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Mark Smith is a priest of the Genuine Orthodox Church of Greece under the Omophorian of Metropolitan Kirykos of Mesogaias and Lavreotikis. He lives in Chilliwack, BC, Canada
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Dec. 3rd, 2009 @ 09:53 pm How Could the Virginal Treasure be Kept Anywhere Else?
In addition to what we have said, the Virgin was also silently making an important statement to the onlookers, that she was not being unreasonable in choosing to live in quietness and solitude. The Holy of Holies was out of sight of almost everyone, shut off from everybody, and protected by encircling walls and curtains, with veils and hangings before the entrances, which were never opened for anyone except the high priest according to the law, and only once a year for him, when he entered to gain God's mercy for himself and those outside (cf. Leviticus 16:6, 11, 15). So how could the altar of the delight of the angels, the field in which the evergreen, or rather, eternal plant grows, the mercy-seat for the whole of mankind, into which the High Priest with the highest divine authority (Hebrews 6:20; 7:26), the only one suitable for us, according to the apostle, entered once, and where He reconciled God to men and inseparably united them; how could the virginal treasure be kept anywhere else but in this innermost sanctuary, passing her life invisible to all?
If, according to the apostle, "the world was not worthy" even of the holy men of old, how could it deserve her who was higher than the saints of heaven? Understand also from this just how excellent the Virgin is. The former saints, when they fled from dwelling among men, were given, as the apostle tells us, deserts, mountains and caves of the earth to live in (Hebrews 11:38), whereas she was granted the Holy of Holies as her home.

St. Gregory Palamas - Homily 53 - On the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Holy of Holies II, pp. 423-424
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Dec. 3rd, 2009 @ 09:03 pm Chosen from All Mankind Down Through the Ages
. . . and, since it was necessary for Him to assume flesh that was both new and our own, in order to renew us by means of what was ours, He also had to be carried in the womb and brought forth as we are, then nurtured after birth and brought up as was appropriate. Becoming like us in all respects for our sake, He found the Ever-Virgin whom we extol and whose mysterious Entry into the Holy of Holies we celebrate today, to be a most suitable handmaid in every way, able to bestow on Him an undefiled nature from her own. God determined before all ages that she should be for the salvation and restoration of our race, and chose her from all mankind down through the ages, not simply from among ordinary folk, but from all the elect from every age, who were admired and renowned for their piety and understanding, and who were both beneficial to all and well-pleasing to God in their ways, words and deeds.

When God's high priest understood that the Maid apparently possessed divine grace above all others, he had to count her worthy of something more excellent than anyone else deserved. He led her into the Holy of Holies and then persuaded everyone to be content with what had happened, At the same time, God was also helping, showing His approval and sending heavenly nourishment defying description to the Virgin in that place, by the hand of an angel. This food strengthened her physically, and she was sustained and perfected in body with more purity and excellence than the bodiless angels, having heavenly beings to minister to her. She was not simply brought once into the Holy of Holies but was, as it were, taken into God's company for a period of several years, so that through her, when the time came, the heavenly mansions might be opened and be given as everlasting dwellings to those who believe in her mysterious childbearing.

St. Gregory Palamas - Homily 52 - On the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Holy of Holies, pp. 407-408, and 412
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Dec. 3rd, 2009 @ 08:17 pm The Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple - November 21st
Lo, now, within the temple of God is dedicated the pure temple containing God, the pure and all-holy Virgin, while youthful maidens precede, bearing shining torches, leading her therein. The excellent couple of her august parents skip for joy: wise Joachim and Anna dance, for they have brought forth her that hath conceived the Creator and God of all. She doth herself exult in the divine tabernacles now, and by an Angel is nourished she who is wholly without reproach, the Mother of Christ God, even Him that granteth peace and great mercy to the world.

Menaion, The Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple - November 21st - Aposticha Verse, Tone 5
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Dec. 1st, 2009 @ 10:04 am Holy Martyr Barulas - November 18th
While hanging thus in torment, bravely enduring his suffering, he [St. Romanus] confessed the one God, the Creator of all, and reproved the Eparch for his foolish refusal to acknowledge the truth. Romanus cried out his confession bravely, while a multitude of people, believers and unbelievers alike, stood nearby looking on as Christ's sufferer endured torment. Standing among them was a young boy, a Christian named Barulas. When the martyr saw the boy, he said to the persecutor, "This little child is wiser than you, although you are far older than he. Though he is young, he knows the true God, while you, who have reached manhood, do not."
The Eparch called for the boy and asked him, "What god do you worship?"
The child answered, "I worship Christ."
"What is better," the Eparch asked, "to worship only one God or many?"
The boy replied, "It is best to worship only one God, Jesus Christ."
Again the Eparch asked, "Is it better to worship Christ than all the gods?"
"Certainly it is better to worship Christ," said the child. "He is the true God, Who created us, while your gods are demons and have created nothing."
The child said much else, like a wise theologian; for the Holy Spirit, Who perfects praise out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, dwelt in him, putting the impious Eparch and the idolaters to shame. The persecutor and the other pagans were truly amazed at the boy's ready responses and prudent words, and in their humiliation could make no reply. Asclypiades therefore had the child beaten mercilessly. After being thrashed for a long time, Barulas grew weary and asked for something to drink; but his mother, who was standing among the people, called out angrily to him, demanding that he bravely endure till the end. When the persecutor ordered that the boy be beheaded, his mother herself took him in her arms and carried him to the place of execution. Embracing and kissing him, she consoled and strengthened the boy, telling him not to be afraid when he saw the sword above his head. She said, "Fear not, my son; fear not, my sweet child! Do not be afraid of death, for you shall not perish but shall live forever. Do not be frightened, my little flower: soon you will be taken to the garden of paradise! Fear not the sword, for when you are beheaded, your soul will immediately depart unto Christ. You shall behold His glory, and He will receive you and embrace you lovingly. You shall dwell with Him in ineffable joy, making glad with His holy angels!"
After the boy was beheaded, his mother collected his blood in a clean vessel and removed his body. She washed his corpse with tears of gladness, kissing it and rejoicing that the blood which her son had received from her had been shed for Christ. After this, she reverently buried the child's body.

