The Story of Saint Vladimir the Great’s Search for the True Religion

St. Vladimir the Great

In the year 987, Vladimir summoned together his boyars and the city elders and said to them, “The Bulgars [Muslims] came before me urging me to accept their religion. Then came the Germans [Latin Christians] and praised their own faith; and after them came the Jews. Finally the Greeks [Orthodox Christians] appeared, criticizing all other faiths but commending their own. What is your opinion on this subject, and what do you answer?” The boyars and elders replied, “You have your men at your disposal. Send them to enquire about the ritual of each and how they worship God.”

Their counsel pleased the prince and all the people, so that they chose good and wise men to the number of ten. Then they went their way.

When they returned, Vladimir called together his boyars and elders and commanded the envoys to speak out, and so they did, saying: “Among the Bulgars [Muslims], we beheld how they worship in their temple, called a mosque, while they stand ungirt. The Bulgar bows, sits down, looks hither and thither like one possessed, and there is no joy among them, but only sorrow. Their religion is not good.  Then we went among the Germans [Latin Christians], and saw them performing many ceremonies in their temples; but we beheld no beauty there.

Then we went to Byzantium, and the Greeks [Orthodox Christians] led us to the places where they worship their God, and we knew not whether we were in heaven or on earth. For on earth there is no such splendour or such beauty, and we are at a loss how to describe it. We only know that God dwells there among men, and their service is fairer than the ceremonies of other nations. For we cannot forget that beauty.

* This excerpt is from “The Russian Chronicles: A Thousand Years that Changed the World”

Source: http://solzemli.wordpress.com/2011/05/17/the-story-of-saint-vladimir-the-greats-search-for-the-true-religion/

Fr Seraphim Rose on Receiving Truth

Why is the truth, it would seem, revealed to some and not to others? Is there a special organ for receiving revelation from God? Yes, though usually we close it and do not let it open up: God’s revelation is given to something called a loving heart.


Source: http://solzemli.wordpress.com/2011/05/14/fr-seraphim-rose-on-receiving-truth/

Fourth Sunday After Pascha: Feast Of The Sunday Of The Paralytic

Introduction

The third Sunday after the Feast of Holy Pascha is observed by the Orthodox Church as the Sunday of the Paralytic. The day commemorates the miracle of Christ healing a man who had been paralyzed for thirty-eight years. The biblical story of the event is found in the Gospel of John 5:1-15.

Background

Icon of the Healing of the Paralytic, used with permission from Theologic

Close to the Sheep's Gate in Jerusalem, there was a pool, which was called the Sheep's Pool. It had five porches, that is, five sets of pillars supporting a domed roof. Under this roof there lay very many sick people with various maladies awaiting the moving of the water. The first person to step in after the troubling of the water was healed immediately of whatever malady he had.

It was there that the paralytic of today's Gospel was lying, tormented by his infirmity of thirty-eight years. When Christ beheld him, He asked him, "Will you be made whole?" And he answered with a quiet and meek voice, "Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool." The Lord said unto him, "Rise, take up your bed, and walk." And straightaway the man was made whole and took up his bed. Walking in the presence of all, he departed rejoicing to his own house. According to the expounders of the Gospels, the Lord Jesus healed this paralytic during the days of the Passover, when He had gone to Jerusalem for the Feast, and dwelt there teaching and working miracles. According to Saint John the Evangelist, this miracle took place on the Sabbath.

Icon Of The Sunday Of The Paralytic

The icon of the Sunday of the Paralytic depicts the biblical story of the Christ healing the paralytic. Our Lord, accompanied by His disciples, is shown blessing the paralytic. The man has risen and taken up his bed as commanded by Christ. The paralytic is bowing toward the Lord in reverence and in gratitude for the great miracle that has been done. In the background of the icon is the pool where the infirmed came for healing.

Orthodox Christian Celebration Of The Feast Of The Sunday Of The Paralytic

The Sunday of the Paralytic is celebrated with the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom. On this Sunday and throughout the Paschal period until the Apodosis or leave-taking of Pascha, the day before the Feast of the Ascension, the services begin with the chanting of the troparion of Pascha, “Christ is risen….”

Scripture readings for the feast are the following: At the Divine Liturgy: I Peter 5:6-14 and John 5:1-15.

