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I think I posted a similar essay last Great Lent, so forgive me for being repetitious. Many Orthodox Christians spend some extra time doing spiritual reading during Great Lent. To a certain extent, it is more important for most of us that we make the effort to read something than it is to read one particular thing. As the resident psaltis (as Kolokotronis calls me), I would like to pass on for those who are interested a few comments on the Lenten readings that are prescribed by the Orthodox Church. When a full cycle of services is being kept, as...

To the most Sacred and Most Divinely-beloved Brethren in Christ the Metropolitans and Bishops, and their sacred and venerable Clergy, and all the godly and orthodox Laity of the Most Holy Apostolic and Patriarchal Throne of Constantinople. "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their own conversation: "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines." (Heb. xiii. 7, 8). I. Every godly and orthodox soul, which has a sincere zeal for the...

Apolytikion: Fourth Tone First in prominence among the Apostles, and teachers to the Universe, intercede to the Master of all for peace in the world and for our souls great mercy. Reading: The divinely-blessed Peter was from Bethsaida of Galilee. He was the son of Jonas and the brother of Andrew the First-called. He was a fisherman by trade, unlearned and poor, and was called Simon; later he was renamed Peter by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Who looked at him and said, "Thou art Simon the son of Jonas; thou shalt be called Cephas (which is by interpretation, Peter)"...

Apolytikion: Fourth Tone First in prominence among the Apostles, and teachers to the Universe, intercede to the Master of all for peace in the world and for our souls great mercy. Reading: The divinely-blessed Peter was from Bethsaida of Galilee. He was the son of Jonas and the brother of Andrew the First-called. He was a fisherman by trade, unlearned and poor, and was called Simon; later he was renamed Peter by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Who looked at him and said, "Thou art Simon the son of Jonas; thou shalt be called Cephas (which is by interpretation, Peter)"...

To All the Bishops Everywhere, Beloved in the Holy Ghost, Our Venerable, Most Dear Brethren; and to their Most Pious Clergy; and to All the Genuine Orthodox Sons of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church: Brotherly Salutation in the Holy Spirit, and Every Good From God, and Salvation. The holy, evangelical and divine Gospel of Salvation should be set forth by all in its original simplicity, and should evermore be believed in its unadulterated purity, even the same as it was revealed to His holy Apostles by our Savior, who for this very cause, descending from the bosom of...

Kontakion: Third Tone She that once was barren doth today bring forth Christ's Forerunner, John, the culmination and the crown of all the Prophets. For when he, in River Jordan, laid his hand on Him Whom the Prophets preached aforetime, he was revealed as God the Word's fore-chosen Prophet, His mighty preacher, and His Forerunner in grace. Reading: He that was greater than all who are born of women, the Prophet who received God's testimony that he surpassed all the Prophets, was born of the aged and barren Elizabeth (Luke 1: 7) and filled all his kinsmen, and those that...

The First Answer of Patriarch Jeremiah II of Constantinople, Concerning the Augsburg Confession, Sent to Tubingen [May 15] 1576 We received the letters which your love sent us and the booklet which contains the articles of your faith. We accept your love, and in compliance with your request we shall endeavor to clear the issues in which we agree and those in which we disagree. The expression of love is the fulfillment of the Law and Prophets [cf. Rom 13:10]. Indeed, it is fulfilled, we may say, not only by mere words, but proven by the very facts themselves and...

Troparion - Tone 8 Blessed art Thou O Christ Our God Who has revealed the fishermen as most wise By sending down upon them the Holy Spirit Through them Thou didst draw the world into Thy net O Lover of Man, Glory to Thee! Kontakion - Tone 8 When the most High came down and confused the tongues, He divided the nations; But when he distributed the tongues of fire He called all to unity. Therefore, with one voice, we glorify the All-holy Spirit!

Saint Photius the Great -- Encyclical to the Eastern Patriarchs Countless have been the evils devised by the cunning devil against the race of men, from the beginning up to the coming of the Lord. But even afterwards, he has not ceased through errors and heresies to beguile and deceive those who listen to him. Before our times, the Church, witnessed variously the godless errors of Arius, Macedonius, Nestorius, Eutyches, Discorus, and a foul host of others, against which the holy Ecumenical Synods were convened, and against which our holy and God-bearing Fathers battled with the sword of the...

Holy Tradition: The Source of the Orthodox Faith "Guard the deposit." I Tim. 6:20 "Tradition is the life of the Holy Spirit in the Church." - Vladimir Lossky THE INNER MEANING OF TRADITION Orthodox history is marked outwardly by a series of sudden breaks: the capture of Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem by Arab Mohammedans; the burning of Kiev by the Mongols; the two sacks of Constantinople; the October Revolution in Russia. Yet these events, while they have transformed the external appearance of the Orthodox world, have never broken the inward continuity of the Orthodox Church. The thing that first strikes...

