Homily on Sts. Sophia and her Daughters, by Metropolitan Avgoustinos Kantiotes

St. Sophia and her daughters: Sts. Faith, Hope and Love (source)

  
Homily on Sts. Sophia and her Daughters, by Metropolitan Avgoustinos Kantiotes
After the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, our Church celebrates, my beloved, the memory of Saints Sophia and her three daughters: Faith, Hope and Love.

St. Sophia was born, according to the Synaxarion, in a great city of Italy. She lived during the era of early persecutions, which, as is known, lasted for at least three centuries.

During that era, for one to be a Christian, it was costly. It cost one positions, honors, money, and even this life. Millions were sacrificed then for the love of Christ. With this heroic spirit, St. Sophia lived as well, and thus raised her daughters.

It is not possible to not rouse the evil of persecutors. They seized her, therefore, together with her daughters, and led them before the governor. He gave them the opportunity of three days in order to make a response, and possibly change their minds. But, after three days, the mother and her daughters remained unshakable in their dedication towards our Lord Jesus Christ.

The mother had fear that her daughters might deny Christ, because they were very young. The first, Faith, was twelve years old. Hope was ten. and Love was nine. Despite this, their weak flesh was strengthened by the grace of God, and they endured martyrdom with unprecedented boldness.

They locked them in prison. They beat them with whips. They pierced them with fiery arrows. They threw them in cauldrons of boiling water. However, like the Three Youths in the Furnace, thus, these three girls hymned God, as those around heard the hymn harmoniously: "Praise ye the Lord, and exalt Him beyond measure unto all the ages."

In the end, the three were beheaded by the sword of the tyrant. Their martyrdom was followed by that of their holy mother.

St. Sophia and her three daughters teach us, my beloved, that, if we wish to be faithful Christians, that Christianity will cost us. And the more faithful we are, the more it will cost us.

Many of us have become successful in this world. We find a myriad of ways to justify our seemingly proper and scandalous station. And later with think that we are Christians. Woe to us, if we do not set as a foundation the heroic mindset which defined the holy martyrs. These three little girls should censure the world. And their mother, St. Sophia, censures those mothers who are upset and tremble, thinking that through their fasting, prayer and reading, that the bodily strength of their little girls will be lessened.

The Martyrs are the greatest censure of our lukewarm, miserable and thrice-wretched Christianity.

However, St. Sophia and her three daughters teach us not only through their martyrdoms, but also through their names.

The name "Sophia", what does this teach us? "Wisdom", we hear in Church when the Priest holds the Gospel and raises it, showing it to the whole multitude of the faithful. The Gospel, in other words, is full of wisdom. There is no wiser book. Wisdom is Christ Himself, the Logos of God. Do you remember the wondrous apostolic reading which we read three days ago, on the feast of the Cross? He said: "But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." (I Corinthians 1) Christ is wisdom, truth and life.

St. Sophia, therefore, through her name, brings to mind that we must seek from God the illumination of divine wisdom. The names of her three daughters bring to mind the three great theological virtues.

Faith! Awesome power, light, a star, foundation and root. Oh, if there were within our hearts this virtue! We could even bring down the stars from the heavens to the earth, and we could melt the mountains, and even the greatest hindrances would be solved. Do we have faith? If we had faith, 100% faith, the world would be different. But today, people don't even believe 1%. Take almost any Christian and ask him, and you would see that he is full of doubts, totally full of "ifs." If one has an "if", then you don't have faith. Faith is to believe 100% in reality that which our holy Church teaches us.

Hope also brings to mind that, in this world, we have a need for life-giving hope, which would warm us like the sun. The Christian who believes that God is a loving and nurturing Father, an almighty Father and all-wise, he would hope that all those things that God promised, all kinds of great and uplifted and indescribable good things, He will give to him.

And finally, Love, with her name reminds us of the fulfillment and the crown of the virtues. In this world of hatred, egotism, greed, and other evils, love today has grown cold. It is truly a terrible thing, as the sacred Chrysostom says, for us to see the sun be quenched one day. But it is even more terrible for love to be quenched. It is better for the sun to be quenched than for love to be quenched, because it is the sun for our souls. And Christ Himself prophesied, that there will come a cursed day, in which the sun of love will be quenched, and cold and frost will reign upon the earth. (Matthew 24:12)

We are speaking about love, but we don't possess love. Love is a heavenly thing, which is ineffably joined with humility, with obedience, with discipline, the great virtues. It is not something indiscriminate, like ecumenists reach, like worldly people teach. Love differs from love. There is carnal love, love of money, love of small and meaningless things. And there is furthermore love for one's father and mother, which, in the final analysis, also contains something physical. The love which Christ brings to the world, however, has the wings of an eagle, and flies to the third Heaven, and makes man a Cherubim and Seraphim.