Hymn Of The Feast

Kontakion (Third Tone): I am grievously paralyzed in a multitude of sins and wrongful deeds. As You raised up the paralytic of old, also raise up my soul by Your divine guidance, that I may cry out, "Glory to Your Power O Compassionate Christ."

Source: http://lent.goarch.org/sunday_of_the_paralytic/learn/

Third Sunday After Pascha: Feast Of The Holy Myrrhbearers

Introduction

The third Sunday after the Feast of Holy Pascha is observed by the Orthodox Church as the Sunday of the Holy Myrrhbearers. The day commemorates when the women disciples of our Lord came to the tomb to anoint his body with myrrh-oils but found the tomb empty. As the woman wondered what this meant, angels appeared proclaiming that Christ had risen from the dead.

Biblical Story

Icon of the Myrrhbearning Women provided by Theologic and used with permission.

About the beginning of His thirty-second year, when the Lord Jesus was going throughout Galilee, preaching and working miracles, many women who had received of His beneficence left their own homeland and from then on followed after Him. They ministered unto Him out of their own possessions, even until His crucifixion and entombment; and afterwards, neither losing faith in Him after His death, nor fearing the wrath of the Jewish rulers, they came to His sepulcher, bearing the myrrh-oils they had prepared to anoint His body. It is because of the myrrh-oils that these God-loving women brought to the tomb of Jesus that they are called Myrrh-bearers.

Of those whose names are known are the following: first of all, the most holy Virgin Mary, who in Matthew 27:56 and Mark 15:40 is called “the mother of James and Joses” (these are the sons of Joseph by a previous marriage, and she was therefore their step-mother); Mary Magdalene (celebrated July 22); Mary, the wife of Clopas; Joanna, wife of Chouza, a steward of Herod Antipas; Salome, the mother of the sons of Zebedee; Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus; and Susanna. As for the names of the rest of them, the evangelists have kept silence (Matthew 217:55-56; 28:1-10. Mark 15:40-41.

Luke 8:1-3; 23:55-24:11, 22-24. John 19:25; 20:11-18. Acts 1:14.) Together with them we celebrate also the secret disciples of the Savior, Joseph and Nicodemus. Of these, Nicodemus was probably a Jerusalemite, a prominent leader among the Jews and of the order of the Pharisees, learned in the Law and instructed in the Holy Scriptures. He had believed in Christ when, at the beginning of our Savior’s preaching of salvation, he came to Him by night. Furthermore, he brought some one hundred pounds of myrrh-oils and an aromatic mixture of aloes and spices out of reverence for the divine Teacher (John 19:39). Joseph, who was from the city of Arimathea, was a wealthy and noble man, and one of the counselors who were in Jerusalem. He went bodly unto Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, and together with Nicodemus he gave Him burial. Since time did not permit the preparation of another tomb, he placed the Lord’s body in his own tomb which was hewn out of rock, as the Evangelist says (Matthew 27:60).

Icon Of The Sunday Of The Holy Myrrhbearers

The icon of the Sunday of the Holy Myrrhbearers depicts the biblical story of the women arriving at the tomb to anoint the body of Christ. The angel is seated upon the stone that covered the tomb, and he is pointing to the empty garments showing that Christ has risen from the dead.

Orthodox Christian Celebration Of The Feast Of The Sunday Of The Holy Myrrhbearers

The Sunday of the Holy Myrrhbearers is celebrated with the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom. On this Sunday and throughout the Paschal period until the Apodosis or leave-taking of Pascha, the day before the Feast of the Ascension, the services begin with the chanting of the troparion of Pascha, “Christ is risen….”

Scripture readings for the feast are the following: At Orthros: Luke 24:1-12; At the Divine Liturgy: Acts 6:1-7 and Mark 15:43-16:8.

Source: http://lent.goarch.org/sunday_of_myrrhbearers/learn/

Elder Paisios of the Holly Mountain On Salvation

The person that is struggling to the best of his abilities, who has no desire to live a disorderly life, but who, in the course of the struggle for faith and life, falls and rises again and again, God will never abandon. And if he has the slightest will not to grieve God, he will go to Paradise with his shoes on. The benevolent God will, surprisingly, push him into Paradise. God will insure that he take him at his best, in repentance. He may have to struggle all his life, but God will not abandon him; He will take him at his best possible time.

