St John Chrysostom’s Sermon on the Nativity According to the Flesh of the Christ

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 harmony! The Cherubim hymn their joyful praise! The Seraphim exalt His glory! All join to praise this holy feast, beholding the [...]

Read Full Post »

The Blessed and Holy Nativity of our Lord God and Savior Jesus the Christ

“Then the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the son of the Highest; and the Lord God will [...]

Read Full Post »

Audio of the Funeral Vigil for Archbishop JOB up at AFR

John Maddex has done yeoman’s work to get the mp3 audio of the funeral vigil for Archbishop JOB up on the AFR site. I saw John literally only a handful of hours ago (as of this post) at the conclusion of the vigil, and when I got up this morning, the podcast was ready for [...]

Read Full Post »

Our Father Among the Saints, the Holy Hieromartyr Ignatios the Godbearer, Bishop of Antioch

Troparion of St Ignatius the Godbearer Tone 3 Soaring with love for Him Who holds thee in His hands,/ thou wast shown to be a God- bearer, O Ignatius./ Thou didst finish thy course in the West/ and pitch thy dwelling in the unwaning day of the heavens./ O righteous Father, entreat Christ our God [...]

Read Full Post »

Christmas and the Cross: Distinctions of Faith

While I do not believe that Faith and Reason are opposites, it is the case that Faith is a mystery to Reason. The moment we attempt to analyze faith we lose it, as though attempting to hold still in our peripheral vision that glint of light which flashes and is gone. Despite this, I’m going [...]

Read Full Post »

Christmas Eve in the Gulag

This from a 1987 AGAIN magazine article (link opens a Word document file) on Pastor Richard Wurmbrand’s experience in a Soviet prison, regarding an Orthodox priest and the man who tortured him, in the pastor’s own words: When I was in jail I fell very, very ill. I had tuberculosis of the whole surface of [...]

Read Full Post »

Saint Lucy, Virgin Martyr

Troparion of St Lucy of Sicily Tone 5 Adorned with the radiant robe of virginity,/ thou wast betrothed to Christ the Lifegiver,/ and didst disdain all mortal love./ Therefore thou didst bring to the Lord as a bridal gift/ the streams of thy martyr’s blood./ Intercede with Him for us all, O Virgin Martyr Lucy. [...]

Read Full Post »

The Blessed Repose of Saint Herman of Alaska, Patron of the Americas

Troparion of St Herman of Alaska Tone 4 Blessed ascetic of the northern wilds/ and intercessor for the whole world;/ teacher of Orthodoxy, instructor of piety,/ adornment of Alaska and gladness of America,/ holy Father Herman, pray to Christ our God that He may save our souls. Kontakion of St Herman of Alaska Tone 8 [...]

Read Full Post »

Our Father Among the Saints, Spyridon of Tremithus

Troparion of St Spyridon Tone 1 Thou wast a champion of the First Council and a wonderworker,/ O Godbearing Father Spyridon./ Thou didst speak to one dead in the grave, and change a serpent to gold;/ and while thou wast chanting the holy prayers the Angels were serving with thee./ Glory to Him Who has [...]

Read Full Post »

The Third Kind of Monks

From St. Benedict’s Rule: The third kind of monks, a detestable kind, are the sarabaites. These, not having been tested, as gold in the furnace, by any rule or by the lessons of experience, are as soft as lead. In their works they still keep faith with the world, so that their tonsure marks them [...]

Read Full Post »