Holy martyr Barulas pray to God for us†

Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints - St. Dimitry of Rostov - November 18th pp. 394-395
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Nov. 30th, 2009 @ 09:41 am Theology of St. John the Theologian
From the Life of St. Gregory the Wonderworker of Neo-Caesarea

At that time, the teaching of Paul of Samosata began to spread everywhere, and since Gregory was uncertain how to regard it, he began to pray fervently to God and the Mother of God to reveal to him the truth concerning the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. One night, while he was praying ardently, the most pure Virgin Mary appeared to him, radiant as the sun, in the company of Saint John the Theologian, who was clothed in a bishop's garments. Pointing to Gregory with her hand, the most pure Virgin commanded Saint John to instruct him in the correct teaching concerning the mystery of the Holy Trinity. By the command of the Mother of God, Saint Gregory drew from the inexhaustible depth of wisdom, quickly learning the great mysteries of God from Saint John the Theologian. The words of revelation spoken by John were these: "There is one God, the Father of the living Word, the hypostatic Wisdom, Power, and the Father's eternal Image: the perfect Begetter of Him Who is perfect, Father of the only-begotten Son. There is one Lord, one God of one God, the Imprint and Image of the Divinity, creative Word, Wisdom which sustains everything that exists, the Power which has made all creation, true Son of the true Father, unseen Son of the invisible Father, incorruptible Offspring of the incorruptible One, immortal and eternal Child of the everlasting One. There is one Holy Spirit, Who has His being from the Father and is revealed unto men through the Son. He is the perfect Image of the perfect Son, the Source of life for all things, the sacred Fountain in Whom God the Father and God the Son are revealed. He is at once above all and in all, and fills all things. This is the perfect Trinity, Which knows no division nor estrangement in respect to Its shared glory, immortality, and sovereignty. There is nothing created in the Trinity or subject to another or brought from without, as though once non-existent and later introduced, for at no time did the Father exist without the Son or the Son without the Spirit; because the Trinity abides forever unchanged, without variation or mutation."
After seeing this vision, Saint Gregory wrote out with his own hand the words Saint John the Theologian had spoken to him. This record was preserved for many years in the Church of Neo-Caesarea.

The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints – St. Dimitry of Rostov – November 17th pp. 372-373

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Nov. 25th, 2009 @ 09:26 am A man is not noble because of his ancestry. . . .
A man is not noble because of his ancestry, for the only true nobility is that which is gained through virtue. The boast of true nobility is not the renown of a man's ancestors, but his own good deeds and a way of life pleasing to God.

St. John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria

The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints - St. Demetrios of Rostov - Volume III p.236
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Nov. 6th, 2009 @ 10:42 am Holy Martyr Arethas of Homer - October 24th - Part 3 of 3

Now there was a woman in that city who was a believer and had a little son, a child not more than five years old. She saw the beheading of the holy martyrs, and after their execution, went to where their bodies lay. She took a little of their blood and anointed herself and her son with it. Filled with zeal, she reviled the king and cried out with a loud voice, “May this Jew suffer the same fate as Pharaoh!”

The soldiers laid hold of her, led her to the king, and told him what she had said. The king did not permit her to say anything more and did not question her; instead, he commanded that she immediately be burned. When a great fire had been lit and the torturers had begun to bind that blessed woman, intending to cast her into the flames, her little son started to cry. Then, seeing the king, who was seated nearby, the boy approached him, and with tears in his eyes, clasped Dunaan by the feet and besought him not to slay his mother.

The king took that fair and delightful child upon his knee and asked him, “Whom do you love more, your mother or us?”

The child replied, “I love my mother, which is why I have come to ask you to release her. I want her to take me with her to be tormented, for she has frequently instructed me concerning such things.”

The king asked him, “What is the torment of which you speak?”

Filled with the grace of God, the child answered the king, “To suffer torment is to die for Christ, that one may live with Him again.”

The king asked, “Who is Christ?”

The boy replied, “Come with me to the church, and I will show Him to you.”

Then he turned again to his mother, and weeping, he said to

the king, “Let me go to my mother!”

“Why, then,” said the king, “did you forsake your mother and come to us? Do not go to her. Remain with us, and I shall give you apples, nuts, and every other kind of beautiful fruit.”

The king spoke with him as though he were an ordinary child, supposing that his thoughts were those of other boys his age. But the child was wise far beyond his years, and his replies were most intelligent. He answered the king thus: “I will not remain with you. I wish to go to my mother. I thought that you were a Christian, and so I came to you to make entreaty on behalf of my mother. But you are a Jew, and thus I do not want to take anything from your hand. I only desire that you let me go to my mother.”

The king was greatly amazed that so young a child could speak like this. When the boy saw his mother being cast into the fire, he bit the king. Dunaan, who was hurt badly, pushed the child away, and ordered one of the noblemen who was standing nearby to take and to rear him according to the Hebrew Law, that he might learn to hate Christ. The noble took the boy, and marvelling at his intelligence, went to his tent. Meeting one of his friends on the way, he stopped and began to tell him about the child. They were standing not far from the fire into which the boy’s holy mother was cast, and as they spoke, the child tore himself from the hand of the nobleman. He ran into the fire, embraced his mother, and was burned alive with her. Thus did both mother and son become a fragrant whole burnt offering. Glory to God Who enlightened such a young child so that the words of the Prophet were fulfilled in him: Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast Thou perfected praise, because of Thine enemies, to destroy the enemy and avenger!

The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints by St. Dimitry Rostov - October 24th
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Nov. 6th, 2009 @ 10:24 am Holy Martyr Arethas of Homer - October 24th - Part 2 of 3

In that same city of Nagran there lived a widow named Syncle­tica, an honorable and noble woman, whose countenance was comely and whose soul was yet more fair. She had abundant possessions and was still wealthier in virtue, having been left a widow by her husband while yet very young. She had two daughters, and together they remained in their home, praying and fasting. She did not wish to take another husband, but she betrothed herself to Christ and served Him day and night. Although she was young, in understanding she was like an elderly woman, or rather, she surpassed the aged in her zeal to obey the commandments of the Lord. When the vile Jew Dunaan heard tell of her, he ordered that she and her two daughters be escorted into his presence in honor. As she was led before him, he looked kindly upon her and said to her with a gentle voice, “We have heard concerning you, O honorable woman, that you are noble, chaste, and wise; and indeed, your appearance itself testifies to the truth of that which is said of you. Do not, then, be like the mindless women whom I have destroyed because of their folly. Do not call Him God Who was crucified upon a cross, Who was a glutton and a wine-bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners, and a foe of the Law of our fathers. Renounce the Nazarene and reason as we do, that you may live together with the queen in my royal palace and be honored by all, as befits your noble estate. Then shall you live as you once did, free from the woes attendant upon widowhood. We have heard report of your wealth, and of a truth, it is clear that you are very rich and own many menservants and maidservants; that you are held in honor by all, and are young and fair. But despite the great blessings you enjoy, it has not been your desire to take another husband. It is said you are most virtuous and prudent. Do then what is good, and prove yourself to be truly wise. Give heed to my sage counsel. Do not permit your great beauty and youth to be destroyed; do not allow the virginity of your daughters to be ruined. For if I should deliver you into the hands of my henchmen, they will not only subject you to torture but to shame and dishonor as well. Consider, then, what is to your benefit and that of your children. Forsake the Crucified One and submit to our laws!”

That blessed and honorable woman, whose mind had a man’s strength of purpose, answered the King thus: “It would behoove you, O King, to worship Him Who bestowed upon you your power, the royal purple, and the diadem which you wear. Nay, more: He brought you into being and gave you life, for He is the Son of God and God Himself. But you have proved yourself ungrateful for His blessings and with your shameless tongue have reviled your Benefactor. Do you not fear that lightning will strike you from heaven?” Then she added, “Do you wish to bestow great honors upon me? Know that I count your honors as dishonor and that I do not wish to be praised by your tongue, which blasphemes my God. I am not so foolish as to wish to dwell with the enemies of God in the tents of sinners.”

