"I wish that our Virgin Mary will hold your hand until you set foot in Heaven!"

 "I wish that our Virgin Mary will hold your hand until you set foot in Heaven!"

Elder Isidore the Blind

The Virgin Mary is the ladder by which God

 "The Virgin Mary is the ladder by which God descended to earth and the bridge over which souls cross to Heaven. In every sigh of ours, She bends first. In every tear of ours, She pleads before us. And every time the soul darkens, the Virgin Mary becomes the star that illuminates it."

 + Saint John of Damascus

When an angel of the Lord announced to the Virgin Mary the event of her Transfiguration, she, filled with joy,

 

When an angel of the Lord announced to the Virgin Mary the event of her Transfiguration, she, filled with joy, hurriedly ascended the Mount of Olives to pray, and then a strange miracle occurred: the trees that were planted on the mountain bowed their tops as if they were alive and rational, and thus they bowed down and paid due respect and honor to the Mother of God and Lady and Mistress of the world.

According to John of Thessaloniki (7th century), the humble Virgin Mary then wondered if Jesus was invisibly present, because nature’s respect was rather directed towards Him. However, the angel assured her that these signs came from God. He also informed her that at the time of her death, Jesus himself would be present to accompany her soul, flanked by armies of angels. Immediately afterwards it disappeared like a light in the sky.

When the Divine Liturgy is celebrated, Christ Himself officiates, borrowing the mouth and body of each priest!

 “When the Divine Liturgy is celebrated, Christ Himself officiates, borrowing the mouth and body of each priest!

Christ is the Offerer and the Offered.

The priest does not sacrifice Christ, but Christ sacrifices Himself.

The priest does not officiate with the help of Christ, but Christ officiates with the help of the priest.

The Divine Liturgy is celebrated in memory of the Nativity, Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension of the Lord!

First the Soul receives Communion, and then the Body….

Without Divine Communion we cannot become dispassionate.

If someone does not receive Communion continuously and regularly, he cannot defeat the enemies (Demons) and of course he will not be able to progress spiritually.

I hear some say:

I have received Communion and I do not feel anything….

The changes that take place within us are slow and secret, because our faith is small.

The first thought that we will have, immediately after Holy Communion, will reveal what Grace we have received, and what is the fruit of this great Gift on earth.

If the first thought that will sprout in the intellect is humble, is the acquisition of self-reproach, is the fruit of self-knowledge, then we have Communed well.

Otherwise, someone can Commune, but Christ can immediately come out of him.

When we Commune, Holy Communion, that is, Christ, does not go to the stomach, He goes to the soul.

Holy Communion, although it is bread and wine, is transubstantiated into the Body and Blood of Christ, which is spirit, it does not contain material ingredients, therefore it goes directly to the soul.

It nourishes the soul, which is graced, sanctified and deified.

This Grace of the Holy Spirit is then transmitted to all the cells of the body.

Thus, first the soul communes, and then the body.

That is, it sanctifies both the body and the soul!

+Elder Ephraim, of the Holy Skete of the Apostle Andrew, Mount Athos.

The greatest harm of our time is not that people do not go to Church.

 “The greatest harm of our time is not that people do not go to Church. It is that they want to go on their own terms. They want a Christ who fits into their schedule, a Divine Liturgy tailored to their needs, and a Holy Communion without effort, without waiting, without preparation. But this is not an ecclesiastical mentality, it is the worldly spirit that has entered the spiritual life. The Church does not adapt to our convenience. We are called to adapt our lives to the rhythm of the Church.

And do you know what is the saddest thing? They call parishes and monasteries and ask us: “What time does Holy Communion come out?” What question is that, my child? What kind of person who truly loves Christ can ask this question? It is as if they were saying: “Tell me when to come, so that I may miss as much of the Divine Liturgy as possible and keep only what serves me.” If someone loves a person, he does not ask when the meeting will end, he asks when it begins, so as not to lose a single minute. But when the heart grows cold, then he always seeks the minimum. How long should I stay? When will it end? How long will it last? These are not questions of love. They are questions of a heart that has not yet tasted the sweetness of God’s presence.