Love, therefore, not only for relatives and friends, not just towards Christians, but love for the whole world. Love, even for those who crucify you! For we have Christ as our prototype, Who is love crucified. This love we must have as well.

My beloved, if one were to ask now which of these three virtues are the greatest, the greatest is the third, love. Its beauty is indescribable. The Apostle Paul paints all of this in his beautiful sayings on love, which we have properly heard in vain to this point. "If," he says, "I spoke in the tongues of men and Angels," even if I have done miracles, even if I distribute my earthly goods, even if I go to martyrdom and shed my blood, "and I have not love, then I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." "I am nothing." (I Corinthians 13:1-2)

These, my beloved, I have to tell you. Believe, in this age of faithlessness. Hope, in this age of hopelessness. Love, in this age of hatred. And first and foremost, keep love, which, as the Apostle Paul says, remains eternally. (ibid 13:7)

For what is Paradise? Is it rivers, crystalline springs? Is it the songs of the Angels, the Cherubim and the Seraphim, is it the Saints, the Martyrs, is it that whole and beautiful world, and indescribable good things? It is these things. But first and foremost, it is love, the love of God towards man. If I took out love from Paradise, immediately Paradise would become Hell.

That Paradise we ourselves should seek, if we sense the dawn of love, if we believe unshakably in the Lord, and if we have steadfast hope in the promises of God unto the ages.

Then, in the heights of Heaven, together with St. Sophia and her three daughters, Faith, Hope and Love, we will hymn the Triune God, saying: "Praise ye the Lord, and exalt Him beyond measure unto all the ages."
(+) Bishop Avgoustinos

Recorded from a homily that occurred in the Chapel of St. Sophia of the Orphanage of the "Agape" Brotherhood of Florina on 9/17/1970, (source)

  

Sts. Sophia, Faith, Hope and Love (source)

  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

Homily on the Nativity of the Theotokos by Metropolitan Avgoustinos Kantiotes

The Nativity of the Theotokos (source)

 
Homily on the Nativity of the Theotokos by Metropolitan Avgoustinos Kantiotes
There was once a pious couple, Joachim and Anna. They believed and worshiped God and fulfilled His holy commandments. However, they did not have any children. Anna was barren, barren like stone or marble. Could a rose ever take root from a piece of marble? In the same way, naturally, from her womb it was unable for a child to come forth. And she was not only barren, but she was advanced in years, an old woman. She had reached the age in which women no longer bear children.

However, that couple prayed and entreated continuously. And God hearkened to their prayer, and Anna became pregnant. On December 9th, we celebrate the conception of St. Anna, and later, after nine months, on September 8th as we celebrate today, she brought into the world a grace-filled little girl, and named her Maria. The name Maria, after the name of Jesus Christ, is the sweetest in the world, and is always upon all of our lips. Maria means the Lady, the Mistress of Heaven and earth.

This, in a few words, is the story of her nativity.

The Nativity of the Most-Holy Theotokos is first of all, a consolation for childless couples. There are also couples today who, despite their wishes, cannot bear children. They run to doctors and midwives, they run to clinics, travel overseas, and spend an incredible amount. They even run to wizards and witches--a great sin. However, they do not bear a child. But God can work His wonder. What wonder? Let the faithless disbelieve, we believe. I know a couple who tried for 20 years to have a child, and suddenly, the woman became pregnant. A wonder, that kept even the physicians and famous midwives speechless, how it could be possible for a barren woman to bring forth a child. Therefore, today as well this miracle continues to occur as it did in the Old and New Testaments, and today we have women who have given birth with faith in God.

But when a woman, for reasons that are known only to divine providence, does not bear a child, she must never loose hope. What does St. Kosmas say? "You don't have a child to raise? Find an orphan near you, feed him, clothe him, take care of him, and your reward will be great."

This is a consolation therefore to those who do not have children, but also it is a teaching for those who have children. This is very important and it cannot be exhausted, I will only add the following.

The child, you wrongly call your own. Of course it is yours, but chiefly, it is of God. What a great mystery! Do not look on this with disdain. For during birth the laws of nature work as God ordained. However, as from a seed God gave the power to bring forth a whole tree, thus, through the small and humble nature of a woman and a man--I do not say this disparagingly--was given the power of new creation. Man, the father and the mother, are co-creators with God. And the child that appears is a wonder.

