The Holy Belt of the Theotokos to visit Veria, Greece

Elder Ephraim of Vatopedi Monastery bearing the Holy Belt (Zoni) of the Theotokos, on their recent trip to Russia (source)

I post this especially for the women, children, or anyone else who may be unable to reach Vatopedi Monastery to venerate this wondrous treasure from the Theotokos. Please take advantage of receiving the Panagia's blessing, if you are able.

During the celebration of the 20th "Pavleia" [celebration in honor of St. Paul] of the Holy Metropolis of Veria, Naousis and Kampanias, on June 24th at 6:30PM, the Holy Belt [Zoni] of the Theotokos from the Great and Holy Monastery of Vatopedi [Mount Athos] will arrive in Veria.

The program of the arrival consists of the reception on Metropoleos street of the the town by the Mayor, and continues with a litany of the Holy Belt to the Metropolis Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, where they will be put forward for veneration by the faithful.

The Holy Belt will remain in the church until June 30th at 11AM, at which point it will leave again for Mount Athos.

Every day the following feasts will be celebrated:
7-10AM - Orthros and Divine Liturgy
11:30AM - Paraklesis
6:00PM - Vespers
8:00PM - Paraklesis

The Church will remain open from 7am to 10pm.
(source)

For the website of the Metropolis, see here.
   

Most-holy Theotokos, save us!

St. Luke of Simferopol: On the Power of the Good Word

Jesus Christ: The Great Shepherd of the Sheep (source)

 

St. Luke Archbishop of Simferopol, the Surgeon: On the power of the good word, and mercy towards sinners

“And Jesus passing by there saw a man sitting at the tax office named Matthew, and He said to him: 'Follow me.' And he arose and followed Him.” (Matthew 9:9)

Who was this Matthew, who later became a great apostle and evangelist? He was a publican and collected taxes. The people hated tax collectors and perceived them as sinners, for they performed many injustices in order to obtain more money for themselves. And this man, whom everyone perceived as wretched, and whom they distanced themselves from, the Lord called, saying to him: “Follow me.”

Only two words, and these began a revolution in the soul of the publican. He arose immediately, and threw down his money and followed Christ.

What does this mean? It means that the call of Christ can summon within the soul of man a revolution. In the lives of the Saints there are many examples of men who returned to Christ after one word of the Gospel. From my experience, I know that one good word can startle the soul of the sinner, as it startled the soul of the tax-collector Matthew. People who are choking in sin, thieves, robbers, and murderers, when you tell them a good word and show them the love, condescension and reverence of your person, are moved greatly.

And we sinners, weak and insignificant men, with one word of love and reverence can move and startle the hearts of sinners, as did the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember this, and never condemn sinners, that we not stigmatize them, but offer to them love, showing reverence to their person, even if they themselves do not honor it, and though they have trampled upon it.

“And there was a dinner in the house, and behold many tax-collectors and sinners came to dine with Jesus and His disciples. And behold the Pharisees told His disciples: 'Why does your teacher dine with tax-collectors and sinners?' Jesus, hearing them, said to them: 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what it means: 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.'” (Matthew 9:10-13)

The Pharisees resented that the Lord Jesus Christ socialized with sinners, harlots and tax-collectors. They disdained these people and perceived it as unclean to communicate with them. They never spoke to them, but they spoke ill of them, and condemned their behavior.

We know that harlots washed the feet of the Lord Jesus, and wiped them with their hair. Never did they hear from him a word of rebuke. He forgave them, saying: “Go and sin no more.” (John 8:11)

The Pharisees were unable to comprehend Christ's behavior, and they were displeased at his stance towards sinners. But the Lord responded to them with the following: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” (Matthew 9:12) He came to save sinners. With love He embraced every sinner and sought to lead them to salvation. Of the Pharisees who complained about him, He said: “Go and learn what it means: 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.'” (Matthew 9:13) The Scribes and Pharisees placed their hope of salvation in their sacrifices and their prayers, and the Lord says that He does not desire sacrifice, but mercy, mercy towards sinners.

Sacrifices were necessary in the Old Testament, because they were a foreshadowing of the One Sacrifice which the Lord Jesus Christ offered upon the Cross at Golgotha. When this Sacrifice was offered, the other sacrifices lost their meaning and intention, and because of this we do not offer them any more.