From “Blessed is the Kingdom” the entrance to Heaven begins. It is not a phrase that precedes the Liturgy because it is the very beginning of the Kingdom. Saint John Chrysostom says that during the Divine Liturgy the earth becomes Heaven and the angels concelebrate with people. Saint Nicholas Kavasilas teaches that every part of the Divine Liturgy prepares the soul for union with Christ. So who dares to despise this course and only come at the end? The Divine Liturgy is not cut into pieces. We do not take only what we like. Whoever cuts the Liturgy to his own measure will slowly cut the Gospel to his own measure.

Let me tell you something that hurts. For a theatrical performance we arrive half an hour early. For a cinema we sit patiently until the credits have even finished. For a flight we are at the airport an hour or two early. Let us not lose our seat. Let us not miss the beginning. Let us not miss anything. But in front of Christ we do not have the same sensitivity. There we are content with catching the line for Holy Communion. This shows that the problem is not time. It is love. Where love is, time is also found.

Saint Symeon of Thessaloniki writes that every act of the Divine Liturgy has a theological meaning and leads man to participation in the Divine Mysteries. Nothing is superfluous. No utterance, no supplication, no “Lord, have mercy.” Everything educates the heart. Everything purifies the mind. Everything prepares man to stand before the Terrible Mystery. So when we despise the principle, in reality we despise the pedagogy of the Church. And then we risk getting used to even the most Holy things.

Let us pay attention to this. Holy Communion is not a right that we must seize. It is a gift that we must deserve. And no one deserves it because he was in the Church at the right time, but because he let the Divine Liturgy work within him from the first blessing to the last “For the sake of the Lord.” The saints did not seek the minimum. They did not ask “how much should I do?” They asked “how can I love Christ more?” That is where true Church life begins. All the rest are conveniences that comfort the conscience, but do not heal the soul.”

Monk Theoktistos of Kris

What do you do when your child doesn't listen to you?

"Parents should respect their children's freedom. If they have any objections and resistances, parents should tell their child once, twice, three times. That's enough, no more. Because they can be wrong. There are cases where parents' prejudices turned out to be wrong. Sometimes they turn out to be true, but even if they are true, the child has the right to make a mistake. His freedom is absolute. You as a parent will state your objection, the logical arguments you have, but that's enough. You won't do anything more. If the child is going down dangerous paths, you should cover him more with your prayer and beg God to help him. Not to turn a blind eye and make his life a torture and medicate the child and then he doesn't know what to do."

 

Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol

The Holy Spirit is not visible.

 The Holy Spirit is not visible.

He is Light!

He came into the world and did not leave. He moves with a great noise, but no one hears it! He passes by everyone constantly, but he sets up camp where there is repentance.

Divine things are fragrant.

They bring peace, tranquility and paradise to the soul and control for our messes. I see in the Light that God is everything and I am nothing…”

“Oh, oh! Light! Light! Other than this light.

Angels sing. Joy, exultation, a festival. As if you were in a blooming orchard.

 The poor in hell see the joys of the righteous and languish even more.”

These, my child, are the sweets that God gives to old people like me so that we may turn to repentance.

May you have the blessing of the Holy Trinity, the God of Lights, the only true God.

“The Holy Elder Galaktia of Crete”, “Theomorphou” publications of the Holy Metropolis of Morphou.. (p. 86)(p. 134).

The humble person takes all the faults upon himself.

 The humble person takes all the faults upon himself.

The proud person passes them on to others.

The humble person glorifies and thanks God for everything!

The proud person is never happy and everything bothers him...

Saint Evmenios of Saridakis

How will we know that the Holy Spirit has come and dwelt in our hearts?

 

How will we know that the Holy Spirit has come and dwelt in our hearts?

When you see in your heart love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, and faithfulness, these are the Holy Spirit.

