The Holy Zoni (Belt) of the Theotokos to visit Patras, Greece

The Holy Zoni (Belt) of the Theotokos to visit Patras, Greece (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. On Friday November 4th, 2016, the Belt of the Theotokos will be taken to the Church of St. Andrew in Patras, Greece. This is part of the weeks of celebration in honor of St. Andrew First-Called Apostle in the city of Patras, where he was martyred and where his holy relics are treasured to this day. The Belt of the Theotokos will remain until November 9th, 2016.

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. Please pass this on to any friends or family and take advantage of this great gift.
     

Most-holy Theotokos, save us!

"Having the myrrh of Christ within your soul, O Demetrios..."

St. Demetrios the Great Martyr and Myrrh-streamer (source)

  
Having the myrrh of Christ within your soul, O Demetrios, you poured forth noetically from your members as if from your lips, a free-flowing spring of myrrh, showing you to be a sacred dwelling-place of the grace of the Spirit.

As the divine David cries in the Spirit, the joyous unity of the brethren is as myrrh*, O Glorious One, for your myrrh which is greater, O wise one, the new creation, has gathered into unity

O blessed one, the thirsty Christ picked you, the ripe grape cluster, from the divine vine, and having placed you within wine vat of Martyrdom, you were trampled upon, as he made the divine spring of your myrrh to be as new, sweet wine.
-Excerpts from the Canons of the Matins from the feast of St. Demetrios
  
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*"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments" Psalm 133:1-2
  

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

St. John of Kronstadt: "God is my strength"

St. John of Kronstadt (source)

  
I myself am all infirmity and misery. God is my strength. To know this is to me the highest wisdom, making me blessed.
-St. John of Kronstadt, "My Life in Christ"

(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 on praying ceaselessly

St. Luke the Surgeon, Archbishop of Simferopol (source)

  
To pray ceaselessly does not mean solely to read prayers, to do prostrations and to go to church. Things aren't like that. We can pray ceaselessly always and wherever we find ourselves. The only thing that we need is for our heart to have a prayerful disposition. It should be humble and to ceaselessly mourn for its unworthiness and sinfulness. Full of fear [or awe] before the grandeur of God, Whom we insult with our sins. If our heart is thus, then we will always be in prayer, at work and at home.
-St. Luke the Surgeon

(source)
  

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