Saturday, November 11, 2017

"You received trials of pain surpassing nature, O Champion..."

St. Menas the Great Martyr and Wonderworker (source)
 
You received trials of pain surpassing nature, O Champion, for your divine eros was not held by nature,  and forgetting your own nature, you were stirred up to increase your trials, rejoicing as you proceeded towards further beatings.
-from the Matins Canon of St. Menas
 
(source)
 
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

Thursday, November 9, 2017

St. Nektarios healing a child with osteomyelitis

St. Nektarios the Wonderworker (source)
 
"In 1996, at the age of 7, my twin brother was hit with a rare illness and we went to the Children's Hospital "Agia Sophia" for a whole month. The doctors, after a few days, believed that my brother had osteomyelitis. They told me that it could even be worse than they thought! They told us that he must go to surgery.

In the evening, before the day of his surgery, my brother saw in his sleep St. Nektarios. He showed him a red geranium, and told him to pick it from the bones of the Saint [i.e. the flowers on top of the Holy Relics]. In the morning, he told the dream to our grandmother, who slept that night in the hospital with him, and he asked her if there was a Saint named Nektarios, and he tried to describe the flower (he didn't know the name, because he was only seven years old), saying it was the flower that we have in the house!

The surgery occurred and it was a success!

The next day, he saw in his sleep the grave of St. Nektarios on Aegina, and he told us that he was sitting underneath the pine tree which is above his tomb. I should tell you that we had never gone to Aegina before. We later went as a family to venerate the Grave of the Saint in thanksgiving, and we were struck to see red geraniums that St. Nektarios gave him on top of his tomb! From then on, the Saint is the protector of our family, and most likely always was, even though we didn't know it..."
(source)
 
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

"The Lord, wishing to make known upon the earth..."

St. Nektarios the Wonderworker, Bishop of Pentapolis (source)
  
"The Lord, wishing to make known upon the earth the glory that has been given to you in the heavens, O wise one, showed forth your divine relics to be a spring of healings and many wonders, O all-blessed one."
-from the Matins Canon to St. Nektarios
  
(source)
  
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

Monday, November 6, 2017

"You are lifted up upon the Angels, as upon horses..."

The Synaxis of the Holy Archangels (source)
 
You are lifted up upon the Angels, as upon horses, O Lover of mankind, and You show Your hand pulling their reins, and your riding works salvation to those who cry out without ceasing: Glory to Your power, O Lord.

You Who ineffably united the things of heaven with those on the earth, O Christ, you made into one Church both angels and men, and we without ceasing magnify You.
-From the Matins Canons to the Holy Archangels
(source)
 
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

Friday, November 3, 2017

Elder Zacharias of Essex: "Thoughts and Comments on the Crisis in Christianity Today"

Elder Zacharias of Essex: "Thoughts and Comments on the Crisis in Christianity Today" (source)
   
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Sts. Kosmas and Damian: "Who would not wonder?"

Sts. Kosmas and Damian the Holy Unmercenaries (source)
   
Who would not wonder? Who would not glorify? Who would not faithfully hymn the wise and glorious wonders of the Unmercenaries? For also after their holy translation, they grant to those who hasten to them healings richly, and their precious and holy relics pour forth the grace of hearings. O holy Dyad! O precious heads! O wisdom and glory, of the grace granted to you from God! Therefore we sing hymns to the benevolent God, Who showed them to be for healing of souls and bodies.
-Doxastikon of the Orthros Aposticha, in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone
   
   
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

Friday, October 27, 2017

The Holy Belt of the Theotokos to visit Four Cities in Greece

Elder Ephraim of Vatopedi carrying the Holy Belt of the Theotokos (source)
     
The Holy and wondrous Belt (Zoni) of the Theotokos, one of the only treasures of the Theotokos to have survived to our days, and treasured by the Monastery of Vatopedi on Mount Athos, will soon make one of its rare trips outside of the Holy Mountain. This is a great and rare blessing for the people of Greece, especially for women, children, and others who cannot visit the Monastery of Vatopedi themselves. Many miracles occur through the Theotokos, especially helping couples that have difficulty having children.

The Holy Belt of the Theotokos will be in:
-Nea Ionia, Attica - November 3rd - 13th, 2017
-Larissa - November 14th - 19th.
-Mesolonghi - November 19th - 22nd.
-Agrinio - November 22nd - 25th.
(source)
  
Please pass this on to any friends or family and take advantage of this great gift!

Most-holy Theotokos, save us!