You cannot see the Holy Spirit, but you will feel his actions.

When you see someone angry, spiteful, or wicked, does this person have the Holy Spirit?

Saint Anthimos of Chios

"Look at yourself, which friends will you choose ...

 "Look at yourself,

which friends will you choose ...

because when you find yourself in difficulties,

you will run to them!!!”

 

When you choose a friend..

let him be in your life as a "brother",

because you will run to him!!!"

Friendship as the result of a healthy soul is sacred, pure, whole, faithful, stable, honest, courageous, true, eternal. Friendship is a virtue, because it is founded on ethics and good conduct.

Friendship as a virtue, is attracted by the similar, and rests on related virtues. It is a bond of two similar souls.

It is the result of a prudent soul and connects friends with deep love.

 

Friendship has a stable and uncompromising ethic. Friendship is a kind of moral pleasure that pleases the soul. Friendship always endures, sympathizing and supporting. Aristotle has said: “Friendship is a soul that dwells in two bodies.”

 

Friendship is stronger than kinship love, because kinship love is a work of necessity, but friendship is based on the will. Friendship dictates reverence for the sacred things of friends, purity in behavior, integrity in morals, faith in character, stability in decisions, sincerity in words, courage in saying what is right and beneficial and in speaking the truth.

 

Friendship is the support for the happiness of two good people, because only between good people can true friendship develop. Plato says: “Friendship is unity in favor of the good and just; the will for a common way of life, the same way of thinking and acting, a life with harmony and good mood so that there is unity, companionship in both pleasant and unpleasant things.”

 

There are three types of friendship; that which is based on virtue, that which is founded on interest, and that which exists out of habit. However, friendship for the sake of virtue is excellent, because it is strengthened by the virtue of love....

 

(Excerpt from “TO GNOTHI SAVTON. Texts of self-knowledge” by Saint Nektarios of Pentapolis, where he refers to and speaks about the importance of friendship....)

About hate

“Do good those who hate you” Matthew 5:44

”If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. ”John 15:18

“But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” I John 2:11

“You shall not hate your brother in your heart” Leviticus 19:17

 “Whosoever hates his brother is a murderer; 1 John 3:15” because in his heart he desires to kill him, whose blood we know that he has certainly not shed among men with his own hand or with a weapon; yet, owing to his burst of anger, he is declared to be a murderer by God.” Saint Cassian the Roman

“It is a disease to let love cool down. You should never stop saying: "No matter how much you hate me, I will never stop loving you". Thus you banish the cooling of love.” Saint Chrysostom

“As we benefit ourselves when we love our fellow men, so we punish ourselves when we hate others.” Saint Chrysostom

“Do not hate, but love; nor did He merely command to love, but also to do good, as it follows, Do good to them which hate you. For they who pierce their own souls deserve tears and weeping, not curses. For nothing is more hateful than a cursing heart” Saint Chrysostom

Entrust your future to God’s providence.

 

“Be careful how each day passes.

Entrust your future to God’s providence.

God will help.

Whatever God’s will is, it will be done.

Do not think or burden your mind about the future.”

 

Saint Jerome of Aegina

If someone does not receive Holy Communion constantly, he cannot defeat the enemies (demons), nor progress spiritually.

 If someone does not receive Holy Communion constantly, he cannot defeat the enemies (demons), nor progress spiritually.

I hear some say:

- I have received Holy Communion and I do not feel anything!

The changes that take place within us are slow and secret, because our faith is small.

The first thought that we will have, immediately after Holy Communion, will reveal what Grace we have received and what is the fruit of the greatest Gift on earth.

If the first thought that will sprout in the intellect is humble, is an acquisition of self-reproach, is the fruit of self-knowledge, then we have received Holy Communion well.

Otherwise, someone can receive Holy Communion, but Christ will immediately leave him.

When we receive Holy Communion, Christ does not go to the stomach, he goes to the soul... He nourishes the soul, which is graced, sanctified and deified.

