November 8 : Feast of the Archangels

Today we celebrate the Synaxis of the Holy Archangels Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and all the Bodiless Powers.

The orders of the Angels

 ~Seraphim~

The six-winged Seraphim are aflame with love for God and kindle others to such love

~Cherubim~

Through the many-eyed cherubim, wisdom is sent down to others and enlightenment of the spiritual eyes is given to see God and have knowledge of Him

~Thrones~

The God-bearing thrones serve God's justice, glorifying it and pouring out the power of justice onto the thrones of earthly judges, helping kings and masters to bring forth right judgement.

~Powers~

 They have power over the evil one, in order to restrain the power of the demons, to repulse the temptations brought upon people by them, and to prevent the demons from harming anyone to the degree that they would wish. The powers strengthen the good ascetics in spiritual struggles and labors, protecting them so that they may not be deprived of the Heavenly Kingdom. They help those wrestling with passions and vices to cast out evil thoughts and slanders of the enemy and to conquer the evil one.

~Dominions~

The dominions are so named because, being themselves free, they dominate over the rest of the angels. They voluntarily and with joy serve God unceasingly.

they send down power for prudent governing and wise management to authorities on the earth set up by God. Further they teach how to control the senses, how to subdue in oneself dissolute desires and passions, how to enslave the flesh to the spirit, and how to rule over one's will and be above all temptati

~Principalities~

The principalities are named thus because they have command over the lower angels, directing them to the fulfilment of divine orders. The management of the universe and the keeping of all the kingdoms and princedoms, of lands and all peoples, races and nations, is also entrusted to them since each kingdom, race, and people have for themselves a special deeper and manager from the heavenly order called the principalities, for all their country. Further, the service of this angelic order consists in teaching the people to requite each person in authority according to his calling.

~Virtues~

 The virtues, which are filled with divine strength, quickly fulfill the will of the All-High and Omnipotent Lord. They both work very great miracles and send down the grace of miracle-working to God's saints, who are worthy of such grace, in order that these may work miracles, such as healing every sickness and foretelling the future. The holy virtues also help people laboring and those overburdened by the bearing of an obedience placed on them by someone—by which their name "virtues" is explained—and they bear the infirmities of the weak. They also strengthen every man in patience and humility, giving thanks for everything to God, arranging all for our benefit.

~Archangels~

The Archangels are called the great heralds of good news, announcing the great and most glorious. Their service consists in revealing prophecies, knowledge, and understanding of God's will which they receive from the higher orders of angels and announce to the lower order, i.e. the Angels and through them, to men. The archangels strengthen people in the holy faith, enlightening their minds with the light of knowledge of the holy Gospel and revealing the mysteries of devout faith.

~Angels~

The word angel means "messenger" and this word expresses the nature of angelic service.

Angels are also referred to as "Bodiless Powers of Heaven".

Apolytikion 

O Commanders of the Heavenly Host, 

we the unworthy beseech you, that

through your entreaties you will fortify us, 

guarding us in the shelter of the wings 

of your ethereal glory, even as 

we fervently bow before you crying: 

"Deliver us from all danger,

as Commanders of the Powers on high!"

Kontakion

Chief Commanders of God;

ministers of divine glory;

guides for men and leadership of the Incorporeal; 

as Chief Commanders of the Incorporeal, 

plead for our welfare and for great mercy.

More aboutt the angels here, here and here.

Ἀπολυτίκιον

Ἦχος δ’. Τῶν οὐρανίωv στρατιῶν Ἀρχιστράτηγοι, δυσωποῦμεv ὑμᾶς ἡμεῖς οἱ ἀνάξιοι, ἵvα ταῖς ὑμῶv δεήσεσι, τειχίσητε ἡμᾶς, σκέπῃ τῶν πτερύγωv, τῆς ἀΰλου ὑμῶν δόξης, φρουροῦvτες ἡμᾶς προσπίπτοντας, ἐκτεvῶς καὶ βοῶντας· Ἐκ τῶν κινδύνων λυτρώσασθε ἡμᾶς, ὡς Ταξιάρχαι τῶν ἄνω Δυνάμεων.

Κοντάκιον

Ἦχος β’. Ἀρχιστράτηγοι Θεοῦ, λειτουργοῖ θείας δόξῃς, τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὁδηγοί, καὶ ἀρχηγοὶ Ἀσωμάτωv, τὸ συμφέροv ἡμῖv αἰτήσασθε, καὶ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος, ὡς τῶν Ἀσωμάτων Ἀρχιστράτηγοι.