When the King heard this, he was filled with wrath, and turning to his nobles, said, “Do you hear how this shameless woman reviles us?”

He then ordered that her head and her daughters’ heads be uncovered and that they be led through the city in dishonor to be mocked, with their heads bared and their hair loosed. As she was led thus in humiliation through the streets, Syncletica saw that a multitude of women wept for her on account of the shame and disgrace which she suffered, and she said to them, “I know, O my friends, that you grieve to see me and my daughters dishonored so, but I do not wish you to lament while I rejoice or to weep as I make merry. I regard this day as more joyous than my wedding day, for it is for the sake of my Bridegroom that I suffer. For Him I have remained pure in my widowhood, and I have betrothed unto Him my beloved daughters, who are undefiled virgins. Now I rejoice as my Lord looks upon my disgrace and hears me as I confess Him. He knows my zeal for Him and that I desire neither honors nor wealth. I have no wish even for this fleeting life itself and seek only to find Christ and to enter His presence in the company of these holy martyrs with my daughters, the fruit of my womb. Therefore, I pray you, O my sisters, do not weep. Let us rather rejoice together, for I go to be with the eternal Bridegroom.”

She was then led again before the King, who said to her, “Re­nounce Christ if you wish to live.”

The saint replied, “Who shall deliver me from eternal death in the quenchless fire should I renounce Christ for the sake of this fleeting life?” Then she looked up to heaven and said, “O immortal King, may I not renounce Thee, the only-begotten Son of God! May I not submit to him who is a blasphemer and a perjurer, who took our city by deceit and doth persecute Thy Holy Church!”

The King’s fierce wrath was stirred up, and he shouted, “O vile woman, I shall now tear your flesh to pieces and rip open your womb! I shall cast you out to be food for dogs! Then we shall see whether the Nazarene, in Whom you hope, will deliver you.”

Syncletica’s elder daughter, who was twelve years old, could not bear to hear the persecutor say such things, and she spat in the King’s face. Immediately, the servants who stood nearby cut off her head, and they also slew her younger sister. Both fell to the ground dead before the eyes of their praiseworthy mother. After this the King ordered that their blood be gathered up and brought to their mother to drink. She tasted it and said, “I give praise to Thee, O Lord my God, for Thou hast granted me to taste this pure oblation, the blood of my poor daughters. Unto Thee, O Lord Christ, do I offer this my sacrifice; unto Thee do I present these pure virgin martyrs, the fruit of my womb. Join me with them and lead me into Thy bridal chamber, that, as David says, I may be a mother rejoicing over children.”

The persecutor then ordered that her head be cut off, and so the mother departed with her daughters unto eternal joy. But the tormentor swore with an oath, “In my life I have never seen such a beautiful woman or such fair maidens as these three Christians, who care neither to spare their beauty nor their lives!”

The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints by St. Dimitry Rostov - October 24th
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Nov. 6th, 2009 @ 10:22 am Holy Martyr Arethas of Homer - October 24th - Part 1 of 3

After this the king [Dunaan] summoned into his presence the chief citizens, who were still held in bonds. He addressed them, and especially Arethas, as follows: “How can you be so foolish as to believe in a Crucified Man as God? How can God, Who has no body, be put to death? Do you suppose that the Immortal One can be slain? Are there not among you any who are followers of Nestorius, who do not worship Christ as God but rather revere Him as a prophet? It is not my desire to compel you to worship the sun or the moon or anything else which is created, nor do I wish to force you to sacrifice to the gods of the heathen. May it not be so! I ask only that you worship God alone, the Creator of all.”

Saint Arethas and his company answered thus: “We know very well that the divinity cannot undergo suffering. Christ suffered for us in His human nature, taken from the most pure Virgin, concerning whom the prophets (with whose writings you are acquainted) bore witness. As for His divinity, this Christ the Lord revealed through His ineffable miracles. But what need is there for lengthy disputation? We confess Christ to be God and the Son of God, and we say in the name of all the inhabitants of this city that there is no torture which we are not prepared to endure for the sake of Jesus Christ, our God. As for Nestorius, who was con­demned by the Holy Fathers, what is he to us? We do not divide the person of Christ but believe that His human nature is united with His divinity in a single, divine hypostasis. And you who have uttered blasphemy against our Lord shall soon receive your punishment from God for your mockery and perjury.”

The persecutor listened to these things with forbearance because he was put to shame by Arethas’ wisdom and the nobility of the other citizens. Then he began to speak to them kindly, hoping to soften their hearts. He promised them gifts and honors, if only they would forsake piety and their zeal for Christ and accept his evil faith. But they lifted up their eyes unto heaven and cried out with one voice, saying, “We will not renounce Thee, O Word of God, Jesus Christ, neither will we mock Thy most holy Nativity from the most pure Virgin, nor scorn Thy precious Cross!”

When the King saw that the saints’ faith could not be shaken, he put off their torture for another time. Then he turned his wrath upon the people of the city and slew many of them without mercy. He commanded that the wives and children of the holy martyrs who were held bound with Arethas be brought to him; and those honorable women were compelled to appear with many other women, widows, virgins, and nuns. First, he tried to deceive them with kind words and then threatened them with torments, that they might renounce Christ. But not only did they refuse to submit to his will; they vexed and belittled the King, and the virgin nuns especially reviled him. When he could no longer endure their taunts, he ordered his soldiers to slay them all by the sword. They hastened to their death as though they were hurrying to a festival, and a quarrel arose among them, for the maiden nuns, who wished to meet death first, said to the women, “Do not forget that we have preeminence over you in the Church of Christ. Remember that in all things we have the first place: we enter the temple of the Lord before you, we approach the most pure Mysteries first, and the places where we sit and stand are higher than are yours. Therefore, it is fitting that we should first receive the honor of martyrdom, for we wish to die before you and to go unto our Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, before you and your husbands.”

Meanwhile, the other women made haste, each hoping to be first to bend her neck beneath the sword, and even the little children pressed between their mothers, rushing to their deaths. Everyone of them cried out, “Cut off my head! Cut off my head!”

Such was their zeal to die for Christ that the impious Jew Dunaan and all his nobles were greatly amazed.

The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints by St. Dimitry Rostov - October 24th
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Oct. 30th, 2009 @ 01:29 pm Two from St. Gregory Palamas

May none of you, brethren, be annoyed when you hear us announcing, in unadulterated form, the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, nor be vexed because you think these precepts are unattainable. Bear in mind, firstly, that the kingdom of heaven is subject to violence, and the violent take it by force (St. Matthew 11:12). Listen to St. Peter, the leader of Christ's apostles, who says, "Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow in His steps" (I St. Peter 2:21). Then you should consider the fact that when someone really learns how much he owes the Master, and is unable to repay in full, he modestly offers as much as he can and freely chooses to. As for the remaining debt, he humbles himself before the Lord and, attracting His compassion through his humility, he makes up for the shortfall. If someone observes his thought reaching out towards riches and wealth, he must realize that this fleshly thought separates him from Christ crucified within him.
 