This Grace of the Holy Spirit is then transmitted to all the cells of the body. Thus, first the soul receives Holy Communion, and then the body. That is, both the body and the soul are sanctified.

 

+ Elder Ephraim of the Skete of Saint Andrew

Let yourself be persecuted, do not persecute…

 Let yourself be persecuted, do not persecute…

Let yourself be crucified, do not crucify…

Let yourself be wronged, do not do wrong…

Let yourself be slandered, do not slander...

Be kind, do not repay evil with evil…

Do not hate the sinner…

Remember that you too are a partaker of earthly nature, and be beneficial to all.

 

- Saint Isaac the Syrian

The voice of Satan and The voice of God

 The voice of Satan            The voice of God              

He creates obsessions       He calms down         

He is filled with worry     He comforts      

He condemns                       He checks in                  

He discourages                     He encourages         

He’s confusing                     He illuminates         

He’s pressing                        He guides               

He’s scary                              He reassures    

He rushes things                  He calms down

 

Incense has blessing, it has grace, it has power against demons

 Incense has blessing, it has grace, it has power against demons, so use the incense and censer, cense there in the iconostasis, next to the lamp.

During the time of Prayer, morning and evening and noon, and when there is tension in the house - the house will change atmosphere, change colour, become fragrant, serious, peaceful, loving, and the souls will become rejuvenated.

I remember a child, a little boy who was 15 years old, when he saw his parents fighting he would immediately go and light incense and cense them. He would incense his dad and mom!

“Make peace”, he would tell them. “I am a child, what examples will I take from you? Make peace, dad and mom”. With the presence of our all Holy God, the Shelter of our Virgin Mary, the gentle fluttering of the angels, along with the incense in the house, clearly misunderstandings and disturbances disappear.

Temptations and demons have no place in this beautiful house. So, do not fail to incense your house, and your shop and your work if possible, and I will close with “Incense, incense, incense”.

While censing we should chant troparions, whatever we remember, and when we are incensed we should bow our heads and make the sign of the Cross.

Incense transforms the house into a Church at home.

And I repeat that it drives away demons and temptations.

The souls of all the relatives are filled with Divine Blessing through incense.

 

- D. Papadaki

Elder,” he said, “the world is filled with evil. Everywhere I see injustice, lies, and darkness.

 Once a young man went to Saint Paisios very disappointed.

— “Elder,” he said, “the world is filled with evil. Everywhere I see injustice, lies, and darkness. What can I do on my own?”

The Saint did not answer him immediately.

That evening he took him to a small room. He closed the door and turned off the light. The room was plunged into absolute darkness.

— “Drive out the darkness,” he said.

The young man began to wave his hands, to blow, to look for a way to drive it away. No matter how hard he tried, the darkness remained.

Then the Saint lit a small candle.

Immediately the whole room was illuminated.

The Saint looked at him with love and said:

— “See? You don’t fight the darkness. You turn on the light. That’s how it is in life. Don’t constantly dwell on evil. Make sure you become light: with prayer, kindness, humility and love. A little light is enough to defeat a lot of darkness.”

The young man left the cell with tears in his eyes, having understood that the greatest change in the world begins in our own hearts.

Do not let evil disappoint you.

Be an example of love and kindness.

The light of Christ, no matter how small it may seem, is stronger than any darkness.

“Do not fight the darkness. Light the light of Christ within you and the darkness will go away by itself.”

-Saint Paisios

This too shall pass!

  

This too shall pass!

I will face the world with a smile, because everything is in reality temporary!

When sadness weighs on my heart, I will console myself by saying that this too shall pass!

When I am inflated with the joy of success, I will warn myself that this too shall pass!

When poverty crushes me, I will tell myself that this too shall pass!

When I am buried in riches, I will tell myself that this too shall pass!

Really, where is the one who built the pyramid? Isn’t he also buried under its stones? And won’t the pyramid be buried under the sand one day?