May the Holy Angels guide us and protect us.

Inside a Greek Orthodox church

Hello dear friends,
Today I am bringing you some pictures from a Greek orthodox church. This church is built in the popular, naif style, often encountered in the Greek countryside.
This is the church of St. Paraskevi on the island of Thassos, in the Northern Aegean. It was built in 1843.

As is the tradition in Greek Orthodox churches, you can see the "Templon" with the door leading to the altar at the center. To the left is the icon of Virgin Mary and further to the left, the icon of the Saint honoured in that church.

To the right of the main ("Beautiful") gate, Jesus Christ, and further to the right, St. John the Baptist.

Above the gates, God's eye beaming and watching over us.

We visited the church in July 2010, the eve of the Saint's day. The priest, his wife, daughter and son in law were hard at work setting everything ready for the Sain't day, polishing the glass lights and laying the newly cleaned carpets.

The frescoes, among them that of Adam and Eve, have been uncovered during the current restoration work taking place in the church.

Apart from the frescoes and the icons set in the Templon, people often bring icons as offerings to the church, as a prayer or a thank you, or to be blessed for 40 days, and then be taken back to their homes. I particularly liked this icon of Virgin Mary and Christ. They both look so serene.

"Appropriate to your calling, O Champion Paraskevi,

you worshipped with the readiness your name bears. 

For an abode you obtained faith, which is your namesake. 

Wherefore, you pour forth healing and intercede for our souls".

We have the best memories from that short summer vacation, that will keep us pleasant company in the winter.

I wish you all a happy and blessed new week,

Sunday of the Pentecost

"On this day, the seventh Sunday of Pascha, the tenth day after the Ascension and the fiftieth day after Pascha, at the third hour of the day from the rising of the sun, there suddenly came a sound from Heaven, as when a mighty wind blows, and it filled the whole house where the Apostles and the rest with them were gathered. Immediately after the sound, there appeared tongues of fire that divided and rested upon the head of each one. Filled with the Spirit, all those present began speaking not in their native tongue, but in other tongues and dialects, as the Holy Spirit instructed them".


Apolytikion


Blessed are You, O Christ our God, who made fishermen all-wise, sending upon them the Holy Spirit and, through them, netting the world. O Loving One, glory to You.


Kontakion


When the Most High came down and confounded tongues of men (Babel), He divided the Nations. When He dispensed the Tongues of Fire, He called all to unity, and with one voice we glorify the Most Holy Spirit.

May 5th-St.Irene

Irene the Great Martyr of Thessaloniki
 
Apolytikion in the 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 in the Third Tone
Being fair adorned before with pure and virginal beauty, thou becamest
fairer still in thy brave contest, O virgin; for when thou, in thine own
spilt blood, wast stained and reddened, O Irene, thou overthrewest
ungodly error.  Hence, thou hast received the prizes of thy good vict'ry
from thy Creator's right hand.

St. Irene lived during the reign of Constantine the Great (306-337). The only child of her parents, she was given the name Penelope at birth. She was most fair and her father feared for her so at the age of six he confined her to a tower along with thirteen other young maidens, amid whom she lived in luxury and wealth. One day a dove entered the tower bearing an olive branch in its beak and placed it on the golden table. Then an eagle flew in carrying a wreath of woven flowers in its beak and placed it on the table. Finally a raven flew in carrying a snake which it also dropped on the table. Perplexed by the meaning of these signs she turned to her tutor, Apellian, who interpreted these signs for her. "The dove makes known thy superior education; the olive branch signifies many wondrous events, and is a symbol of Baptism. The eagle, being the king of birds, foretells, by the royal crown, future success in notable endeavors. The raven and serpent disclose thy future sufferings and anguish." The elderly teacher revealed the hidden meanings of these signs and by doing so foretold the great struggle of martyrdom which the saint was to undergo for the sake of her love for God. It is said that an angel of God renamed her Irene, instructed her in the Faith of Christ, and predicted that myriads of people would be saved through her. Furthermore, Apostle Timothy, the disciple of St. Paul, would visit her in a paradoxical manner and baptize her. When this latter prophecy was fulfilled, the blessed Irene cast her father's idols to the ground, shattering them.

