Clik here to view.
The Presentation of Our Lord Saviour Jesus Christ in the Temple, 2nd February
“The Word of the Father without a beginning (anarchos) has received a beginning in time, without separating Himself from His Divinity”.[1] “The Ancient of Days makes Himself a Child according to the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Feastday of Pentecost
“We have seen the True Light; we have received the Heavenly Spirit; we have found the true Faith, in worshipping the indivisible Trinity; for He has saved us”. (Sticheron at Saturday Great Vespers for...
View ArticleClik here to view.
An Ode to The Feast of the Dormition
What is greater than to be called – and to be – the Mother of God – the source of life whom Christ took the humanity that He made divine? St Paul said: ‘if the root is holy, then the branches are also’...
View ArticleClik here to view.
THE TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST (6 August)
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS The Feast of the Transfiguration (Metamorphosis) of Our Lord Saviour, Jesus Christ, is one of the major events that took place within the travelling ministry of Christ, and is...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Feastday of the Ecclesial New Year (1 September)
Introductory Remarks Within our present-day globalised societies whereby nations and peoples are all closely interlinked it has become common practice to accept the 1st of January as the beginning of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
THE UNIVERSAL ELEVATION OF THE PRECIOUS AND LIFE-GIVING CROSS OF CHRIST (14th...
Festal Prologue The official title of this solemn feastday is “The Universal Elevation of the Holy and Life-Giving Cross” (Η Παγκόσμιος Ύψωσης του Τιμιού & Ζωοποιού Σταυρού); but is better known...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Saint Ephraim the Syrian’s 100 Stanzas on the Nativity
*1. This is the day that gladdened them, the Prophets, Kings, and Priests, for in it were their words fulfilled, and thus were the whole of them indeed performed! *2. For the Virgin this day brought...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Homilies on the Feast of Saint Stephen the Protomartyr (27 December)
HOMILY ONE – BY SAINT GREGORY OF NYSSA How lovely is the inspiration exhibited by those who are good, and how sweet is the joy which they disclose! See, we acquire a feast from a feast and grace from...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Discourse On the Day of the Baptism of Christ
We shall now say something about the present feast. Many celebrate the feastdays and know their designations, but the cause for which they were established they know not. Thus concerning this, that...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Our Lady the Mother of God and the Paraclitic (Intercessionary) Canons
Our Most Holy Lady, the Ever-Virgin Mary is a wonder and mystery which not even the angels can understand: “Heaven was astonished and the ends of the earth amazed, for God appeared bodily to mankind,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
THE NATIVITY FAST – ECCLESIAL GUIDELINES
*(I.) CANONICAL ORDER *1. The period of the Nativity Fast begins on November 15 (the day after the Feast of St. Philip, 14 November) and ends on 24 December.[1] *2. During this period, on Mondays,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
WHY THE NATIVITY FAST HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED
The Orthodox Church prepares its faithful to welcome the Nativity of Christ in a worthy manner by means of a 40-day Nativity fast, which lasts from November 15th to December 25. Besides generally...
View ArticleClik here to view.
HOW DID THE CONTEMPORARY NATIVITY FAST COME TO BE?
The first mention of a preparatory period before Christmas is mentioned in a decree of the Council of Saragossa (380). The Council Fathers stated that every Christian should daily go to church from...
View ArticleClik here to view.
THE DIVINE FORTY LITURGIES AND THE NATIVITY FAST
The Nativity Fast in the Orthodox Church begins on November 15th. From that time until December 17th (or some observe December 12th) we fast from meat, milk products, and eggs, though fish is allowed....
View ArticleClik here to view.
SAINT GEORGE KARSLIDIS – ON FORTY LITURGIES
By Monk Moses the Athonite *1. When he would Liturgize he would become another man. Those attending church would hear various sounds from the Holy Altar from his heavenly visitors. They would kneel...
View ArticleClik here to view.
THE PROMISE TO ABRAHAM FULFILLED IN CHRIST
St. Ireaneus, Against Heresies, Book 4, Chapters 7, 10, 11, 23 Therefore Abraham also, knowing the Father through the Word, who made heaven and earth, confessed Him to be God; and having learned, by...
View ArticleClik here to view.
ST JOHN OF KRONSTADT – ON THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST
THE WORD BECAME FLESH A Sermon by St John of Kronstadt on the Nativity of Christ The Word became flesh; that is, the Son of God, co-eternal with God the Father and with the Holy Spirit, became human –...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Why Jesus Had To Be Virgin Born: St. Maximus the Confessor Explains
By Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos Pleasure and Pain According to St. Maximus the Confessor In his Centuries on Theology St. Maximus the Confessor refers to the nexus of the dualism of pleasure and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
NATIVITY DISCOURSE OF ST. GREGORY THAUMATURGOS
Saint Gregory Thaumaturgos, who lived from about 213 AD until about 270 AD, was the Bishop of Neo-Caesarea. We behold now a great and wondrous mystery. Shepherds with cries of joy come forth as...
View ArticleClik here to view.
NATIVITY SERMON OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
I behold a new and wondrous mystery! My ears resound to the Shepherd’s song, piping no soft melody, but chanting full forth a heavenly hymn. The Angels sing! The Archangels blend their voices in...
View Article