Since everything will pass, why should I worry today?

From the magazine “TA KRINA”

For a barefoot man, happiness is a pair of shoes.

  

“For a barefoot man, happiness is a pair of shoes.

For someone who wears worn-out ones, it is a new pair.

For someone who has new ones, an even more beautiful pair.

But for someone who cannot walk, happiness is standing on his feet, barefoot or not.

Measure happiness by what you have, not by what you lose.”

In the last years, evil and heresy will have spread so much that the faithful will not find a priest

 In the last years, evil and heresy will have spread so much that the faithful will not find a priest and shepherd to protect them from error, and to advise them in salvation...

Then, the faithful will not be able to accept safe instructions from people, but their guide will be the writings of the Holy Fathers. Especially in this era, each believer will be responsible for the entire fullness of the Church...

+Saint John Maximovich (+02/07)

Give the other a smile...

"You who are in the Monastery, when you approach your brother, you who are a husband, when you approach your wife, you who are a father, mother, when you approach your child... whatever you are going to say to him, whatever you are thinking of saying to him, say it, after first saying two words to him that will give him joy, comfort, a breath.

Make him say, I am relieved, I am glad! Make others boast of you, love you, jump for joy when they meet you.

Because all people in their lives, in their homes, in their bodies and in their souls have pain, illnesses, difficulties, suffering, and each one hides the pain in his secret pocket, in his heart, in his home, so that others do not know.

So I do not know what pain you have and you do not know what pain I have.

I can laugh and shout, play, but deep down I am hurting, and I laugh and shout, to cover up my sadness.

Therefore, give the other first a smile, a prayer.”

+Elder Emilian of Simonopetri.

Smile

 

SMILE: A smile is a way to solve many problems.

SILENCE! But silence is the way to avoid many of them!

Message of the day July 9, 2026

 Let yourself be persecuted, do not persecute...

Let yourself be crucified, do not crucify...

Let yourself be wronged, do not wrong...

Let yourself be slandered, do not slander...

Be kind and not harsh with evil.

Do not hate the sinner...

Remember that you too are a partaker of earthly nature and be of benefit to all.

Saint Isaac the Syrian

You will see...

 You will see...

You will see prostitutes become saints.

 You will see adulterous men become as gentle as lambs.

 You will see misers give away their possessions in charity.

 You will see murderers become monks. You will see vagrants shine like the sun. You will see liars, thieves, and robbers become ascetics. You will see men and women who have committed every kind of shameful deed change their lives—become holy.

But there is one thing you will not see—at least, not easily: A selfish person repent.

A selfish person will sooner destroy themselves, and those who love them, than admit they were wrong.

Is War Permissible?

 The issue of self-defense and the protection of human life, especially in the event of invasion or attack, is one of the most sensitive and complex subjects in Christian thought. While the central message of the New Testament is love, forbearance, and peace, the Church has always recognized the necessity of protecting the innocent and defending one's homeland.

The following are the relevant references and theological perspectives arranged by category.

1. Old Testament

In the Old Testament, the concepts of self-defense and the defense of the community or nation against foreign invaders are strongly emphasized and explicitly permitted.

Exodus 22:2

There is a clear legal provision concerning self-defense during the night:

"If a thief is found breaking in and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him."

If a thief is caught breaking into a house at night and is struck and dies, the one who struck him is not considered guilty of murder, since the act is regarded as self-defense in circumstances where the danger cannot be clearly assessed.

Nehemiah 4:14

When the Jews were rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and were threatened by hostile enemies, Nehemiah exhorted them:

"Fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes."

The Example of Abraham (Genesis 14)

When Abraham learned that his nephew Lot had been taken captive by invading kings, he armed his men, pursued the attackers, and rescued him. His action was later blessed by Melchizedek.

2. New Testament

The New Testament focuses primarily on spiritual life and enduring persecution for the sake of faith, but it does not abolish the responsibility to protect others.