Apolytikion: Fourth Tone O Lord Jesus, unto Thee Thy lamb doth cry with a great voice: O my Bridegroom, Thee I love; and seeking Thee, I now contest, and with Thy baptism am crucified and buried. I suffer for Thy sake, that I may reign with Thee; for Thy sake I die, that I may live in Thee: accept me offered out of longing to Thee as a spotless sacrifice. Lord, save our souls through her intercessions, since Thou art great in mercy. Kontakion: Third Tone With the sprinkling of thy blood was thou made pure, O fair virgin, and...

Apolytikion: Fourth Tone Thy Martyr, O Lord, in his courageous contest for Thee received the prize of the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our immortal God. For since he possessed Thy strength, he cast down the tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons' strengthless presumption. O Christ God, by his prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful. Apolytikion: Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Brookline, MA

Bessarion was born and educated in Egypt. He dedicated himself to the spiritual life at an early age and "did not stain his spiritual garment in which he was clothed at baptism." He visited St. Gerasimus by the Jordan and learned from St. Isidore of Pelusium. He subdued his body through extreme fasting and vigils but he concealed his life of mortification from men as much as possible. At one time, he stood for forty days at prayer, neither eating nor sleeping. He wore one garment both in summer and winter. He possessed the great gift of miracle-working. He did...

At “Lord, I have cried…” Glory…, in Tone V – Passing by on the way, O Lord, Thou didst find a man who was blind from his birth. And the disciples, in astonishment, asked Thee and said: Teacher, who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? And Thou, O my Saviour, didst cry unto them: Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of Him that sent Me, which none else can work. And when Thou hadst...

Apolytikion: Fourth Tone Christ God hath revealed to us thy truly ven'rable head as a divine treasure that had been concealed in the earth, O Prophet and Forerunner. Wherefore, as we gather on the feast of its finding, with our hymns inspired of God, we praise Christ the Saviour, Who by thy mighty prayers saveth us from every kind of harm. Kontakion: Second Tone Since we have obtained thy head as a most sacred rose from out of the earth, O Forerunner of grace divine, we receive sure healing in every hour, O Prophet of God the Lord; for...

Kontakion: Fourth Tone Having dawned upon the world like a great daystar, thou dost shine upon all men with thy great virtues as with light and with the rays of thy miracles, namesake of Angels and worker of miracles. Reading: This Saint was from Synnada in Phrygia of Asia Minor. In Constantinople he met Saint Theophylact (see Mar. 8); the holy Patriarch Tarasius, learning that Michael and Theophylact desired to become monks, sent them to a monastery on the Black Sea. Because of their great virtue, Saint Tarasius afterwards compelled them to accept consecration, Theophylact as Bishop of Nicomedia, and...

Kontakion, Tone 3Special Melody: "Today the Virgin..."As of old Thou didst raise up the paralytic, O Lord God, by Thy God-like care and might, raise up my soul which is palsied by diverse sins and transgressions and by unseemly deeds and acts, that, being saved, I may also cry out: O Compassionate Redeemer, O Christ God, glory to Thy dominion and might.Kontakion courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Brookline, MA

Troparion Tone 8 O Lord, thy disciple Emperor Constantine, who saw in the sky the Sign of Thy Cross, Accepted the call that came straight from Thee, as it happened to Paul, and not from any man. He built his capital and entrusted it to Thy care. Preserve our country in everlasting peace, through the intercession of the Mother of God, for Thou art the Lover of mankind. Kontakion Tone 3 Today Constantine and Helena his mother expose to our veneration the Cross, the awesome Cross of Christ, a sign of salvation to the Jews and a standard of...

Apolytikion: Fourth Tone Thy Martyr, O Lord, in his courageous contest for Thee received the prize of the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our immortal God. For since he possessed Thy strength, he cast down the tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons' strengthless presumption. O Christ God, by his prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful. Kontakion: Third Tone With the Martyrs of the Lord thou didst contest and wast shown forth as a valiant soldier of the King of Glory, Who crowned thee for the harsh and bitter tortures that thou didst suffer, trampling down the...

May 17 Apolytikion: Third Tone O Holy Apostles, intercede to our merciful God, that He may grant our souls forgiveness of sins. Kontakion: Second Tone As notable companions of the Apostles and true ministers of Jesus, ye proved to be sacred heralds of His condescension; for having received the grace of the Spirit, O glorious Andronicus and Junia, ye shine like lamps unto the ends of the world. Reading: These Apostles are mentioned by Saint Paul in his Epistle to the Romans, where he writes: "Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among...