Ξένες γλώσσες

After His dialogue with Nicodemus, Christ embarks on a monologue on His own work of redemption, under three headings: revelation, redemption and judgement. In the Gospel of Saint John (3, 11), the Lord says: ‘In all truth, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony’. ‘I’m telling you honestly’, the Lord says to Nicodemus, ‘that rebirth in this manner is my teaching and that of John the Baptist, and it’s real, because we speak of what we know’. In other words, ‘We preach what we know from a trustworthy source. ‘As for what we saw, this is confirmed by the Holy Spirit, Whom we ...

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Even if you’ve scaled the heights of the ladder of the virtues, still pray for the forgiveness of your sins.

It’s difficult for young people today to approach the mystery of repentance. Modern young people find it hard to approach the Church in general, or the clergy, because there’s now a certain prejudice against the Church. Today, the Church is ridiculed, it’s slandered, it’s attacked and reviled in the eyes of people in general and of young people, too, so that any of them who declare their faith become objects of mockery. And then modern upbringing- psychology, philosophy, politics- has given an anthropocentric character to people and this creates a false sense of self-salvation. People cultivate self-sufficiency, self-love and egocentrism. All of this is contrary to the spirit of repentance and confession. Some systems, such as existentialism, in fact stress that ...

We all know that the beginning of any fruit is the flower. It’s also clear that the beginning of our salvation is God’s decision regarding Mary, the Spotless and Pure Ever-Virgin. As we honour this birth today, we celebrate it as being of great importance. Because, in order that the whole year might be blessed by her, she was born in this month, which is the first of the Church’s year; and then she fell asleep into immortality in the last month, so that the intervening 10 months were all blessed by her birth and her life-giving dormition. We’ll briefly mention her birth and say whatever her grace inspires us to express. The parents of this child of God were Ioakeim ...

What forgiveness will we find when we’re only half Christians: that is, half with Christ and half with the devil? We’re Christians in order to imitate Christ and to obey His commandments.

The choir of the Fathers of Vatopaidi sings the short setting of 'What a strange wonder' at the vigil for the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God. %audio%

The Saint Martyr Athanasios came from Koulakia (now Halastra), near Thessaloniki. He was originally a pupil of Athanasios of Paros, who was then in charge of the Thessaloniki School, but left to continue his studies on the Holy Mountain at the Athonias. After leaving the School, he went to Constantinople, where he became friends with Philimon, Patriarch of Antioch, who took him to Damascus with him for two years. He then returned to the Holy Mountain, where at that time Athanasios of Paros was teaching at the Athonite School. Thereafter he returned to his own village, where his faith was demonstrated in a devout life. One day, he was talking to a Turkish emir on matters of religion when the ...

  My beloved brethren and Fathers, today is a reason for spiritual joy and exaltation, because today we celebrate the birth of the ever-Virgin Mary, the Mother of God and the most fragrant blossom that ever burgeoned “from the root of Jesse”. We are celebrating the “birth of universal rejoicing”, which is “the doorway to all feasts and the prelude to the mystery of Christ”, according to Saint Andrew of Crete. The birth, which became the agent of the rebirth, remoulding, adornment and renewal of all things. Today, she is born who will bear, in time, in an unintelligible and extraordinary way, God the Word, the Creator and Saviour of the world, Who is outside time and pre-eternal. All the prefigurements, prototypes ...

A week before the feast day of the Universal Elevation of the Holy Cross, the Orthodox Church prepares the faithful through Scriptural readings, prayer and acts of good deeds to celebrate the event of the finding of the precious and life-giving Cross of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Among the many symbols of the Christian Faith the Holy Cross is considered the most important. It is the symbol of Christianity. It is the symbol of Christ's victory over death. It is the weapon against all evil forces. It is the power of the Saints. It is the flag under which the righteous fought against Satan. Holy Cross, Monastery of Sinai, 12th Century In the Old Testament we have prefigurations of ...

It’s not so much a blessing to know something about God, but to have Him in your heart.

In chapter 45 of the wonderful book, Spiritual Meadow, Ioannis Moskhos writes: ‘One of the elders told us the following: Abba Theodoros Iliotis used to talk about a great ascetic who lived as a recluse on the Mount of Olives and was constantly being attacked by the demon of lust. One day, after a particularly severe attack, the ascetic began to lose heart and he said to the demon: “How long are you going to continue with this? Just go away. We’ve grown old together”. Then the devil appeared to the monk, in full view, and said: “Swear that you’ll not tell anybody else what I’m about to say to you and I won’t fight you again”. The elder swore: “By Him Who resides ...

Leave this problem that you have to me, son. I’ll deal with it. You pray, stay calm, have peace within you and be careful how you live. Everything will turn out in accordance with Christ’s will.

Pride is horrible darkness. It’s the opposite of divine goodness, the beginning of every evil, the root of every tragedy, the sower of hatred, the body of evil, from which springs destructive egotism. Christ is ‘light, truth and life’. When this true light enfolds us, then we sense His love, His wisdom, His very Self as self-evident truth.

Today’s Gospel reading tells us, in parable form, about a vineyard planted by a householder, which he entrusted to tenants who were supposed to give him the fruits from it. When harvest time came, the owner sent servants to the tenants in order to take the produce from the vineyard. But the bad tenants had no fruit to give, because they were idle, and they abused the servants of their master. When the owner sent other servants to the tenants, they suffered the same fate. Finally, the good and patient owner sent his own son to the tenants in the vineyard, as his direct representative, to take the produce. And this is where the wickedness of the tenants found its ...

My heart has only entrances, no exit. If people get in, they won’t get out, no matter what problems they cause me. My love won’t cool, no matter how those people behave.

Don’t hesitate to call on Our Lady for help when you need it. And not only then.