The paschal season of the Church is preceded by the season of Great Lent, which is also preceded by its own liturgical preparation. The first sign of the approach of Great Lent comes five Sundays before its beginning. On this Sunday the Gospel reading is about Zacchaeus the tax-collector. It tells…
The Hieromartyr Haralampus, Bishop of Magnesia, the martyrs Porphyrius and Baptus and three women martyrs suffered in the year 202. Saint Haralampus, Bishop of Magnesia (Asia Minor), successfully spread faith in Christ the Savior, guiding people on the way to salvation. News of his preaching…
The Synaxis of Novgorod Hierarchs is also celebrated on October 4 and on the third Sunday after Pentecost. On October 4, 1439 Saint John (September 7) appeared to the presiding hierarch Saint Euthymius (March 11) and ordered him to serve a special panikhida in memory of those buried at the Sophia…
The Holy Princess Anna of Novgorod, wife of Great Prince Yaroslav the Wise, gave her children a true Christian upbringing, marked by a strong faith in God; and love of work, integrity and learning. Her son Mstislav later became Great Prince of Kiev, and her daughter the queen of a western European…
Saint Prochorus of the Caves was a native of Smolensk, and entered the Kiev Caves monastery under the igumen John (1089-1103). He was a great ascetic of strict temperance. In place of bread he ate pigweed (or orach), and so he was called “pigweed-eater.” Every summer, he gathered…
Saint Longinus of Koryazhemsk first pursued asceticism at the monastery of Saint Paul of Obnora, and then lived at the Saints Boris and Gleb Solvychegod monastery. From there he settled with his friend Simon near Vychegda, toward the mouth of the Koryazhema river. Here, deep in the countryside,…
The Holy Virgin Martyrs Ennatha, Valentina and Paula suffered in the year 308 under the emperor Maximian II Galerius (305-311). Saint Ennatha came from the city of Gaza (in the south of Palestine), Saint Valentina was a native of Palestinian Caesarea, and Saint Paula was from the region of…
There is little information about the history of this Icon, and the story of its appearance is shrouded in mystery. We only know that the now lost original was painted around 845. However, there is reason to believe its iconographic type was the same as the Hagiosoritissa Icon.1 Copies of the…
Little information about the life of Saint John of Chimchimeli has been preserved, but we know that he was a great translator, philosopher, and defender of the Georgian Christian Faith. John received his education in present-day Bulgaria, at the literary school of the famous Petritsoni (now…
Hieromonk Ioanikkios (in the world Trophimos N. Averkiev) was born in 1823 and was named Trophimos in Holy Baptism. His parents were Government-owned peasants in Orlov Province, and they had a large family. Trophimos was one of the younger children. The boy was quite bright and also very pious. He…