Her father questioned her and after seeing that she persisted in the Faith, ordered her to be bound and cast between horses so that they might trample her. However, one of the horses, instead of harming the saint, turned on Licinius and slayed him. The martyr was released from her bonds and at the request of the bystanders she prayed and resurrected her father. He came to believe in God, as did his wife, abandoned his dominion and lived the rest of his life in repentance in the tower he had built for her. Three thousand other people were also baptized.

After her father's death, Sedekias became ruler and attempted to force her to sacrifice to idols. Since she refused he cast her into a pit filled with venomous snakes and reptiles. After fourteen days she remained unscathed. Following this they tried to cut off her feet with a saw; yet, by the aid of a holy angel, she was restored to health. Next, they bound her to a wheel, but the water which turned the wheel ceased flowing, and the holy one remained unharmed. As a result of this, eight thousand people believed in Christ.

Several other rulers attempted to quiet the saint and her teachings, however, each time she emerged unscathed. Well over one hundred thousand people beleived in Christ because of St. Irene. She was an expression of the Scriptures as displayed in every aspect of her life on earth. She not only turned the other cheek but went to the aid of the parent who would have destroyed her and except for her intervention would have thereby destroyed himself. While preaching the word of Christ she encountered the ever present dangers, yet managed to outlive three emperors. In the days when women were decidedly second class citizens, she commanded the respect of men and women alike, ultimately becoming a mother figure to Christian converts drawn from ranks of the worst enemies of Jesus Christ. She had been many times martyred for Christ and those who honor her name and commemorate her feast day are also blessed.

Today's Gospel Reading
John 6:5-14

At that time, Jesus, lifting up his eyes and seeing that a multitude
was coming to him, said to Philip, "How are we to buy bread, so that
these people may eat?" This he said to test him, for he himself knew
what he would do. Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii would not
buy enough bread for each of them to get a little." One of his
disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, "There is a lad here
who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are they among so
many?" Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was much grass
in the place; so the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he
distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they
wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples,
"Gather up the fragments left over, that nothing may be lost." So they
gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five
barley loaves, left by those who had eaten. When the people saw the sign
which he had done, they said, "This is indeed the prophet who is to
come into the world!"

May Lord, with St. Irene's intercessions save our souls.

February 10-St.Charalambos

Apolytikion


O wise Charalambos,
you were proven an unshakable
pillar of the Church of Christ;
an ever-shining lamp of the universe.
You shone in the world by your martyrdom.
You delivered us from the moonless night of idolatry,O blessed one.
Wherefore, boldly intercede to Christ
that we may be saved.

Kontakion

O Priest-martyr, athlete, champion Charalambos,
your relics are a priceless treasure of the Church.
Wherefore she rejoices, glorifying the Creator.

May his blessings and the joy (chara) of Jesus Christ be with all of you. You may read more bout his life here.

January 30-The feast of The Three Holy Hierarchs

 

The Three Holy Hierarchs and Ecumenical Teachers are St. Basil the Great of Caesarea, St. Gregory of Nazianzus the Theologian and St. John the Chrysostom. All three were bishops who played pivotal role in shaping Christian theology. They are also honored as protectors of learning and Hellenic Christian litterature. Their feast is a school holiday.

The three greatest beacons of the Three-sunned Godhead, 
who lighted the whole inhabited world with the beams of their divine doctrines,
the rivers of wisdom flowing with honey, 
who watered all creation with streams of the knowledge of God, 
Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian with famous John whose tongue spoke golden words,
let all we lovers of their words now assembled honour them in hymns.
For they ever intercede with the Trinity on our behalf.

 May they bless us and inspire us all.

St.Dionysius of Aegina

In loving memory of my adventurous and loving grandfather who was born on this day in 1915 and was named after the Saint as is/was the custom. May God rest his soul.

Apolytikion in the First Tone


The offspring of Zakynthos and bishop of Aegina, protector of Strophades Monastery, Saint Dionysios, O faithful, let us all with one accord now honor and sincerely cry to him: "By your fervant prayers save us who are observing your mem'ry and who cry to you: Glory to Christ who glorified you; glory to Him who made you marvelous; glory to Him who gave you to us as a sleepless advocate."