St. Gregory Palamas, Homily 11 On the Precious and Life-giving Cross - Mount Thabor Publishing

“What man is he that desireth life and to see good days? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips that they speak no guile: depart from evil and do good” (Ps. 34:12-14, cf. 1 St. Peter 3:10-11). Evil means gluttony, drunkenness and dissolute living. Evil means love of money, being greedy for gain, and injustice. Evil means vainglory, arrogance and pride. Let everyone turn aside from such vices and do those things which are good. What are they? Self-control, fasting, chastity, right­eousness, almsgiving, forbearance, love, humility. That by so doing we may worthily partake of the Lamb of God who was sacrificed for our sake, and so receive the earnest of incorruption, and keep it as an assurance of the inheritance promised to us in heaven. Is it hard to do what is good, and are the virtues more difficult than the vices? That is certainly not how I see it. The drunken, self-indulgent person subjects himself because of this to more sufferings than someone who restrains himself; the licentious person suffers more than someone chaste; someone striving to become rich more than someone who lives in contentment with what he has; the person seeking to surround himself with glory than someone who passes his life in obscurity. Since, however, the virtues seem more difficult to us because of our love of comfort, let us force ourselves. “The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence”, it says, “and the violent take it by force” (St. Matthew 11:12).

All of us, eminent and lowly, governors and governed, rich and poor, need diligence and attention to drive these evil passions away from our souls, and introduce the whole range of virtues in their stead. Farmers, shoemakers, builders, tailors, weavers and in general all those who earn their living by their own effort and the work of their hands, provided they throw out of their souls the desire for riches, glory and pleasure, are truly blessed. These are the poor to whom the kingdom of heaven belongs. It was on their account that the Lord said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (St. Matthew 5:3). The poor in spirit are those whose spirits, or souls, are free from boasting, love of glory and fondness for pleasure, and therefore either choose to be poor in external things as well or else courageously bear involun­tary poverty. Those who are rich and comfortable, and enjoy fleeting glory, and in general all who long to be like them, will yield to more harmful passions and fall into other worse traps of the devil, which are more difficult to deal with. When someone becomes rich, he does not lay aside his desire for riches, but increases it, grasping at more than he did before. In the same way, pleasure lovers, power seekers, the dissolute and the debauched increase their desires rather than renouncing them. Rulers and eminent men increase their power so as to commit greater injustices and sin.

That is why it is difficult for a ruler to be saved or for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. “How can ye believe”, it says, “which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?” (St. John 5:44). But if any of you are well off, or eminent or rulers, do not be dismayed. You can, if you wish, seek the glory of God and exert force on yourselves to stop the impetus towards becoming worse, to practise great virtues and to drive away great evils, not just from yourselves, but from many other people, even against their will. Not only can you act honestly and chastely yourselves, but there are many ways in which you can prevent those who want to be unjust and licentious from doing so. Not only can you show yourselves obedient to Christ’s Gospel and His teachings, but you can also bring those who are minded to disobey into subjection to Christ’s Church and its leaders according to Christ. This you are able to do, not just by means of the power and authority allotted to you by God, but by becoming an example of all that is good to those below you. For subjects become like their rulers.

St. Gregory Palamas, Homily 15 Delivered On Palm Sunday - Mount Thabor Publishing

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Oct. 26th, 2009 @ 09:51 am Saints Carpus, Papylas, Agathadorus & Agathonica - October 13th

Thinking that after such humiliation the saints' firm resolve would be weakened, the judge then addressed them with kind words, saying, "Had I not perceived that you are prudent men, I should never have sought to give you good counsel but would have forced you to accept our faith by torture, against your will. But inasmuch as your dignity and decorum betoken your nobility of character, I have decided to offer you good advice. I think that it is not unknown to you that glory and honor have been offered the immortal gods since ancient times, and this remains the case until the present day, not only among us who know the Greek and Latin tongues but among the barbarians as well. Because of the zeal which men show for the gods, cities are governed by just laws, our enemies are defeated in battle, and peace has been estab­lished. How is it that the emperors and princes of Rome, both of the past and present, have gained such great glory, and nations and cities have been subdued, and every enemy has been forced to acknowledge their dominion, if not because they revere and bow down before the gods? Therefore, you should worship them also. If you have been deceived by unlearned men and have accepted the senseless and novel Christian faith, come to your senses and return to that which is better. Then the gods will have mercy on you, and you shall enjoy many benefactions from us and obtain much favor with the Emperor. But if you remain unsubmis­sive, you shall be deprived of these good things and compel us to deal with you most harshly."

When the saints heard this, they lifted up their eyes unto heaven, signed themselves with the Cross, and answered Valerius, "Do you think that we are simpletons and that we shall be so easily converted to your impiety? Know that we who stand before you are neither cowardly nor feeble-minded. We do not count your faith as worthy of honor simply because of its antiquity, for not all things ancient are venerable: evil is very old and yet is not to be esteemed. You ought not to be concerned whether your faith is ancient but whether you should accept it. We are determined not to accept it but to remove it as much as possible from our midst, for it prepares the fire of Gehenna for those who love it. If you wish to know the truth, consider, and you shall discover that your gods are nothing but the works of the hands of men. They are deaf and dumb and can profit neither themselves nor others. But the nature of the true God is indescribable: our minds cannot conceive Him. His being cannot be measured in time, for He has no beginning, and it is He Who has brought into existence all things which can be seen or imagined. He made man, placed him in Paradise, and gave to him a commandment, that man might learn to obey his Creator; but through the malice of the devil man fell into disobedience and became worthy of death. The devil, however, was not content to have brought to pass the first man's fall. The evil one hastened to separate all the first man's descen­dants from God as well, causing man’s body and soul to be subject to death. Thus, the people abandoned God, turned their eyes away from the truth, and fell into the darkness of idolatry. Therefore their Creator, Who is compassionate and merciful and could not suffer to behold man tormented by the devil, came down to the earth without leaving the bosom of the Father, and having become like us in all things, except sin, He was nailed to the Cross and died, in order to deliver us from our fall into sin. After conquering our foe the devil by His death, He ascended into the heavens, to which He calls us, having made easy our ascent thereto. And so, O judge, are you able to say anything like this of your gods? Are you not, rather, ashamed even to call them gods? We have no desire for your riches or for the esteem of the Emperor which you so value, for we put our trust in God, for Whom we have firmly resolved to suffer and to die.”

When Valerius heard this, the fire of his wrath grew hot, and he set aside his hypocritical meekness. No longer did he conceal his brutality, but first he allowed those who had accused the saints to plunder their possessions, and then he had the martyrs tied to horses and ordered that they be driven to Sardis.

The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints by St. Dimitry Rostov - October 13th

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Oct. 25th, 2009 @ 06:38 pm Holy Martyrs Tarachus, Probus, and Andronicus - October 12th

During the reign of Diocletian and Maximian, while Numerius Maximus was Proconsul of Tarsus in Cilicia, three Christians, Tarachus, Probus, and Andronicus, were seized in the city of Pompeopolis and taken to Tarsus to be tried before Maximus the Proconsul. When they were brought before him, the Proconsul saw that Tarachus was an honorable and aged man, and he said to him, "What is your name? For it is proper that I question you first, on account of your old age."