Luke 22:36

Shortly before His arrest, Christ told His disciples:

 "...and let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one."

Although many Church Fathers interpret this passage allegorically, referring to the spiritual trials that lay ahead, it nevertheless indicates that the possession of means of protection was not considered inherently forbidden in a hostile world.

John 15:13

The supreme expression of sacrificial love is found in Christ's words:

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."

In the event of an invasion, the soldier or citizen who defends others does not fight out of hatred but out of love, seeking to protect women, children, and those who are helpless.

Romans 13:4

The Apostle Paul teaches that secular authority, including military and police institutions, is ordained by God for the preservation of good and the restraint of evil:

"For he is God's servant for your good... for he does not bear the sword in vain."

Civil authority is understood as a minister of God charged with maintaining justice and restraining wrongdoing.

3. Writings of the Church Fathers and Saints

The Church Fathers distinguished clearly between killing motivated by hatred or revenge and killing that occurs in time of war in defense of one's homeland and the vulnerable.

Saint Athanasius the Great

Perhaps the clearest statement preserved in the Church's tradition is:

"It is not lawful to kill indiscriminately; but to slay one's enemies in war is both lawful and worthy of praise."

Saint Athanasius explains that soldiers defending their country protect the freedom and bodily safety of their fellow citizens.

Saint Augustine

Saint Augustine formulated the theory of the Just War. He emphasized that resisting violent aggression can be a moral duty. If someone has the ability to prevent an innocent person from being harmed and refuses to act, he becomes, in a sense, complicit in the evil.

Saint Cyril (Mission to the Saracens)

When Muslims asked Saint Cyril why Christians fight if Christ commanded them to turn the other cheek, he replied:

"Christ commanded us to endure personal insults. Yet He also taught us to lay down our lives for our brethren. When you invade our country, you do not insult us personally; you take our brothers captive, destroy their families, and compel them to renounce their faith. Therefore, we defend ourselves."

Saint Paisios of Mount Athos

Saint Paisios, who served as a radio operator during his military service, would say:

"If someone comes to harm me personally, I ought, as a monk, to forgive him. But if he seeks to harm my country or my neighbour's family, I have a duty to take up arms and stop him, because this too is love for one's neighbour."

Saint Isidore of Pelusium (5th Century)

Saint Isidore, one of the Church's most distinguished theologians and letter writers, wrote concerning warfare:

"Not to wage war is better, but to fight is sometimes necessary, lest the innocent be slaughtered."

He explains that the purpose of the defending soldier is not destruction but the restraint of evil.

The question of whether a Christian may defend himself, even to the point of killing an attacker when his own life or that of his family is under immediate threat, is a delicate matter with profound moral and spiritual implications.

Orthodox tradition distinguishes between the calling of the monk, who is expected to embrace complete non-violence and imitate Christ's martyrdom, and that of the layperson, for whom the protection of life is regarded as a duty.

The following passages, canons, and examples from the lives of the saints shed further light on this issue.

Additional Testimonies

Exodus 21:12–13

The Law of Moses distinguishes premeditated murder from accidental killing or killing committed in circumstances of conflict or self-defense:

"But if he did not act intentionally, and God delivered him into his hand, I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee."

Thus, Scripture recognizes that not all killing carries the same degree of moral responsibility.

1 Timothy 5:8

The Apostle Paul teaches:

"But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."

Theological interpretation extends this duty not only to material support but also to the physical protection of one's family.

Saint John the Faster (7th Century), Canon 21

Saint John prescribes spiritual remedies for various sins and clarifies:

"Whoever kills in war, or while defending himself against robbers, or in some other similar manner, is not regarded as a murderer."

Saint John Climacus (6th Century)

Although writing primarily for monks, Saint John makes an important distinction concerning intention:

"It is one thing to defend oneself out of fear of death, and quite another to act out of hatred."

Defending oneself because one's life is threatened is fundamentally different from acting out of hatred or revenge. The former may be excusable; the latter is sinful.