Kontakion in the Third Tone

On this day doth Zakynthos call all the faithful together, rousing them to offer praise in songs and hymns of thanksgiving to our great and fervent helper in needs and sorrows, who doth swiftly rescue them that are caught in perils. And she honoureth him, crying: O Dionysius, boast of the faithful, rejoice!

November 30th : Apostle Andreas the First-Called

Troparion

Andrew, first-called of the Apostles

and brother of the foremost disciple,

entreat the Master of all

to grant peace to the world

and to our souls great mercy. 

Kontakion

Let us praise Andrew, the herald of God,

the namesake of courage,

the first-called of the Savior's disciples

and the brother of Peter.

As he once called to his brother, he now cries out to us:

"Come, for we have found the One whom the world desires!" 

St.Andrew is the patron saint of  the city of Patras, Greece, where he was crucified on a cross in the shape of an "X," the first letter of "Christ" in Greek; this cross is also the symbol of Saint Andrew.Read more obout his life here.

November 26th: St.Stylianos

St. Stylianos (6th century) is the patron saint of children born and yet to be born. He loved the Lord Jesus Christ with his whole heart and lived in strict asceticism. When he fell asleep in the Lord, his face shone like the sun and an angel appeared to take his soul to Glory. His prayers have worked many miracles, both during his earthly life and since. He is of special help to children who are ill and to childless couples. He is known as a protector of orphans.

I am thankful for my children and bless God's name.

Troparion

Holy Stylianos, thou wast a tower of abstinence
and an unshaken pillar of the Church.
Dedicated to God from thy youth,
thou didst become a dwelling-place of the Spirit.
O righteous Father, intercede with Christ our God
to grant us His great mercy.

Read about the Saint's life here.

November 25th :St.Catherine

Let us praise the all-lauded and noble bride of Christ,

the godly Catherine, the guardian of Sinai and its defense,

who is also our support and succour and our help;

for with the Holy Spirit's sword

she hath silenced brilliantly the clever among the godless;

and being crowned as a martyr, she now doth ask great mercy for us all. 

 

Read more about the Saint here. Visit the website of the Holy Monastery of St.Catherine on Mt.Sinai here. 

October 26th:St.Demetrios and The Liberation of Thessaloniki (1912)

God, who gave you invincible power 
and with care kept your city invulnerable, 
royally clothed the Church in purple 
with the streams of your blood, 
for you are her strength, O Demetrios.

A bif festive day today. We celebrate St.Demetrios, the patron saint of the northern city of Thessaloniki. The city also celebrates its liberation from the Turks on October 26th, 1912.
The saint has many times called upon by the people to pledge to God for the protection of his native city. In his icon we can see one of his many miracles, his victory over the Bulgarian agressors in 1207.

May we always have his blessing and protection.

August 27th:St.Phanourios

On August 27th, the Church celebrates St.Phanourios. Probably because of his name, he is associated with finding things. SO if, say, you happen to lose an item, your wedding band, for instance, or you want a good husband to be "revealed" for your daughter, you promise the saint a pie. Be careful what you promise, because you do have to bake it!

We almost always lose something in this household, so we do promise the Saint a pie every year!

When I was a child, my mother always made a point of making a phanouropita (St. Phanourios pie). We'd then take it to church, being careful not to let the nice snow covered top lose its icing sugar to the depths of the carrier bag. There it would sit amongst tens of other pies in front of the icons. The priest would read a special blessing. He'd also mention the names of those offering the pies, handwritten in white scraps of paper. We'd then take our pie, cut it into squares and share with the congregation. It was also an occasion for comparing cooking skills. "Did you taste so and so' pie? Nice but too much brandy...not enough walnuts...It needed some more time in the oven...".

When we moved here the custom of baking the Saint a pie, was not a custom, as it were. When I first took the pie to church, the priest asked me: "You are not from here, are you?". Nevertheless, he kindly looked for his book of blessings and found the prayer to the Saint. Ever since I bake a pie and take it to the same church. The priest smiles and goes to fetch his book.

We sit around the table, holding candles while the priest reads, praying for God to rest the soul of the saint's mother. We then cut and share the pie with whoever happens to enter the church at the time.

Apolytikion

A heavenly song of praise is brightly sung on the earth;

the hosts of the Angels keep an earthly festival now in splendour and radiant joy;

from on high, they praise with hymns thy suff'rings and struggles;

and below, the Church doth laud the heavenly glory

thou foundest by thy contests and pains, O glorious Phanurius.