Now, the Lord does not expect any sacrifice but mercy. He expects from us compassion towards all sinners and those disdained. Our behavior towards these people should be the same as that which He showed. Let us not act as if anyone, anyone is lower than us. Let us behold our own sins and not those of the other, let us obtain humility and meekness, imitating His humility and meekness. Let us love and be gracious towards those disdained and those humbled, in order to offer them spiritual help, showing care towards their salvation.

The Lord says that when we prepare a table, we should not call people who could call us back for a meal, but paupers and the destitute. He wants us to do this with love, and to always offer with empathy to people whom the world despises, calling them filthy and scoundrels.

Our Lord gave us paradoxical and wondrous commandments. He said that He does not desire sacrifice, but mercy, mercy towards all those who need it. A great, uncountable multitude of people await someone to show them compassion, to tell them one word of love and consolation. People wait for someone to show them tenderness and to help them, but instead of this, they meet coldness and indifference around them. But above this, from some, even Christians, they see disdain and disgust.

In the eyes of God, he who thus disdains his brethren commits a grave sin. In all things we must be imitators of the Lord and follow His example. Let us follow Him, therefore, and not perceive ourselves as higher than our neighbor, whatever he may be—thief, murderer, or robber—for in the eyes of God, we might all be worse than him.

Let us always remember how the Lord behaved towards sinners, how He spoke to the tax-collector Matthew and how He spoke to other tax-collectors, harlots and sinners, and because of this brought about the rage of the Pharisees. Let us not be like the Pharisees, but let us imitate our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

   

(amateur translation of text from: St. Luke Archbishop of Crimea. Words and Homilies, Volume II. Edition of “Orthodox Kypseli”, Thessaloniki. Source)

   

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

St. Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia on the Holy Spirit

The Patriarch Abraham showing hospitality to the Three Angels, and the depiction of the Holy Trinity (source)

 
And now, the Holy Spirit desires to enter our souls, like then [Pentecost], but He honors our freedom, He does not want to violate it.

He waits for us to open the door on our own, and then He enters our soul, and He will transfigure it.

When He comes to dwell within us, the whole region of our soul is Christ, and then all problems, all delusions, all worries flee.

Then sin also flees.
 
(amateur translation from source)
 

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

St. Luke the Surgeon and St. Ephraim in the Operating Room

St. Luke the Surgeon and St. Ephraim of Nea Makri (source)

 

"My name is X. P., I am 46 years old, and I live in Northern Greece. In 2004, I was operated on for a brain tumor. After three and a half years, it appeared again. I visited plenty of doctors, but none would agree to operate on me. I was very depressed and disappointed. Ultimately, I found a doctor who agreed to dare to try this difficult intervention. My relatives told me to go venerate St. Luke, who was a physician, and that he would help me, like he helped the others. I made the decision and went to venerate and to pray in the city G. where there is a church of St. Luke. There, I met a pious and humble priest, Fr. K. He gave me strength and courage, and served the Paraklesis for me. I confessed, communed, and left for surgery. One night, I saw in my dream St. Ephraim, and he told me not to worry, and that everything would go well.

On March 13^th 2007 I entered the operating room. Even though I was sedated, I could see the doctors that were operating on me, together with St. Luke and St. Ephraim. St. Luke was operating, wearing small circular glasses, and holding an old scalpel. St. Ephraim, however, was holding my hand, telling me not to be afraid, and with his left hand bombarded my head with light. When the surgery finished, I went to the ICU, and again St. Luke appeared before me, telling me: “I was there with you in the operating room.”

I replied: “I know.”

Exiting the operating room, I heard my surgeon tell me: “This is the first time I had such and easy surgery.”

I want to note that I knew nothing about these two saints [before they appeared]. From then on, they became my guardian angels."

P. X.
 
(amateur translation of text from source)
 

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

Heavenly King, Comforter

The Holy Spirit depicted in the form of a dove, as part of the "Preparation of the Throne" of Christ (source)

   

Heavenly King, Paraclete, [Comforter] Spirit of Truth, present everywhere, filling all things, Treasury of blessings and Giver of life; come and dwell in us, and cleanse us of every stain, and save our souls, O Good One.