Tarachus answered, "I am a Christian."

Said the Proconsul, "Do not speak of your impious faith, but rather tell me your name."

Tarachus again said, "I am a Christian."

    Maximus said to the servants who stood nearby, "Strike him on the mouth and say to him, 'Do not answer the judge in this way!'"

As Tarachus was being beaten, he said, "I say to you that I am a Christian. This name I value more than that which I was given by my parents. But if you wish to learn the name my parents gave me, then know that I was called by them Tarachus. When I was a soldier, I was called Victor."

    The Proconsul asked him, "Of what sort of lineage are you, Tarachus?"

"I am descended from a line of Roman soldiers from Claudiopolis, a city of Syria, but since I became a Christian, I no longer serve in the army," Tarachus replied.

Said the Proconsul, "You were not worthy to be a soldier. But tell me, how was it that you succeeded in leaving the army?"

    Tarachus answered, "I asked permission of Publionus the Prince, and he released me."

The Proconsul said, "Have compassion on your old age and obey the decrees of our emperors, that you may receive honor from me. Come and sacrifice to our gods, for even the emperors, the rulers of the world, worship them."

    Replied Tarachus, "They are deceived and have been beguiled by Satan."

The Proconsul said to his servants, "Break his jawbone, for he has dared to say that our emperors are deceived and have been beguiled!"

As Tarachus was being beaten, he cried, "I have said and do say that as men they are deceived."

    "Cease to utter nonsense and sacrifice to our gods," the Proconsul said.

    Tarachus said, "My God alone do I serve, and I offer unto Him not blood but a pure heart."

The Proconsul said, "Think of your age, old man, and pity yourself. I advise you to forsake your vain Christian faith and to sacrifice to the gods."

Tarachus replied, "I will not do this impious thing, for I love the law of my God and will not renounce Him."

    Said the Proconsul, "There is another law which you must keep."

Tarachus said, "O you wicked one, cursed is your law, by which you, the impious, command that idols made of stone and wood, the works of the hands of men, be adored and wor­shipped."

The Proconsul commanded the servants who stood nearby to strike Tarachus upon the neck, but the martyr bore the beating and said, "I will not abandon my confession, which is my salvation."

    The Proconsul said, "I shall turn you from your foolishness and make you wise!"

    "Do as you will: you have power over my body," said the martyr.

    The Proconsul Maximus exclaimed, "Strip him of his garments and thrash him with a rod!"

As Tarachus was being beaten, he said, "Now have you truly made me sage and wise, for because of these wounds I trust yet more in God and His Christ."

The Proconsul said, "O you wicked and accursed one, you first said that you serve God alone, but now you speak of two: of God and of His Christ. How is it that you serve these two Gods but abhor our many gods?"

"I confess but one true God," answered Tarachus.

Said the Proconsul, "Did you not say, 'God and His Christ'?" Tarachus answered, "Christ is the Son of God and is divine, as are the Father and the Holy Spirit. Christ is the Hope of all Chris­tians, and we are saved through suffering for His sake."

    Maximus the Proconsul said, "Cease your babbling and sacrifice to our gods."

Said Tarachus, "I do not babble but speak the truth. For sixty­-five years I have believed thus, and now I will not renounce the truth."

A centurion who stood nearby, whose name was Demetrius, then said, "Take my advice, man: have pity on yourself and worship the gods."

Tarachus replied, "Depart from me with your counsel, servant of Satan!"

After this, the Proconsul Maximus commanded that Christ's sufferer be bound in heavy iron chains and cast in prison, and he said to his servants, "Bring me one of the other prisoners."

To this the centurion Demetrius said, "Behold, my lord, another stands before you."

Numerius Maximus the Proconsul, seeing that another Christian had been brought before him, said, "First tell me your name."

He who stood before him answered, "My principal and most honorable name is 'Christian'; my other name, by which I am called by men, is Probus."

"Of what sort of lineage are you, Probus?" asked the Procon­sul.

    Probus replied, "My father was from Thrace, and I was born in Pergia of Pamphylia, and I am a Christian."

Maximus the Proconsul said, "There is no profit for you in that name. Hearken to me: sacrifice to the gods, that you may receive honor of the princes and become our friend."

Answered Probus, "I do not wish to be honored by princes, nor do I seek your friendship. I once possessed considerable wealth, which I have forsaken, that I might labor for the living God."

    "Strip him, stretch him out, and lash him with straps made of dry leather!" the Proconsul said.

As the saint was being beaten, the centurion Demetrius said, "Man, see how your blood is poured out upon the ground: have pity on yourself!"

Replied Probus, "You have possession of my body and may torture it, but I regard torture as oil poured out upon me."

    Said Maximus the Proconsul, "Will you cease your buffoonery, or are you hardened in your insolence?"

    Probus answered, "I am no fool, but in the Lord I am made far bolder than you."

    The Proconsul said to his servants, "Turn him over and beat him on the belly."

    As Probus was being beaten cruelly, he cried out, "O Lord, help me, who am Thy servant!"

    The Proconsul said, "As you beat him, say, 'Where is your Helper?'"

Said Probus, "My Helper sustains me and will continue to sustain me; therefore, I count your torments as nothing. They will in no way cause me to submit to you."

The Proconsul Maximus said, "Look at your body, you wretch: the earth is soaked with your blood."

    "Know that as my body suffers for Christ's sake, my soul receives healing and is enlivened," Probus said.

Then the judge ordered that the servants cease beating the saint, and he said, "Bind him hand and foot in irons, and cast him into prison. Permit no one to visit him so that he may receive no help."

After this the Proconsul commanded that the third Christian be brought before the judgment seat. When Maximus asked him his name, he replied, "I am a Christian."

The Proconsul said, "Those who entered into my presence before you were not profited by this name. It is to your advantage to answer otherwise."

    Then the saint said, "The name by which I am commonly called by men is Andronicus."

    "Of what manner of parentage are you, Andronicus?" said Maximus the Proconsul.

    Andronicus replied, "I am a nobleman, the son of one of the foremost of the citizens of Ephesus."

The Proconsul Maximus said, "Have pity upon yourself and hearken to me, as to a father. Those who were brought to this tribunal before you spoke nonsense and received no gain from it. Worship the gods, who are our lords and fathers."

Said Andronicus, "Well have you said that they are fathers, for your father is Satan, and you are sons of the devil and do his works."

Maximus the Proconsul said, "You are only a youth, and yet you show me no respect! Do you not know that great torments are already prepared for you?"

Replied Andronicus, "Do you think, persecutor, that I am so foolish as to show myself less willing to undergo torture than the sufferers who preceded me? I am prepared to endure any torment."

    The persecutor then said, "Strip him, bind him, and hang him up!"

Demetrius the centurion said to Andronicus, "Do what has been commanded, wretch, before your flesh falls from your bones."

"It is better that my body perish than for you to succeed in doing what you wish to my soul," said Andronicus.

    The Proconsul Maximus said, "Submit to us, and sacrifice unto the gods before you perish!"