As the earth in the beginning was "without form and void" (Genesis 1:2), thus is the child within the womb of its mother. What is it in the beginning? An embryo. But how, over the course of nine months, does a heart form, then eyes, hands, feet? And when it is time, it falls from the womb like fruit from the tree. A fruit is a miracle. A child is a miracle. It calls for our wonder. I knew a man who was faithless. I tried to convince him to believe with proofs, but he remained faithless. When he got married and his wife bore their first child, and he heard its cry, then he came to believe in God! Because of this, many times faithless people do not choose to have families or get married.

Therefore, have you given birth to a child? You have a responsibility. And like Joachim and Anna made provisions for the proper raising of the Most-Holy Theotokos--and Panagia owes much to her parents--thus parents must care for their children. As the sacred Chrysostom says: "I will call you a father not when you have born a child, but when you have raised the child as God desires." The first word that the child should learn is the word "Christ". The first movement that they should learn with their little hand should be the sign of the Cross. The first lesson they should learn should be to kneel before Christ to do their little prayer. And when you sit at the table, you should say they we do not eat until we pray. And at night, when the stars come out, they should kneel together for family prayer. And if they show forth some evil deed, some weakness, you should not be complacent. You should correct him. And if he says a bad word, you should advise him. Thus, you will teach him to believe in God.

Therefore, be careful. The child from a young age learns either good or evil. I will give you two examples and close. In one village of Grevena, I met someone who, while at that time the whole village was blaspheming, he did not blaspheme. This made an impression on me. I called him and asked: "How did you learn not to blaspheme?"
He said "When I was a small child, I heard a blasphemy. When I went home I repeated it senselessly. As soon as my grandmother heard it--it was winter then--she took a coal from the fire and burned the tip of my tongue. Look at my tongue," he said, "it is still burnt. From then on, I learned not to blaspheme."***

[***Note: Neither the Metropolitan nor I am encouraging this type of corporal punishment or torture of anyone (God forbid!). But his point is how seriously this child's grandmother took the roots of sin in the family, and how she sought to correct it in the way that she knew. May we, with gentleness and firmness and love (not out of anger), correct bad habits in those we are responsible for, when they first appear, teaching them the consequences of our actions before God.]

And hear another example. When I was traveling through Evia, in one village I heard through a wall a blasphemy. Such a blasphemy I had never heard in my life. I looked, and what did I see? Unbelievable. A father had at his knees a grace-filled child two or three years old, and was teaching him to blaspheme God...How do the stars not fall upon us?!

Therefore, parents have a great responsibility. Have you given birth to a child? You must take care to make him a child of God. Because he will either become a child of God, or a child of the devil. It is better to not bear a child, than to raise him to be a criminal. When the child is raised as God desires, as Joachim and Anna raised the Most-Holy Theotokos, then, one day, people will say: "Blessed parents, God bless the father and mother that bore such a child!" Otherwise, one would hear cursing. Therefore, it is not enough to have children, even to have many children, but, as the Church prays, that they might have many children and "Kalliteknoi" [A beautiful word meaning the bearing of beautiful and grace-filled children.]

This is a very important issue. I will not exhaust it with only a few words. Parents and children, let us entreat God that we might become mothers like St. Anna that we are celebrating today, that we might become fathers like St. Joachim, that we might become women like the Virgin Mary. Then, this earth would be transformed. If not...even though I hope in God, our nation will be saddened.

O mothers, O our holy grandmothers, with nothing but a simple barley loaf or a pita in your hands, make the sign of the Cross and break and distribute it. My child, make our Cross and say..."We ate pita and barley bread, and it tasted like butter, because it had the blessing of God." Today, we eat meat continuously, and illnesses have multiplied. We have become the biggest meat-eaters. And the result? The children from a young age die of heart disease, and run to London for surgeries.

O, our holy faith! Whatever you teach, whatever you preach, are holy. And whoever goes against the Church, against the bonds of the Church, whoever he is, small or great, will be turned to ashes. Because of this, remain close to the Church! Remain steadfast near God, and you will have the blessing of the Most-Holy Theotokos, and all the Saints. Amen.
(+) Bishop Avgoustinos
(From a sermon delivered in Kato Kleinai, Florida, on September 8th, 1986, source)
   

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

Metropolitan Pavlos of Siatista: "What does Christmas mean to us?"

This is a beautiful recording of a Greek talk with English subtitles from Metropolitan Pavlos of Siatista of blessed memory (who reposed almost a year ago exactly, on January 13th, 2019) on the meaning of Christmas and on finding Christ in the feast as the source of our true joy. May he have a blessed Paradise, may we have his blessing, and may our newly-born and baptized Lord save His children! Amen! (source)

  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

St. Porphyrios on Prayer for Children

An Orthodox Family (source)

  
St. Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia once gave advice to a mother regarding her child:
"Your child has an internal problem, that's why he is acting this way. The child is good, he doesn't want what he is doing but he is being forced, he is bound by something. He is not corrected with logic, and you can't force him with advice, nor with threats. This will work the opposite.
  