Read more about the Saint and the traditions surrounding him here. You may try your hand on this delicious cake (and say a prayer, too). This recipe looks a lot like mine. Sometimes it's a success, sometimes it's not, so I guess it depends on patience mainly with beating the ingredients in the proper time and way.
We shall hopefully make a pie tonight, and take it to church tomorrow! I shall let you know of this year's results!

July 28th-St.Irene Chryssovalantou

Celebrated on July 28th, St.Irene , and my name day. Click here to read more and see pictures from the procession at the monastery. May she always intercede for our benefit and her glory and the glory of God.

July 17th-St. Marina the Martyr

The Martyr Marina was born in Pisidia of Cilicia, Southern Asia Minor, and was the only daughter of a pagan priest. On being orphaned by her mother upon her birth, she was handed over to a nanny who instructed her in the Faith of Christ.

When she was fifteen years old, the imperial governor, seeing her great beauty, desired her for his wife. Upon learning that she was a Christian he tried to dissuade her by flatteries, and by threats of torture. Marina frankly replied to the man "Have no vain hope for me, O governor, that I might cower before any number of torments. Nothing will separate me from Christ - neither affliction, famine, fire, sword, nor any other harsh tribulation - not even a violent and very painful death. Think not that you will entice me the honors, gold or other wealth, because all these things are perishable and temporal.

The soul, by the grace of God, is immortal and desires eternity."

Because of this she endured bonds, imprisonment, and many whippings. The angered and frustrated governor ordered her hanged on the wheel, and then cast her in prison, assuming she would die. The angel of the Lord came to her, and healed her. Then the Devil appeared to her and said, "O Marina, if you obey the governor that would be for your good for he is merciless, and he wishes to erase your name from the face of the earth." She realized that he was the Devil. Straightway she caught the hair of his head, and she took an iron rod and started to beat him, saying, "Stop it O Satan." Then she bound him with the sign of the cross, not to depart from before her until he told her all about what he does to the human race. When she pressed him, he told her, "I am the one who makes adultery, stealing, blasphemy, and earthly desires, good and desirable to the human. And if I do not overcome him, I steer sleep and laziness against him, so he will not pray and ask for the forgiveness of his sins."Here in is the powerlessness of the Devil.

Only if we give the Devil power over us, through the temptations of the flesh, does he have influence. But if we ignore his trappings, he tries to cast doubt into our prayer efforts. Faith and doubt are exact opposites.

The martyr was finally beheaded in the year 270 A.D. Her body is presently located in the church of the Lady the Virgin Mary in Haret El-Roum, Cairo, Egypt. Saint Marina is especially invoked for deliverance from demonic possession.May her prayers and intercession be with us and Glory be to God forever. Amen.

Apolytikion

O Glorious Marina, once betrothed to the Logos,
you relinquished all worldly concerns
and brilliantly gave struggle as a virginal beauty.
You soundly trounced the invisible enemy who appeared to you, O Champion,
and you are now the world's wellspring of healing grace.

Kontakion

Adorned with the beauty of Purity, O Virgin;
crowned with the stigmata of martyrdom;
stained with the blood of your struggles;
and brilliantly radiant with healing wonders,
piously, O Marina, you received the trophy
of victory for your struggles.

May 25th:St.John the Baptist

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that thetranscendent power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in everyway, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies."

(The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 4:6-15)

Because of the vicissitudes of time, the venerable head of the holyForerunner was lost for a third time and rediscovered in Comana ofCappadocia through a revelation to 'a certain priest, but it was found not,as before, in a clay jar, but in a silver vessel, and "in a sacredplace." It was taken from Comana to Constantinople and was met with greatsolemnity by the Emperor, the Patriarch, and the clergy and people.

Apolytikion

Christ God hath revealed to us thy truly ven'rable head as a divinetreasure that had been concealed in the earth, O Prophet and Forerunner. Wherefore, as we gather on the feast of its finding, with our hymns inspiredof God, we praise Christ the Saviour, Who by thy mighty prayerssaveth us from every kind of harm.

Kontakion

Since we have obtained thy head as a most sacred rose from out of theearth, O Forerunner of grace divine, we receive sure healing in everyhour, O Prophet of God the Lord; for again, now as formerly, thoupreachest repentance unto all the world.

Also celebrated today Therapon the Hieromartyr, Bishop of Cyprus.