    Andronicus said, "From my youth I have never served idols; neither will I sacrifice to them now."

    Maximus the Proconsul cried, "Mangle his flesh!"

    Anksius, another centurion who stood nearby, of a different command than Demetrius, said to Andronicus, "I am of such an age that I could be your father. I give you good counsel: submit to the Proconsul."

Andronicus replied, "You are old enough, but insofar as you counsel me to worship stone and to sacrifice unto the demons, you are surely devoid of reason."

As he was being beaten, the Proconsul said, "Wretch, do you not feel pain as you undergo such torments? Why have you no pity for yourself? And why do you not renounce your vain faith, which cannot save you?"

"That which you call vain I and all who hope in the Lord regard as a most honorable confession. But your empty specula­tions lead to eternal death," Andronicus answered.

     The Proconsul said, "Who taught you such nonsense?" Replied Andronicus, "The Word of God, Who gives life and in Whom we are enlivened: our Lord Who lives in the heavens, the Hope of our resurrection."


    Maximus the Proconsul said, "Stop your babbling before we subject you to yet crueler tortures."

    Andronicus replied, "My body lies before you: you have power to do as you will."

    The Proconsul said, "Strike him upon the mouth!"

    Andronicus said, "May the Lord behold how you murderously torture me!"

    The Proconsul said, "You do not obey the decree of the emperors, and you defy my judgment!"

Said Andronicus, "In God I trust, and in His compassion and righteousness I put my hope; therefore, I am able to endure these sufferings."

The judge said, "Have the emperors, then, done wrong, O you who are worthy of death?"

"Indeed, they have transgressed, and if you judge rightly, you will acknowledge that it is a great sin to offer oblations to demons," replied Andronicus.

    The persecutor said to those who were beating the saint, "Turn him and strike his sides!"

    Andronicus said, "I lie before you: torture my flesh as you wish."

    As he was being beaten, Andronicus cried, "Through torment has my flesh been strengthened."

    The persecutor said, "I will cause you to perish slowly!"

Said Andronicus, "I do not fear your threats. My mind is above the schemes of your wickedness; therefore your tortures trouble me not at all."

       The judge said to his lackeys, "Place an iron collar around his neck and chain his feet, and put him under guard."

The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints by St. Dimitry Rostov - October 12th

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Oct. 24th, 2009 @ 11:06 am Holy Martyr Evlampios and His Courageous Sister Evlampia - October 10th

When he reached Nicomedia, Evlampios saw nailed to the gates of the city the imperial proclamation, written upon a scroll, decreeing that all Christians were to be put to death. As he read it, he laughed at the great folly of the impious Emperor, who had taken up arms not against his foes but against an innocent people and thus brought his own domain to desolation by his slaughter of a numberless multitude of Christian people. Immediately, the blessed Evlampios was seized by the idolaters, bound, and led before an unrighteous judge. The iniquitous judge, seeing that Evlampios was young and handsome, first attempted with guileful words to entice him to worship the idols. He said, "Your face itself makes it plain that you are not of the common people but of the nobility, of an honorable family. Therefore, fair youth, do not permit your comeliness to be ruined and do not subject your noble estate to humiliation. Rather, take care to add to your glory and dignity and to that of your whole line. If you obey the Emperor's decree and worship the gods with us, you will be held in our esteem and be exalted, and you will receive gifts from the Emperor. A lofty rank will be given you, and you will pass your days in good fortune. Heed my good counsel, and be of one mind with us. The temples lie open before you: within them are many gods, their altars laden with offerings. All the people rejoice in their gods and worship them. Therefore, you should also bow down before them and thus fill us with joy, and the gods will always be merciful to you."

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Saint Evlampios answered the evil judge thus: "Your heart is full of guile, and wicked words are in your mouth: vain and deceitful are all your promises. You have completely failed to deceive me, you beguiler, and you will not separate me from my Christ. O, if only you would hearken unto me! My words are certain and my counsel trustworthy: through them you would come to know the true God, Whom I adore and worship. I would promise you blessings from Him that are neither fleeting nor vain, for my God's blessings consist of honor and glory, gifts and riches which are everlasting and true. These good things neither you, nor your Emperor, nor the whole world possess. But since you are deaf as an asp and do not heed that which would profit you, you shall inherit a portion with your gods in the fire of Gehenna. Inasmuch as you have offered vile sacrifices to them, you shall yourself become an offering unto the worm which never sleeps, but I will not sacrifice to demons. Unto my God shall I sacrifice a sacrifice of praise, and pay my vows unto the Most High.”
    When the judge heard this, he began to threaten the saint with torture, but Evlampios fearlessly declared himself ready to suffer every torment for Christ his Lord. Then the judge ordered that he be stripped, stretched out upon the ground, and beaten with scorpions. The saint endured courageously as they flogged him mercilessly for a long time: so nobly and bravely did he suffer, that even though he bore very great pain from the stripes laid upon him, it seemed as if he felt no hurt whatsoever.



[After much torture], while remaining at heart steadfast in his faith in the Lord his God, he began to pretend that he had abandoned his confession and would consent to the godlessness of the impious. And so the heathen triumphant­ly led him to the temple of the idols, and the judge and all the people rejoiced, thinking that Evlampios had renounced Christ and wished to worship their gods. A multitude of people followed him to the temple, and as the saint entered the building, he prayed fervently to Jesus Christ, asking Him to manifest His power, to enlighten the blinded people, and to glorify His holy name. Evlampios saw that the idol of Mars was greater and more handsome than the other idols, and he drew near it and said, "In the name of my Lord Jesus Christ, I command you, O deaf and lifeless idol, to fall to the ground and to be shattered into dust!"

When the saint said this, the idol immediately fell, making a great noise, and was broken into little pieces. Seeing this, the people cried out, "The God of the Christians alone is great and mighty!"

This made the judge still more angry, and he commanded that Evlampios be seized and again subjected to torture.

When Evlampios' sister, a maiden called Evlampia, heard that her brother was suffering torment for Christ, she arose quickly and went to the place where he was being tortured. She stepped forth and cried out to her brother, "Were we not born to the same mother? Were we not suckled by the same breasts? Were we not taught to believe in the same God? Why then do you suffer for Christ, yet deny me a portion with you? Why did you not send word to me of your sufferings so that I might have endured every torment with you from the beginning? I wish to die for my Lord even as you do. Let every persecutor know that I am a Christian and am ready to die for Christ!"

Then Evlampia said to the judge, "Hearken, judge, and learn who I am: I am Christ's handmaiden. Christ is my life and the joy of my soul: Him do I love, and I wish to become a sacrifice unto Him. Therefore, make ready the fire, bring forth lions, prepare wheels of torture, sharpen the swords, and devise various torments. Torture me for my Christ in any way you wish. I am prepared to endure everything, just as my beloved brother Evlampios."

When the persecutor heard this, he was amazed at Evlampia's boldness and commanded that the saint be beaten in the face. She was struck many times so that her beauty was destroyed and blood flowed from her nose and mouth. With these words Saint Evlampios strengthened his sister: "Fear not, sister, them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul!”