He may get worse, he may remain as he is, or he may be changed for the better. But for him to change, his mother must be sanctified. For him to be freed, he wants a holy person to be near him, who, with much love, will teach him, not to strike fear in him, but to live with holiness, and the child that sees him will be zealous to imitate him.
  
More than anything, the child needs near him a person of much and fervent prayer. Prayer works wonders. The mother is not sufficient with her physical caress of her child, but should struggle to spiritually caress him with prayer.
  
When a mother goes to caress without prayer, the child reacts and pushes away the hand of his mother. When, however, without caressing him, she mystically does so with her prayer, then his soul senses something unexplainable, and this spiritual caress attracts him to his mother.
  
The mother in her prayer for her child must melt like a candle. She should pray silently and with her hands lifted up high to Christ, so that she might mystically embrace her child.
(source)

 

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

Church of Greece appoints Day for the Protection of the Unborn Child

The Theotokos greeting Elizabeth, and the Precious Forerunner bowing to Christ in their wombs (source)

  
Church of Greece appoints Day for the Protection of the Unborn Child
On July 9th, 2019 the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece decided to formally address the issue of abortions in the country. The movement "Let me live" was received with joy and gratefulness, and they appointed the First Sunday after Christmas (on which the Church reads the Gospel of the Slaughter of the Holy Innocents by Herod), as a day dedicated to the protection of the life of the Unborn Child. They mention specifically that: "Faithful to the Word of the Gospel and the Tradition of our Orthodox Church, [the Church] proclaims the truth, that the unborn child is a person, an icon of God, from the moment of conception, and she struggles for the protection of its life unconditionally and without presuppositions."
(source)
   

Icon of the slaughter of the Holy Innocents (source)

  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

Elder Aimilianos: How does the Holy Trinity create a person?

The Holy Trinity creating Adam (Source)

  
Elder Aimilianos of Simonopetra: How does the Holy Trinity create a person?
‘At one exceptional and unique moment in history, the heavenly Father wished to create the material world. Once this had been done, He then went on to make the human body, in collaboration with the other two Persons of the Holy Trinity, and breathed the ‘breath of life’ into it. So God’s creation became ‘a living being’ [2]. God then ceased merely to hover above the waters [3] and entered into the created and material elements and living things. He dwelt in a unique, supreme being who became the king and the reason for the creation. Now the reason for the creation is God Himself. From that moment, the conjunction, the path towards identification and union with God became inevitable, and it’s now impossible to conceive of the human person, the image of the invisible God, without the Holy Spirit.
  
 So the Holy Spirit, as one of the Persons of the Holy Trinity, collaborates in the birth of every person. Together with the Father and the Son, He gives to the maternal womb the material which is taken from the father and mother, and the embryo thus conceived is flesh, dust. We people give birth to dust: we’re dust and return to dust [4]. To this dust, the parents give all the capacities and characteristics of their personalities, they give themselves, the image of their flesh.
  

What the heavenly Father did to the first human person, He also does at the birth of every one of us, the difference being that then He first created the dust and afterwards breathed into it the Holy Spirit, whereas now the Holy Spirit enters the person as soon as conception occurs. So from the very first moment, the embryo is alive and is a person, because it’s received the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It has rational control, is a complete image of the divinity and, until its last moments, bears the features of divine and human nature, unfailingly and unabatedly. There is also internal communication within the person between the human and divine nature, as there is in Christ.

  

It follows, then, that at everyone’s birth there are, on the one hand, divine actions and, on the other, a human contribution, in accordance with the ancient saying and will of the Godhead: ‘increase and multiply’[5]. The husband and wife, one flesh- ‘you shall be one flesh’ [6]- communicate with the Holy Spirit, and the all-powerful Son brings everything together, puts everything into the womb of the woman and in this way we have a complete person, both God and human. The new persons, created by God and created for God, are endowed, at baptism, with divinity, with the charismatic life, at which point the Holy Spirit becomes the inheritance of their existence. From then on, they’re constantly being challenged internally by the Holy Spirit and also project from themselves the sparks, the light of the divinity. In this way, the dust of the earth becomes a radiant life, through vigilance’.

(source)

 

The Creation of Adam (source)

  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

St. Luke of Simferopol: "Let us always entreat God for everything that we need without any hesitation..."

