protestant student missionaries with the YMCA to evangelize Orthodox countries and for his ecumenical efforts won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1946. St. Seraphim understands that ecumenical efforts only serve to blur the boundaries between the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church (the Orthodox Church) and other sects claiming to be part of the Church. Such blurring draws people away from the only place, as St. Seraphim teaches, men can become saints: the Orthodox Church. Unfortunately, despite St. Seraphim's warning of the sinister nature and dreadful consequences of the Ecumenical Movement for Holy Orthodoxy, the Patriarchate of Moscow joined the World Council of Churches at its Third Assembly in New Delhi in 1961 and has been one of its most active members ever since. -READ St. Seraphim's full address to the 1948 Moscow Pan-Orthodox Congress: http://www.dep.church/downloads/StSeraphimEcumenism.pdf -READ the book of his life and works: https://churchsupplies.jordanville.org/saint-seraphim-of-sofia-his-life-teachings-miracles-and-glorification/ -READ a brief account of St. Seraphim's life here: https://blog.obitel-minsk.com/2021/02/adapt-your-life-to-your-faith-not-the-other-way-around-st-seraphim-sobolev.html -RESOURCE to help laity write respectful letters to their hierarchs: https://www.voiceoforthodoxlaity.com/ -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ This recording is an excerpt from "Does the Russian Orthodox Church Need to Participate in the Ecumenical Movement? (Part II/II)": https://youtu.be/P2w0hvEgE6Q TEXTS on Freemasonry and Orthodoxy: -Freemasonry: Official Statement of the Church of Greece (1933): http://orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/masonry.aspx -Freemasonry and the Orthodox Church. This article details, among other things, that Ecumenical Patriarchs Meletios (+1935) and Athenagoras (+1972) were Freemasons: https://orthodoxhistory.org/2023/09/27/freemasonry-and-the-orthodox-church/ VIDEOS on Freemasonry from an Orthodox viewpoint: -Elder Athanasios Mitilinaios on Revelation https://youtu.be/u6y0a4kx58s?si=LN1tb5iYaKSAa4hH -Freemasonry: Today’s Satanic Gnosticism by Fr. Peter Heers (analyzing the teachings of Elder Athanasios Mitilinaios) https://youtu.be/kUv6jfzRcts?si=uhoR9694xoQSflpU BOOKS/ARTICLES on Ecclesiology and Ecumenism: --Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future by Fr. Seraphim Rose https://www.sainthermanmonastery.com/product-p/orf.htm --The Orthodox Church and Ecumenism by St. Justin Popovic https://lazarica.co.uk/bookshop/ --The Missionary Origins of Modern Ecumenism by Fr. Peter Heers https://uncutmountainpress.com/shop/product/the-missionary-origins-of-modern-ecumenism/ --A Confession of Faith Against Ecumenism (signed by saints, elders, hierarchs, priests, and laity around the world): https://www.impantokratoros.gr/FA9AF77F.en.aspx --On Common Prayer with the Heterodox According to the Canons of the Church by Fr. Anastasios Gotsopoulos https://uncutmountainpress.com/shop/product/on-common-prayer-with-the-heterodox/ _______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!

Elder Epiphanios Theodoropoulos (+1989) was a celibate priest who lived his whole life in the world. “He didn’t retreat to Mt. Athos which he loved dearly, but lived in the city of Athens...." Absorb the wisdom of this faithful priest of our times. 0:00 Beginning 0:07 Fasting and Dieting 2:21 Fasting and Name Days 3:02 Fasting and Hospitality -READ the text here: https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2013/11/elder-epiphanios-faces-challenging.html -FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/ ______ Elder Epiphanios teaches:

Fasting has two objectives: the ascetic pursuit of abstinence for the body by limiting nutrient-rich foods, and conformity to the commands of the Church, which is an ascetic pursuit for the soul.

The Elder said that to take care of people is a great virtue, the practice of which cannot be suspended during fasting periods. However, at the table there will necessarily be offered fasting foods. With certain limits they can be better prepared or more delicious if we want to honor someone, but they must of necessity be for fasting.

Nowhere in the Gerontikon does it praise an ascetic or display them as an example because they abolished the fast for the sake of hospitality. What it does mention is that certain holy hermits abolished their personal ascetic fasting, which was much more austere than what the Church required. ______ Orthodox Wisdom is dedicated to sharing the writings and lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Glory to Jesus Christ!