ἀνθρώποισι πᾶσι μέτεστι γινώσκειν ἑωυτοὺς καὶ σωφρονεῖν.
You might ask why it is that we today, who are less ascetic as Christians, are overcome with fear and trembling when we hear about asceticism. It makes us feel somewhat uncomfortable. This is because we’ve lost sight of a great truth of our faith. It’s summed up by Saint John of the Ladder: ‘love is conquered by love’*. Continue reading “Love as the Essence of Orthodox Asceticism”
by Father Alexis
I am most grateful for the comments generated by my previous post. I have been musing about why not judging others seems to be a stumbling block. Perhaps, it is because we consider the spiritual life in the absolutist, rational categories of right and wrong or guilt and innocence, rather than in terms of healthy, living communion with God and diseased, deadening alienation from Him or radiant, grace-attracting humility and darkened, grace-repelling pride. Continue reading “Justice Does Not Belong to the Christian Way of Life”
Here we continue presenting names and lives of Orthodox Saints in the West World, Saints of the original and ancient Church. When the Patriarchate of Rome was an Orthodox Patriarchate. Continue reading ““The ancient Christian Church – About Orthodox Church in the West World” – Alphabetical order (‘B’ – Part 1)”
It’s not unusual for people to be very concerned that others should have a good image of them. This demonstrates a lack of self-awareness, humility and seriousness. In the depths of their being, the dominant feeling is one of egotism, the basis for vanity. In other words, it’s a state of spiritual imbalance in which the person is dependent on the opinions of others, takes them seriously into account and acts accordingly. Such people ignore their true self- their weaknesses and their gifts- they ignore the fickleness of others, who aren’t slow to change their views, and they ignore the love of their heavenly Father, the only constant we have, whoever we may be. Continue reading “Our ‘Good Image’”
By Saint Justin Popovich
We humans find ourselves on the road between paradise and hell, between God and the devil. All our thoughts and reflections, and every one of our feelings, bring the soul a little closer to paradise or hell. Continue reading “The Human Condition”
As for the thrice-blessed Photius, the great and most resplendent Father and teacher of the Church, the Confessor of the Faith and Equal to the Apostles, he lived during the years of the emperors Michael (the son of Theophilus), Basil the Macedonian, and Leo his son. Continue reading “Saint Photius the Great, Patriarch of Constantinople”
Novo Scriptorium 