St. Luke of Simferopol (source)

  
Let us always entreat God for everything that we need without any hesitation and without having within us the thought that it does not suit the grandeur of God to entreat Him for our daily needs. Like little children we should always stretch out our hands to God seeking everything without hesitation. With the hope and the faith that children have, let us wait for His help, of course if that which we are seeking is according to His will.
-St. Luke of Crimea the Blessed Surgeon
  
(source)
  

St. Luke of Simferopol (source)

     

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

Fr. Andreas Konanos on Anxiety and Stress

This is a good talk from Fr. Andreas Konanos, a popular preacher in Greece in recent years. Fr. Andreas has a very light-hearted, positive style and tends to discuss a lot of topics in a spiritual manner that resonate with people today. This talk is on anxiety and stress, and the role of our bodies, minds, relationships and our spiritual life in affecting our lives (with English subtitles). I hope his wide-ranging and wise thoughts and advice may be helpful and give consolation to many who continue to suffer daily.

(source)

  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

St. Luke of Simferopol on the Raising of Children

Christ blessing the Children (source)

 
"Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life."
(Mark 10:29-30)

This word of the Lord is not a lie. I confirm to you that, when I left my children and entrusted them to God, He took care of them.*** My children grew up well and I think that even I couldn't raise them so well. And my Lord granted me a hundred-times more children. He gave me all of you. He gave me your hearts, because I know how much you love me and I return your love with my own fervent love. So many children has God given to me!

And your own children must be educated. But do not only make plans for their education in outward wisdom, in the wisdom of this world.  They should learn at the same time the wisdom from above, and the highest truth. They should learn the law of God and the commandments of Christ, to learn with reverence how to always have the memory of God and the true Christian path. Only then will your children not be lost on the ways of human wisdom. Only then, above all else, they will have Christian wisdom, the knowledge of God. In this way, therefore, we must educate our children.

You will have to give an account before God for the evil examples that you give to your children, for the arguments that occur before their eyes, for the chatter that they hear you say. If you yourselves do this, then what will your children learn from you?
  

Christ blessing the children (source)

  

We must begin this effort from the beginning, because only very small children easily receive our advice and suggestions. Their soul is like a soft candle, which every one of your words or deeds make an indelible impression on, whether good or evil.

"A small plant, wherever you train it, that shape it will take, and a new container will bring forth either fragrance or stench based on what you fill it with, placing in it either perfumes or filth." (St. Tikhon of Zadonsk)

Mother, the most beloved person for the child, the source of tenderness and nourishment, stands in prayer before the icon of Christ. The child looks at her then at the icon and does not need long explanations about what is happening. Here is the first and silent lesson of godly knowledge. This is the first and most significant lesson of piety. This lesson you can and you must give to your children.

There is no greater responsibility for the mother, no holier work, for which you will have a responsibility before God, than the raising of your children. To God you will have to give a word if you are negligent before this work. And from now you will begin your tortures and you will shed bitter tears and you will groan seeing your children.

Therefore: "Do not neglect one of these little ones." (Matthew 18:10) You must take care of your children, that you might be for them an example of the true Christian life, and then the blessing of the Lord will be with all of you and with your children unto the ages of ages.
(source)
 
***Note: St. Luke was forced to leave his children when he was exiled and tortured on behalf of Christ.
 

Icon of St. Luke the Blessed Surgeon of Simferopol and Crimea, from the newly-built and beautiful Church of Sretensky Monastery (source)

 

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

Akathist to Sts. Emmelia, Nonna and Anthousa, the Mothers of the Three Hierarchs

Sts. Nonna, Emmelia and Anthousa, the Mothers of the Three Hierarchs: Sts. Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom, commemorated after the Sunday of the Feast of the Presentation of Christ to the Temple (source)

  
Akathist to Sts. Emmelia, Nonna and Anthousa, the Mothers of the Three Hierarchs
  
Kontakion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone. O Champion General.
The chaste Mothers of Basil, Gregory and John, let us praise with odes: Emmelia, Nonna and Anthousa, for they raised their children in piety, and together with them they rejoice and intercede for those who now cry out: Rejoice, O godly Synaxis.
  
Angels with men rejoice fervently at your divine Synaxis (3), and together, with odes they hymn Emmelia, faithful Nonna and Anthousa, standing before them in wonder before their radiant lives, crying out:
Rejoice, through whom joy has shinned forth,
Rejoice, through whom the faithful are radiant.
Rejoice, the restoration of fallen men,
Rejoice, the consolation of saddened souls.
Rejoice, compassionate Mother filled with mystical grace,
Rejoice, vessel of the pious life.
Rejoice, for you now take pasture with the Angels in heaven,
Rejoice, for you ceaselessly intercede to the Trinity.
Rejoice, for your received chaste light of grace,
Rejoice, for your wisdom shown forth to the ends of the earth.
Rejoice, through whom creation is gladdened,
Rejoice, through whom the Creator is glorified.
Rejoice, O godly Synaxis.

