Hieromonk Maxim (Zhilinsky) and Hierodeacon Tarasius (Chich) recently spoke to our website correspondent about their ministry among the men fighting in the Special Military Operation of Russia amid the steppes of the Donbas region.
April 25, the Orthodox calendar marks a special observance: the veneration of a revered Christian treasure — the Belynichi Icon of the Mother of God. This icon’s history is as dramatic as it is holy.
The majestic Memorial Church dedicated to All Saints in Minsk hosts daily prayers in honour of recently martyred saints who illuminated the land of Belarus. Among these revered saints is Archpriest Sergius Rodakovsky, a humble rural priest.
Pilgrims continue to flock to Optina, drawn by the graves of three new martyrs, and leave countless prayer requests—a testament to their undying faith and the powerful intercession of the new saints.
Great Lent guides us towards Easter and the Resurrection. While it entails moderating our food intake and leisure activities, fasting is not solely about refraining from food; it is about regaining inner serenity.
"My beloved, there are no hopeless situations in life, no problems that we cannot overcome together. Never be rushed, never give in to panic. God will always guide us, and show us the way forward."
By the decision of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church dated August 25, 2012, Schema-Nun Sofia (Grineva) was included among the locally venerated saints confessors of the Kiev diocese.
The secular leaders of the early days of the Church increasingly viewed the growing faith in Christ as a nuisance or even a danger. Among them was the formidable Roman Emperor Trajan.
The New Testament, unlike many ancient biographies, remains silent on the physical description of Jesus Christ. For the Gospel writers, it seems, His teachings and actions held far greater weight than His outward appearance.
St. Andrew of Crete writes in the “Discourse for the Day of the Annunciation”: “This is the mystery of reconciliation of God with humanity. This is the subject of the present celebration — the union of God with the earthly."
Archpriest Vasily Malakhov succumbed to typhus on March 24, 1937, while in exile. In 2005, he was canonized among the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia for universal veneration by the decree of the Holy Synod.
Our life is a grand journey from spiritual death to eternal life, and today we embark on a path that culminates in the glorious victory over death — the Holy Resurrection. But our essential first step is repentance.
On this day, 22 March, as we honour the memory of the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste, our Convent also celebrates the Name Day of Father Valery Zakharov, a dedicated priest who has been with us since the foundation of our Convent 25 years ago.
Earthly kingdoms are temporary, and their laws are fallible. Our hope is to enter a Kingdom built on love rather than laws, no matter how flawless or defective they may be. As Blessed Augustine put it, “Love God and do as you please.”
The world has many sacred places, but none of them is Paradise. However, we can find paradise when God dwells within us. Paradise also resides around people with peaceful hearts. The sense of paradise may be fleeting and fragile.
The Dreadful Judgment — why is it called dreadful, and who should dread it? In today's “post-Christian” world, this concept may not hold significance, except for those few who still strive to follow Christ as best they can.
March 8 poses a unique dilemma for those of us with a devout Orthodox Christian background and a "Soviet" childhood. This date is International Women's Day and often sparks contrasting views among the faithful.
John (Shahovskoy), the Archbishop of San Francisco and the Western United States, emerged as a beacon of hope after the Russian Civil War. His life was a testament to resilience and faith amidst adversity.
Many believe that to live by faith and to fulfil God's will requires grand gestures. Yet, it is in the small, seemingly trivial acts of kindness, in resisting the slightest inclinations towards evil, that our spiritual life flourishes.
Saint Makary (Nevsky), Metropolitan of Moscow and Altai is the outstanding missionary saint, lauded as the “Apostle of Altai,” “Siberian Pillar of Orthodoxy,” and “living Russian saint” by his contemporaries.
