Elder Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia: The Disposition of a Moralist

Man has such powers that he can transmit good or evil to his environment. These matters are very delicate. Great care is needed. We need to see everything in a positive frame of mind. We mustn’t think anything evil about others. Even a simple glance or a sigh influences those around us. And even the slightest anger or indignation does harm. We need to have goodness and love in our soul and to transmit these things. We need to be careful not to harbour any resentment against those who harm us, but rather to pray for them with love. Whatever any of our fellow men does, we should never think evil of him. We need always to have thoughts of love and always to think good of others. Look at Saint Stephen the First-Martyr. He prayed, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." We need to do the same.

We should never think about someone that God will send him some evil or that God will punish him for his sin. This thought brings about very great evil, without our being aware of it. We often feel indignation and say to someone: "Have you no fear of God’s justice, are you not afraid of God’s punishment?" Or else we say, "God will punish you for what you’ve done," or, "O God, do not bring evil on that person for what he did to me"; or, "May that person not suffer the same thing."

In all these cases, we have a deep desire within us for the other person to be punished. Instead of confessing our anger over his error, we present our indignation in a different way, and we allegedly pray to God for him. In reality, however, in this way we are cursing our brother. And if, instead of praying, we say, "May God repay you for the evil you have done to me," then once again we are wishing for God to punish him. Even when we say, "All very well, God is witness," the disposition of our soul works in a mysterious way and influences the soul of our fellow man so that he suffers evil.

St Nicholas of Myra

Saint Nicholas (Greek: Άγιος Νικόλαος [="victory of the people"]) (270–6 December 346) is the canonical and most popular name for Nikolaos of Myra, a saint and Greek Bishop of Myra (Demre, in Lycia, part of modern-day Turkey). Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker (Greek: Νικόλαος ο Θαυματουργός). He had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, and thus became the model for Santa Claus, whose English name comes from the Dutch Sinterklaas. In 1087, his relics were furtively translated to Bari, in southeastern Italy; for this reason, he is also known as Nikolaos of Bari.

The historical Saint Nicholas is remembered and revered among Orthodox Christians. Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors, merchants, archers, children, and students in Greece, Belgium, Romania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Albania, Russia, Slovakia, Serbia, and Montenegro.

Translation of his relics

On 26 August 1071 Romanus IV, Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire (reigned 1068–1071), faced Sultan Alp Arslan of the Seljuk Turks (reigned 1059–1072) in the Battle of Manzikert. The battle ended in humiliating defeat and capture for Romanus. As a result the Empire temporarily lost control over most of Asia Minor to the invading Seljuk Turks. The Byzantines would regain its control over Asia Minor during the reign of Alexius I Comnenus (reigned 1081–1118). But early in his reign Myra was overtaken by the Islamic invaders. Taking advantage of the confusion, sailors from Bari in Apulia seized the remains of the saint over the objections of the Orthodox monks. Returning to Bari, they brought the remains with them and cared for them. The remains arrived on 9 May 1087.

THE ENTRANCE OF THE THEOTOKOS

21st November

By

His Eminence

Metropolitan Panteleimon of Antinoes

          The Entrance of the Ever Virgin Mary and Theotokos in God’s Temple is considered to be one of the most important events in the History of Salvation.  All the Orthodox Church around the world is celebrating the Entrance of the Mother of God, the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary, into the Holy of Holies.

          The faithful and all the heavenly Powers conjoin and concelebrate. Earth rejoices and the faithful Orthodox Christians gather to honor with all piety and respect the all praised Mother of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the Son of God. We venerate the holy icon of the Theotokos. With a humble and broken heart all those who suffer address their prayers to Her, in order to express their needs and beseech Her protection and help. All true faithful will bless Her, they shall sing hymns to Her and all generations will glorify Her. The Mother of God and Ever Virgin Mary, the Theotokos, is the source of our sanctification and salvation, for She had gave birth to the incarnated Son and Word of God.

          The Entrance of the Ever Virgin Mary consist the preparation of the salvation of mankind. She enters the Holy of Holies, where only the High Priest was allowed to enter only once a year. The Prophet Zacharias, the father of St John the Forerunner and Baptist, and many young virgins receive Mary, when she was only three years of age, dedicated to God by Her parents Joachim and Anna.

The Mother of God, Mary, enters the Holy of Holies, where She was honored to become the living Ark and Temple of God.  She is been fed by Archangel Gabriel with heavenly food. She enters the Holy of Holies, where She surpassed in holiness the holiness of all the Angelical Hosts. She enters the Holy of Holies, as a golden censer, for She had conceived within Her holy womb all the Fire of the Deity. She enters the Holy of Holies, as a golden jug which contains the Heavenly Manna, the Heavenly Bread, the God-Man Jesus Christ. She enters the Holy of Holies and She nurtures the Creator and Provider of all the World.  

The soul longs for the Lord.

When the soul by the Holy Spirit comes to know the Mother of God; when in the Holy Spirit the soul becomes kin to the Apostles, the Prophets, and all the Saints and Righteous Ones, then she is irresistibly drawn to that world, and cannot remain, but is bothered, and thirsts, and cannot cease from prayer, and although the body becomes exhausted and wants to lie down on a bed, even while lying in bed the soul longs for the Lord and the Kingdom of the Saints.

- St. Silouan the Athonite

5th Sunday of St. Luke

By His Eminence Metropolitan Panteleimon of Antinoes

THE PARABLE OF THE RICH MAN AND THE POOR LAZARUS

Luke 16:19-31

The Parable of the Holy Gospel does not refer to the Second Coming of Christ, neither to His Last Judgement, but to the period of time between man’s death and the Second Glorious Coming of Christ our Lord and God. This period is called:  The Middle Condition of the souls.

           What is death?

           Death, according to Holy Scriptures, is the separation of the human’s soul from his body. Death was not created by God right from the beginning, but came as the result of man’s Fall, disobedience and unrepentance (Gen. 3:9-13). “And unto Adam He said, because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt  not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it was thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return”(Gen. 3:17-19).

           Death has three forms:

 a)                Physical Death, occurs when the body stops functioning biologically. The soul is separated from the body (Gen. 3:19) “And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom; the rich man also died, and was buried” (Luk 16:22).