The multitudes of the Orthodox, beholding your life, and all your virtue that are most clearly revealed, cry out at your wondrous deeds surpassing nature, therefore they bend their knee and honor your person, O Mother, crying out: Alleluia.
  

St. Emmelia (source)

  
Being filled with knowledge in your life, O Mother Emmelia, you served in your home, therefore without glory but with great piety, you bore and raised ten children, who cry out to you things like these:
Rejoice, wise deliverer of those in dangers,
Rejoice, fervent prayer of faith.
Rejoice, ever-flowing spring of reverence,
Rejoice, lily of the grace of virtuous life.
Rejoice, ladder bearing up the faithful towards heaven,
Rejoice, most-fervent intercessor, bringing requests to Christ.
Rejoice, you who speak among the choirs of heavenly minds,
Rejoice, for you share the dwelling of the Venerable Saints.
Rejoice, radiant adornment of mothers,
Rejoice, example for families.
Rejoice, protector of the faithful home,
Rejoice, good worker of the Lord.
Rejoice, O godly Synaxis.
  

Divine power from heaven was sent by Him Who beholds all things, to enlighten your nous, full of knowledge and wisdom, in which God came to dwell, O Emmelia. Therefore, you ever hasten to pray to Him and ceaselessly chant: Alleluia.

  

St. Nonna (source)

  

Having your nous on the things above, you ceaselessly prayed, dissolving the bonds of barrenness, and you struggled ascetically, O Nonna, increasing the streams of your tears, fasting and continence, therefore we honor your pains, crying out:

Rejoice, branch of unfading root,

Rejoice, fruitful tree of the faithful.

Rejoice, myrrh-vessel of the virtues of the Spirit,

Rejoice, the most-divine praise of the faithful.

Rejoice, dwelling-place that estranged temptations,

Rejoice, wailing and pain towards the assaults of the demons.

Rejoice, for you pour forth the streams of healings,

Rejoice, the baptismal fount of your spouse.

Rejoice, fervent incense of intercession,

Rejoice, you who drive away satan the deceiver.

Rejoice, you who lead us towards salvation in God,

Rejoice, our entreaty towards Christ.

Rejoice, O godly Synaxis.

O Mother Nonna, you cast out troubling frenzy and dark and soul-destroying thoughts, cleansing your nous, and you teach mothers by both theoria and praxis to build up virtue and to be pleasing to God and chant: Alleluia.
  

Sts. Emmelia, Nonna and Anthousa (source)

  
Sekoundos saw you and took you as his wife, O Anthousa, who then bore John. But straightaway, as a young mother, you became a widow, but you continued to raise him in faith, praying for him, therefore we rightly cry out to you:
Rejoice, the offspring of Antioch,
Rejoice, the crown of a pious home.
Rejoice, the deliverer from various enemies,
Rejoice, good dwelling-place of the married life.
Rejoice, for the heavens rejoice with the earth,
Rejoice, for those on earth praise your life.
Rejoice, the God-inspired mouth of reverence,
Rejoice, you who bore the great weight of widowhood.
Rejoice, radiant support of the faith,
Rejoice, brave example of tender love.
Rejoice, through whom idols were removed from the earth,
Rejoice, through whom satan was deposed.
Rejoice, O godly Synaxis.
  
O Mother honored by God, sacred Anthousa, you were shown to be a pillar of chastity for the Antiochians, therefore, Livanios the Rhetor praised you as a Christian mother, as we cry out: Alleluia.
  

St. Emmelia (source)

  

You preached to all righteously, through your godly mind and your righteous deeds, and you were seen to be a philanthropist and a lover of your children, to whom the faithful, having received charity through you, O Mother Emmelia, hasten, saying with fervor:
Rejoice, radiant offspring of Caesarea,
Rejoice, glory of the pious faithful.
Rejoice, the censure of the deceitful demons,
Rejoice, the unwavering psalmody of the Trinity,
Rejoice, you who educated and raised your children in Christ,
Rejoice, you who taught faith and piety in God.
Rejoice, the unsleeping protector of your children,
Rejoice, you who with faith drove away the assaults of the deceiver.
Rejoice, divine preaching for the senseless,
Rejoice, you who make known meekness to the faithful.
Rejoice, tool of every divine virtue,
Rejoice, wise and motherly protection.
Rejoice, O godly Synaxis.
     