Then the tormentor commanded that a cauldron be brought to a fierce boil and that both Evlampios and Evlampia be cast into it. When they were about to hurl Evlampios into the kettle, he quickly entered it himself, but Evlampia, being a tender maiden, began to waver and became afraid. Her brother, seeing her falter, called to her from the boiling cauldron as though it were a place of refreshment, saying, "Fear not, sister: be brave and enter! You see that I remain unharmed and have suffered no hurt. When you enter this seething kettle, you will straightway feel God's help and will suffer no harm."

When the saint heard this, she straightway went into the cauldron with her brother. Immediately the fire died down and the kettle ceased to boil, and the saints remained in it unharmed, glorifying God and chanting to Him. When the people beheld this wonder, they marvelled, and two hundred men believed in Christ. They confessed themselves to be Christians and were slain by the sword at the hands of the impious idolaters. Then the iniquitous judge ordered that Saint Evlampios' eyes be plucked out and that Saint Evlampia be suspended by her hair and beaten. As she suffered this torment, Evlampia exclaimed, "1 thank Thee, O my God and Creator, that Thou hast vouchsafed me, Thy handmaiden, to suffer for Thy holy name!"


The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints by St. Dimitry Rostov - October 10th
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Oct. 17th, 2009 @ 03:57 pm Do what it takes
In the end, we may be condemned for either not holding the true Orthodox faith or for not practising true Christian morals or both! Let us then strive to be aligned with the Apostilic faith and tradition as well as humbly seeking a life in all ways pleasing to God. Then shall we be seen to have on a wedding garment and therewith enter the heavenly bridal chamber for the great feast!
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Oct. 13th, 2009 @ 05:57 pm Quotes from St. Chariton the Confessor - September 28th

The venerable Chariton hailed from the province of Lycaonia and lived in the city of Iconium. He was a pious and virtuous Christian and became a confessor of Jesus Christ during the reign of the impious Emperor Aurelian. This godless Emperor published an ordinance commanding that the Christians be compelled to sacrifice to the idols and that whoever did not submit to the decree be put to death. Therefore the Governor of the city of Iconium ordered that Chariton, who shone with piety and virtue and was the most eminent of the Christians, be seized and brought before his impious tribunal. There the Governor asked him, "Why do you not worship the renowned gods, before whom the Emperor and all nations bow their heads?"

Chariton answered, "All the gods of the heathen are demons. Because of their pride, they once sought to become like God and were cast down from the heavens into hell. They are now worshipped as gods by foolish and deluded men. They and the men who worship them will soon perish, vanishing like smoke. For this reason I do not revere them. I worship and serve the true God, the Creator of all things, the Saviour of the world, Who lives forever."

The Governor said; "By this haughty reply you have made yourself worthy of death inasmuch as you have dared to mock the immortal gods and to call us who worship them foolish and deceived. For this alone you deserve to be beheaded, but since our gods are long-suffering and slow to take revenge when they are dishonored, I will be merciful to you and not destroy you at once. Perhaps you will come to your senses and offer sacrifice to the gods you now dare to revile, asking them forgiveness for your impudent transgression. Then the gods, who are not resentful and who are ready to accept you, will forgive you the disrespect you have shown them."

Saint Chariton replied, "If your idols are gods, Governor, you do not act righteously by enduring me when I revile them, for every man should zealously defend the honour of his god. But if your idols are not gods, then in vain do you command me to worship them. Know this, that no torment can separate me from the living God or incline me to revere vile idols, for I am a disciple of the blessed protomartyr Thecla, who like a light illumined our city of Iconium with the brilliance of her martyrdom and who was made bold in her struggles by the great teacher Saint Paul. With him I now say, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or peril, or the sword, or any other grievous thing?

The Governor said, "If our gods were not gods, they could not have bestowed upon us a fortunate life, wealth, glory, and health."

Saint Chariton answered, "You are deceiving yourself, Governor, in thinking that you have been granted all these things by your false gods, who possess nothing but their own damnation and have not power even over swine except by God's permission. How can idols bestow anything when they possess nothing? They are unable to stretch forth their hands, walk with their feet, speak with their tongues, or see with their eyes, for they are not alive. Place a lighted candle upon an idol's lips and burn him - does it cause him pain? Take an axe and chop off his leg - does he cry out? Bring a hammer and smash his ribs - does he groan with pain? You will hear nothing from him because he has neither life nor breath."

When the Governor heard this, he was enraged and began to scream angrily like a drunken man. He would not allow the saint to continue his speech but commanded his attendants to seize Chariton and strip him and to stretch him out crosswise upon the ground and to beat him mercilessly with rods. The saint bore his suffering bravely, preferring to die for Christ the Lord rather than to renounce his Creator and to live in iniquity. As the saint was being beaten, the persecutor asked him, "Will you sacrifice to the immortal gods, Chariton, or do you wish to add to your body's wounds?"

"1 would prefer to die a thousand times for my Saviour rather than to worship the demons and to live a little longer," answered the martyr.

The saint was beaten so severely all over his body that his bowels could be seen. His flesh fell from his bones, and his whole body became a single wound. Therefore, thinking that he would soon die, the servants picked him up and took him to the prison, for he could not walk, nor speak; and he could scarcely breathe, so cruelly had he been beaten. They placed him in the dungeon, and then they left. But God, Who beheld the patience of His sufferer, came to his aid and quickly healed his wounds. Thus Saint Chariton, whom the impious had hoped to find dead, was completely healed and regained his strength, and he cried out to God with David, I shall not die, but live, and I shall tell of the works of the Lord.

The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints by St. Dimitry Rostov - September 28th
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Oct. 13th, 2009 @ 05:22 pm Qoutes from the Holy Martyr Callistratus - September 27th
 
The General summoned Callistratus at once and asked him, "Is it true what your comrades say about you, Callistratus?"

Callistratus answered, "I do not know what they have said of me; I know only that I have not done any evil."

Persentinian then ordered the soldiers to say to Callistratus' face what they had said to him. The soldiers answered the General, "Master, only command him to sacrifice to the gods, and you will learn who he is and what convictions and faith he holds."

The General commanded Callistratus to offer sacrifice to the gods and to worship them, but Callistratus replied, "I have not learned to offer sacrifice to any gods but to the one true and living God, Who brought all things into existence out of nothing and Who made man out of earth. The gods which you worship are the work of the hands of man; I do not call them gods but demons even as the Holy Scriptures say, All the gods of the heathen are demons (Psalm 95), and The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the works of the hands of men (Psalm 134). From the same Scriptures have I come to know the God Who dwells in the heavens; to Him I offer the sacrifice of praise, and unto the Most High I pay my vows. Is it because I worship the one true God that these men have brought accusation against me? They ought rather to have informed against me had I not performed my duties as a soldier or if I had displayed cowardice and fled before the face of the enemy; then they would have had cause to accuse me, and it would have behooved you to give heed to them, O General. But I am charged with nothing of the sort: the only reason you listen to these men and bring me to judgment is that my beliefs do not agree with yours."