3 May: St Irodion from Lainici, Disciple and Father Confessor of St Calinic of Cernica

Short time ago the former abbot of Lainici Monastery, Pious Irodion, was proclaimed saint. The moment was marked by the lecture of the Synodal Tomos by His Grace Emilian Lovisteanul, Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Ramnic, informs Trinitas Radio station. “The Holy Orthodox Church has always honoured the people pleasant to God who lived their earthly life in holiness and piety and who brought spiritual benefit in the souls of the faithful through their deeds and words. Following the holy tradition of the Orthodox Church and praying for the help of the Holy Life Giving Undivided Trinity we decide that from now on and forever and ever abbot Irodion from Lainici Monastery should be one of the Saints of the Church in the host of the pious God bearers fathers and honoured with eulogy chants, bearing the name of Saint Pious Irodion from Lainici. We establish in the Holy Spirit the day of May 3 of every year for his celebration, with his name listed in the Sinaxar, in the books of rite, as well as in the calendar of the Romanian Orthodox Church”, said His Grace Emilian Lovisteanul.

Saint Pious Irodion, pray for us the sinners!

FEAST OF THE SUNDAY OF THOMAS

Icon for the Sunday of Thomas provided by Theologic and used with permission INTRODUCTION

The Orthodox Church observes the Sunday of Thomas one week followingthe celebration of the Sundayof Holy Pascha. The day commemorates theappearance of Christ to His disciples on the evening of theSunday following Passover. It also commemorates theappearance of the Lord to His disciples eight days later whenThomas was present and proclaimed “My Lord and my God” upon seeing the hands and side of Christ.

This Sunday is also called Antipascha (meaning “in thestead of Pascha,” not “in opposition to Pascha”) because with this day, the firstSunday after Pascha, the Church consecrates every Sunday of theyear to the commemoration of Pascha, that is, the Resurrection.

Saint Thomas the Apostle is commemorated by the Church on October 6.

BIBLICAL STORY

The events commemorated on the Sunday of Thomas are recorded inthe Gospel of Saint John 20:19-29. Following the crucifixion and burialof Christ, the disciples were gathered in a room with the doors closed and locked for fear of the Jews. On the evening of the Sunday after Passover, Jesus Christ entered the room and stood in their midst, greeting them with the words, “Peace be with you.” (v. 19) He showed the disciples his hands, feet, and side. (v. 20)

Thomas was not present with the disciples when Jesus appeared, and he did not accept the testimony of the other disciples concerning Christ’s Resurrection. He stated, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” (vv. 24-25)

Eight days later, the disciples were gathered together again withThomas present, and the Lord appeared in the same manner. Standing in their midst he said, “Peace be with you.” He then spoke directly to Thomas and said, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” (vv. 26-27) Thomas answered, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus replied by saying, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” (v. 29)

ICON OF THE SUNDAY OF THOMAS

The icon of the Sunday of Thomas depicts Christ standing in the midstof the disciples. He has appeared to the eleven in the upper room, and he is inviting Thomas to come and examine his hands and his side.Thomas is reaching out to touch the side of Jesus. He is also looking to Jesus in a manner that indicates his faith and the proclamation recorded in Scripture.

ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CELEBRATION OF THE FEAST OF SUNDAYOF THOMAS

The Sunday of Thomas is celebrated with the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom. On this Sunday and throughout the Paschal period until the Apodosis or leave-taking of Pascha, the day before the Feastof the Ascension, the services begin with the chanting of the troparionof Pascha, “Christ is risen….”

Scripture readings for the feast are the following: At Orthros: Matthew 28:16-20, the first of eleven resurrectional Gospel passages that are read in a cycle throughout the year during the Sunday matins. On this day the cycle always begins with the first Gospel passage; At theDivine Liturgy: Acts 5:12-20 and John 20:19-31.

HYMNS OF THE FEAST

Apolytikion (Grave Tone)

While the tomb was sealed, You, O Life, did shine forth from thegrave, O Christ God; and while the doors were shut, You did come unto Your disciples, O Resurrection of all, renewing through them an upright Spirit in us according to Your great mercy.

Kontakion (Plagal of the Fourth Tone)

With his searching right hand, Thomas did probe Your life-bestowing side, O Christ God; for when You did enter while the doors were shut, he cried out unto You with the rest of the Apostles: You are my Lord and my God.


Source: http://www.goarch.org/special/listen_learn_share/thomas_sunday