 

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

The Uncovering of the Relics of St. Myron of Crete

St. Myron Bishop of Crete - Commemorated August 8th (source)

 
The Uncovering of the Relics of St. Myron of Crete
Portions of the Holy Relics of St. Myron of Crete were found on May 12th, 2014, in the church that bares his name, in the village Agios Myronas. These are portions of bones around 200 in number, which were buried within the Church.

The bones are 16 centuries old, as the Saint appears to have lived between 300 and 400 AD. The area is associated with ancient Rauko, where the uncovering of the Relics occurred with the presence of the Archbishop, and by the decision of the Ecclesiastical Council, and took place on May 12th of this year. The revelation of the bones occurred, according to both the faithful and the priests, through dreams and signs. At the Divine Liturgy this Sunday, they will be put forward for veneration.

With the presence of the Archbishop of Crete, the uncovering of the Holy Relics took place, and the images are astonishing.

Specifically, they removed the marble tile, and a short time later experienced unforgettable moments. They crossed themselves and venerated the Holy Relics.

As is alleged, the faithful saw a dream of St. Myron, who asked them to remove him from his grave, taken together with other witnesses that the Head Priest indicated the place were the Holy Relics of the Saint were placed, in the tomb.

His life and deeds are inexplicably linked with the ancient city of Rauko, which was the homeland of the Saint, and in his honor, it was later named "Agio Myrona".

The dormition of the Saint is dated to around 350AD.

"Here, for the past year, St. Myron has asked to be taken from his grave. Villagers dreamed of the Saint, along with the head priest Fr. Emmanuel Papadake. Since 1860, the relics of the Saint were gathered within one place within the tomb.

"We were informed by the villagers, and when we came to believe that this was not a delusion, we informed the Archbishop of Crete, who gave his permission, which was confirmed by the Ecclesiastical Council. We were very anxious" related the head priest of the Holy Church of St. Myron, Fr. Nikolaos Kritsotakes.
(amateur translation of text from source)
   

The dormition of St. Myron of Crete (source)

   
Life of St. Myron of Crete

Saint Myron, Bishop of Crete, a wonderworker, in his youth was a family man, and worked as a farmer. He was known for his goodness, and he assisted everyone who turned to him for help. Once, thieves burst in upon his threshing floor, and St Myron himself helped them lift a sack of grain upon their shoulders. By his generosity the saint so shamed the thieves, that in future they began to lead honorable lives.

Out of profound respect for the saint, the Cretan people urged him to accept ordination to the priesthood in his native city of Raucia, and afterwards they chose him Bishop of Crete.

Wisely ruling his flock, St Myron received from the Lord the gift of wonderworking. At the time of a flood on the River Triton, the saint stopped its flow and went upon it as upon dry land, and then he sent a man back to the river with his staff to command the river to resume its course. St Myron fell asleep in the Lord at the age of 100, around the year 350.

(source)
   

The Holy and Newly-revealed Relics of St. Myron of Crete (source)

   

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

A miracle of St. Paisios

Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain (+1994) (source)

 
This miracle of Elder Paisios occurred for a police officer, Mr. A.X. in Thessaloniki, as he himself relates:
"On June 8th, 1986, I was on duty in my police service, near the central hospital of Thessaloniki, when I was hit by a "Molotov" bomb. I suffered serious trauma. In the Hospital "Hippocrates", where I was transferred, they let me be, because they thought that death would come soon. I remained in life, but I had lost all contact with my environment. The Elder [Paisios], from the first instant I met him, told me: "You will suffer greatly, but you will live."

"After a few days, I somewhat came to my senses. But one day, however, I felt as if I were dying, and I told the nurse: "My sister, I'm dying, I'm dying." I began then to ascend and leave the earth, to travel among the stars and continue through the galaxies. This is the explanation I gave at that instant. I kept ascending, ascending, and before me went a light, like a lit lamp. Straightaway the journey stopped. I began to move in reverse and landed. I found myself in the hospital, with a tracheotomy and doctors around me, looking at me.

"Five days later, I met the Elder in Souroti. He embraced me, kissed me, and I began to relate how I died. He cut me off, saying: 'Hey, my blessed one, we went together to the other life and returned. Didn't you see me?' Then I understood what that light was that I saw."
 
Amateur translation of text from source: Geron Paisios Enas Sygchronos Agios (Elder Paisios, a Modern Day Saint), published by Papademetriou, Athens, 2009, pg. 78.
   

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