The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints by St. Dimitry Rostov - September 27th
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Oct. 13th, 2009 @ 02:41 pm From St. Mark the Ascetic [7]

115. The grace of the Spirit is one and unchanging, but energizes in each one of us as He wills. (cf. I Corinthians 12:11)

116. When rain falls upon the earth, it gives life to the quality inherent in each plant: sweetness in the sweet, astringency in the astringent; similarly, when grace falls upon the hearts of the faithful, it gives to each the energies appropriate to the different virtues without itself changing.

117. To him who hungers after Christ grace is food; to him who is thirsty, a reviving drink; to him who is cold, a garment; to him who is weary, rest; to him who prays, assurance; to him who mourns, consolation.

118. When you hear Scripture saying of the Holy Spirit that He 'rested upon each' of the Apostles (Acts 2:3), or 'came upon' the Prophet (I Samuel 11:6), or 'energizes' (I Corinthinas 12:11), or is 'grieved' (Ephesians 4:30), or is 'quenched' (I Thessalonians 5:19), or is 'vexed' (Isaiah 63:10), and again, that some 'have the first-fruits' (Romans 8:23), and that others are 'filled with the Holy Spirit' (Acts 2:4), do not suppose that the Spirit is subject to some kind of division, variation or change; but be sure that, in the way we have described, He is unvarying, unchanging and all-powerful. Therefore in all His energies He remains what He is, and in a divine manner He gives to each person what is needful. On those who have been baptized He pours Himself out in His fulness like the sun. Each of us is illumined by Him to the extent to which we hate the passions that darken us and get rid of them. But in so far as we have a love for them and dwell on them, we remain in darkness.

119. He who hates the passions gets rid of their causes. But he who is attracted by their causes is attacked by the passions even though he does not wish it.

120. When evil thoughts become active within us, we should blame ourselves and not ancestral sin.

121. The roots of evil thoughts are the obvious vices, which we keep trying to justify in our words and actions.

122. We cannot entertain a passion in our mind unless we have a love for its causes.

123. For what man, who cares nothing about being put to shame, entertains thoughts of self-esteem? Or who welcomes contempt and yet is disturbed by dishonour? And who has 'a broken and a contrite heart' (Psalm 50:17) and yet indulges in carnal pleasure? Or who puts his trust in Christ and yet worries or quarrels about transitory things?

St. Mark the Ascetic - On Those who Think that They are Made Righteous by Works: Two Hundred and Twenty-Six Texts - The Philokalia Volume I

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Oct. 10th, 2009 @ 01:33 pm New Book: St. Gregory Palamas: The Homilies (In English)

I don't know about you, but I have been trying to find the rest of these sermons for a long time:

Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies, edited and translated from the original Greek, with an introduction and notes by Christopher Veniamin
I am not a salesman for the publisher, but there is a significant discount for ordering before this Wednesday.

(PS. Do not worry that they call it "The scholar's edition: for priests, theologians and the educated layperson", that refers to all the notes, (200+ pages), the sermons themselves are in plain enough English.)
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Oct. 8th, 2009 @ 10:25 pm Saint John the Theologian; A Favourite Story

One of my favourite stories about Saint John the Theologian is recorded in the life of Saint Andrew the Fool for Christ (Oct. 2nd). In the English translation of "The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints", compiled by St. Dimitri of Rostov it is told thus:

    Once, as the blessed one [Saint Andrew] offered up prayer and supplications (as was his custom) in the secret chamber of his heart to God and to the holy martyr Anastasia, the devil, together with numerous demons, appeared to him openly. Some of the demons held axes, others knives, yet others clubs, staves, and spears with which they planned to slay the blessed one. The 'Ethiopian' who had fought with
Saint Andrew appeared in the form he had previously assumed and roared at him from afar. Then he drew near to the saint and sought to cut him to pieces with the axe he held in his hand. After him all the other demons fell upon the saint, but Andrew, weeping, lifted up his hands and cried to the Lord, saying, "Deliver not unto beasts the soul which confesseth Thee!" Then he cried out again, "Holy Apostle John the Theologian, help me!"
    Immediately, thunder resounded, a great multitude of men appeared, and an elder of comely appearance, whose face was brighter than the sun, approached the saint. A great number of servants accompanied him, and the elder commanded those with him, saying, "Shut the gates so that not one of these may escape!" At once the doors were closed, and all the 'Ethiopians' were seized, and Saint Andrew heard one of the demons say secretly to his fellow, "Cursed be the hour when we were deceived, for John is merciless and will torture us cruelly!"
    Saint John commanded the men clad in white who had come with him to remove the iron fetters from Andrew's neck. Then he stood outside the gates and said, "Lead the Ethiopians to me, one at a time." They brought the first demon and stretched him out upon the ground, and the Apostle took the chains, folded them thrice, and lashed him a hundred times. Like a man the demon cried out, "Have mercy on me!"
    After this they stretched out another demon and thrashed him in the same way, and then they laid an equal number of stripes on a third one. The blows to which God subjected the demons were true blows, and they were hurt thereby. When all the demons had been lashed thus, Saint John said to them, "Go and show Satan your father your stripes: see whether this pleases him!"
    When the men clad in white rainment had departed and the demons had vanished, the honorable elder approached God's servant. He placed the chains upon Saint Andrew's neck and said to him, "Do you see how I have hastened to your aid? I have great concern for you, for God has entrusted you to my care. Therefore, have patience: soon you will be freed and will be permitted to go wherever you wish, to whatever place is pleasing in your eyes."
    "My lord, who are you?" asked Andrew.
    The elder replied, "I am he who leaned on the Lord's bosom."
    Having said this, the Apostle shone like lightning and disappeared from before Saint Andrew's eyes, and the blessed Andrew glorified God for having sent His beloved disciple to his aid.

Icon by Matushka Antonina Sidnev
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Oct. 6th, 2009 @ 01:10 pm From St. Mark the Ascetic [6]

104. If, as Scripture teaches, everything involuntary has its cause in what is voluntary, man has no greater enemy than himself.

105. The first among evils is ignorance; next comes lack of faith.

106. Escape from temptation through patience and prayer. If you oppose temptation without these, it only attacks you more strongly.

107. He who is gentle in God's sight is wiser than the wise; and he who is humble in heart is stronger than the strong. For they bear the yoke of Christ with spiritual knowledge.

108. Everything we say or do without prayer afterwards turns out to be unreliable or harmful, and so shows us up without our realizing it.

109. One alone is righteous in works, words and thoughts. But many are made righteous in faith, grace and repentance.

110. One who is repentant cannot be haughty, just as one who sins deliberately cannot be humble-minded.

111. Humility consists, not in condemning our conscience, but in recognizing God's grace and compassion.

112. What a house is to the air, the spiritual intellect is to divine grace. The more you get rid of materiality, the more the air and grace will come in of their own accord; and the more you increase materiality, the more they will go away.

113. Materiality in the case of a house consists of furnishings and food. Materiality in the case of the intellect is self-esteem and sensual pleasure.

114. Ample room in the heart denotes hope in God; congestion denotes bodily care.

St. Mark the Ascetic - On Those who Think that They are Made Righteous by Works: Two Hundred and Twenty-Six Texts - The Philokalia Volume I


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