Your life became a preacher for Cappadocia, O Emmelia, wife and mother, therefore, together with your spouse, and your five children Saints, showing forth to the Church Basil the Great, while they chant unto God the hymn: Alleluia.
  

 St. Nonna (source)

  

The divine Nonna shown forth radiantly with piety, transmitting her faith to her children, whom she raised in a godly manner with good words and deeds, granting Saints to the Church of Christ, therefore we cry out to you tunefully:
Rejoice, uplifting of the pious,
Rejoice, healing for those ailing.
Rejoice, the unquenchable lamp of the Church,
Rejoice, the unspeakable glory of Nazianzus.
Rejoice, sea drowning the pains of temptations,
Rejoice, vessel pouring forth myrrh, watering the faithful.
Rejoice, fiery pillar of prayer with tears,
Rejoice, the protector of children and mother of Saints.
Rejoice, unending nourishment of the poor,
Rejoice, chaste boast of Mothers,
Rejoice, guide of the faithful towards truth,
Rejoice, from whom spring forth divine streams.
Rejoice, O godly Synaxis.
  
Remaining in church in prayer, O Nonna, God paradoxically loosed the bonds of barrenness, granting you three children straightaway, O Mother, and to Him Who granted them to you, you offered thanksgiving, crying out to the Fashioner: Alleluia.
  

St. Anthousa (source)

  
Bringing to mind Christ's victory over death, you were patient in your widowhood, O Anthousa, and you nurtured him with motherly tenderness together with godly words, therefore to you was granted that great Hierarch of Christ, who cries out:
Rejoice, the radiance of chastity,
Rejoice, the mother of truth.
Rejoice, the speedy deliverer of all,
Rejoice, the nourishment of prayerful mothers.
Rejoice, breath of the divine Spirit which refreshes the faithful,
Rejoice, most-radiant vessel which nourishes mortals.
Rejoice, you who direct the Antiochians to God,
Rejoice, the guide and protector of those of godly mind.
Rejoice, entreaty to the righteous Judge,
Rejoice, divine consolation for sinners.
Rejoice, Rejoice, holy stole of virtues,
Rejoice, desired food of Paradise.
Rejoice, O godly Synaxis.
  
Truly strange are the awesome and godly things that we see in you, O Anthousa, as you lived your life in holiness and chastity, and with endurance withstood everything, fasting and casting out the multitudes of demons, and chanting: Alleluia.
  

St. Nonna (source)

  
You became wholly illumined, and a vessel of God-pleasing prayer and of the Spirit, Who came to dwell within you truly,  O Nonna, and we wretched ones, coming to know the fullness of the Godhead through you, in faith cry out to you in hymns:
Rejoice, gate of the ineffable mysteries of God,
Rejoice, chaste pillar of chastity.
Rejoice, harshest censure of heretics,
Rejoice, the exceptional praise of the Orthodox.
Rejoice, cloud spread out above the road to the heavenly Sion,
Rejoice, mirror of the Spirit and dwelling-place in the heavens.
Rejoice, you who supported your brethren in pain,
Rejoice, you who led those deluded towards God.
Rejoice, through whom the enemies are driven away,
Rejoice, through whom are defeated those who war against us.
Rejoice, fulfiller of faith and motherhood,
Rejoice, firm exposer of satan.
Rejoice, O godly Synaxis.
  
All natures of Angels were astonished, beholding your life in the flesh equal to the Angels, for God Who is unapproachable, gave you truly wondrous grace, O Nonna, and after your repose, He showed you forth to all the faithful as one working wonders, for those who cry out: Alleluia.
  

St. Nonna (source)

  
You were shown to be wise before the rhetors of faithlessness, by your chaste life, for you led those deluded by heresy and the demons, O Mother, towards the light, preaching with faith, directing towards Christ, therefore we cry out to you:
Rejoice, treasury of the wisdom of God,
Rejoice, vessel of His graces.
Rejoice, two-edged sword against atheism,
Rejoice, ready blade against those of evil life.
Rejoice, for terrible heretics were deposed,
Rejoice, for in you the land of Antioch was gladdened.
Rejoice, divine adornment of all mothers,
Rejoice, speedy deliverer of those who pray to you.
Rejoice, radiance of the light of the Sun,
Rejoice, deliverance of faithful men.
Rejoice, you who made known the traps of satan,
Rejoice, you to whom was granted the Golden-tongued [Chrysostom].
Rejoice, O godly Synaxis.
  
Save all through your prayers, O all-honored Mother, ceaselessly entreating the Lord, as we embrace your image with joy and all piety, and for the honor that we show you, you grant in return even greater things, for those who hymn you, O Anthousa, chanting: Alleluia.
  

Sts. Nonna, Anthousa and Emmelia (source)

  

Ranks of the Bodiless [Angels] counted your life and received your motherly spirit, for the Creator truly sanctified you, O Emmelia, Whom you pleased with pain, teaching the faithful to cry out to you:
Rejoice, O pillar of chastity,
Rejoice, O gate of compassion.
Rejoice, you who raised your children tenderly,
Rejoice, You who nursed them with godly milk.
Rejoice, for you taught them faith in Christ,
Rejoice, for you led them towards reverence to God in all things.
Rejoice, spouse of the priest Basil,
Rejoice, mother and all-joyous nourisher of Saints.
Rejoice, famed rejoicing of the faithful,
Rejoice, chaste nourishment of mothers.
Rejoice, speedy helper and deliverer,
Rejoice, fervent intercession towards the Master.
Rejoice, O godly Synaxis.

Receive these divine hymns, O Mother Emmelia, which we offer in faith, seeking that we be delivered from many temptations and trying circumstances, from passions and from the fires of hell, through your prayers to the Lord for those who cry out: Alleluia.
  

St. Emmelia (source)

  
You pleased the Light-giver and Master through your faithful life, O Nonna, together with your spouse, for in you dwelt the uncreated light, leading you towards perfect knowledge of God, therefore we proclaim Christ’s wonders and cry out to you:
Rejoice, boast of your fatherland and your race,
Rejoice, our mighty weapon.
Rejoice, you who touch pious souls with the Spirit,
Rejoice, the divine root of Nazianzus.
Rejoice, for you truly heal illnesses,
Rejoice, for you wondrously redeem from the wounds of the soul.
Rejoice, the prayerful defender and protector,
Rejoice, you who stand beside those who mourn with joy.
Rejoice, you who raised your children with tenderness,
Rejoice, seal of the faith in the Trinity.
Rejoice, divine lighthouse of the light of Christ,
Rejoice, unfading strength of the faithful.
Rejoice, O godly Synaxis.

O divine Emmelia, grant grace to those who in faith and hymns honor your icon, and grant to those with fervor holy and spiritual fruit, godly zeal for virtue, readiness towards repentance and a good defense before God, chanting: Alleluia.
  

St. Emmelia (source)

  
The divine members of the choirs of the faithful praise you, O Mother Anthousa, and we honor your feast, rejoicing and praying with vigilance, offering our entreaties which you receive, and you grant even greater things to those who hymn you:
Rejoice, divine stole of grandeur,
Rejoice, joyous pillar of chastity.
Rejoice, ark and temple of holiness,
Rejoice, treasury and vessel of divine grace.
Rejoice, defender of the faith and salvation of the faithful,
Rejoice, sacred boast of pious mothers.
Rejoice, the unassailable pride of the Church,
Rejoice, the greatly-fervent horn of the Orthodox.
Rejoice, through whom the world was illumined,
Rejoice, through whom Chrysostom has shown forth.
Rejoice, humble and living protector of the faithful,
Rejoice, the intercessor for the salvation of souls.
Rejoice, O godly Synaxis.

O choir of Saints, Anthousa, with Nonna and Emmelia, the lights among mothers (3), those who chant this ode to you, deliver from every trying circumstance, and intercede to God for the salvation of those who cry out in faith: Alleluia.

And again the Kontakion.
  

(source)

 

Sts. Emmelia, Nonna and Anthousa before their sons, the Three Hierarchs (source)

     

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

An Orthodox Prayer for the Victims of Abortion

Icon of Christ and the Holy Innocents (source)

An Orthodox Prayer for the Victims of Abortion
O Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son, Who are in the bosom of the Father, True God, source of life and immortality, Light of Light, Who came into the world to enlighten it: You were pleased to be conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary for the salvation of our souls by the power of Your All-Holy Spirit. O Master, Who came that we might have life more abundantly, we ask You to enlighten the minds and hearts of those blinded to the truth that life begins at conception and that the unborn in the womb are already adorned with Your image and likeness; enable us to guard, cherish, and protect the lives of all those who are unable to care for themselves. For You are the Giver of Life, bringing each person from non-being into being, sealing each person with divine and infinite love. Be merciful, O Lord, to those who, through ignorance or willfulness, affront Your divine goodness and providence through the evil act of abortion. May they, and all of us, come to the light of Your Truth and glorify You, the Giver of Life, together with Your Father, and Your All-Holy and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
(source)
  

Icon of the Holy Innocents (source)

  

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!