(From here)

February 19th-St.Philothei of Athens

Saint Philothei (1522-1589), born Regoula Venizelos, was born in Athens to an illustrious and wealthy family. Against her will, she was married to a cruel man. When he died three years later, the Saint gave away her worldly belongings, took up the monastic life under the name of Philothei (meaning she who is a friend of God) and established a convent, in which she became a mother to her disciples. Many women enslaved and abused by the Muslim Turks in harems also ran to her for refuge. Because of this, in 1589, the Turkish occupants became enraged and came to her convent and dragged her by force out of the church. They beat her cruelly and after a few days, she died. You may read more about her life here.

Apolytikion

The Faithful of Athens and all the world
honor Philothei the martyred nun
and rejoice in her holy relics.
For she has exchanged this passing life
for the life that knows no end
through her struggle and martyrdom;
and she begs the Savior to have mercy on us all.

February 10-St.Charalambos

Today we celebrate St.Charalambos (+198 A.D.). This Saint's day brings me such pleasure. His name means "the one who shines with joy"; isn't this a great discription of a Christian?
He also is the patron saint of Elis county in the Peloponese (Southern Greece), where my late grandfather came from.

Saint Charalambos was the Bishp of Magnesia, Asia Minor. St. Charalambos preached the faith of Christ, helped people in need and guided them into the way of Christianity, refusing to offer sacrifice to the idols. Military commander Lucius heard of his teachings and arrested him. Saint Charalambos endured inhuman tortures despite his old age of 113 years. He earned his sainthood by his endurance of unique physical punishment and his belief in the Christian faith. As the methods of torture were not successful, Emperor Septimus Severus ordered for the Saint to be brought to Antioch, Syria, where he was further tortured and nailed on a cross. St. Charalambos continued to express his faith to Christianity and he was beheaded. His two executioners converted to Christianity immediately after the saint died as they heard a voice saying "Well done, my faithful servant; enter into the Kingdom of Heaven."

Apolytikion

O wise Haralambos,
you were proven an unshakable
pillar of the Church of Christ;
an ever-shining lamp of the universe.
You shone in the world by your martyrdom.
You delivered us from the moonless night of idolatry,O blessed one.
Wherefore, boldly intercede to Christ
that we may be saved.

Kontakion

O Priest-martyr, athlete, champion Haralambos,
your relics are a priceless treasure of the Church.
Wherefore she rejoices, glorifying the Creator.

You may rad more bout his life, here.

January 30th: The Three Hierarchs

Protectors of students and scholars, the Three Hierarchs, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom are celebrated today. It is an official school holiday.

Apolytikion

The three most great luminaries of the Three-Sun Divinity
have illumined all of the world with the rays of doctrines divine and true;
they are the sweetly-flowing rivers of wisdom,
who with godly knowledge have watered all creation in clear and mighty streams:
The great and sacred Basil, and the Theologian, wise Gregory,
together with the renowned John, the famed Chrysostom of golden speech.
Let us all who love their divinely-wise words come together, honouring them with hymns;
for ceaselessly they offer entreaty for us to the Trinity.

Kontakion

Receive, O Lord, the Sacred Heralds who preached God, the pinnacle of Teachers, unto the enjoyment of Your riches and rest. You have received their labors and their suffering as being above and beyond all fruitful offering. For You alone glorify Your Saints.

Read more about their lives here.

January 17th:St. Anthony and St. George

Today we honor St. Anthony, the Father of monasticism. Read more about his life here.

Apolytikion
O Father Anthony, you imitated the zealous Elijah. You followed the straight paths of the Baptist and became a desert dweller. By prayer you confirmed the universe. Wherefore, intercede with Christ our God to save our
souls.

Kontakion
Forsaking the uproars of life O venerable one, you completed your life in quiet, fully imitating the Baptist. Therefore, we honor you with him, O Anthony, Father
of Fathers.

We also celebrate the feast of St. George of Ioannina.

George was born in 1808 in Grevena. At a young age he become an orphan and was forced to work as a stable hand, a servant of the Turks. In 1838, while previously he had been islamized, he was charged with returning to Christianity. He was jailed and because he courageously professed his belief in Christ he was hanged on the 17th January 1838 in Ioannina. From the moment he was tortured the people honored him as a Saint and they asked for a formal nomination from the Patriarchate on the 19th September 1839. In the end the Patriarchate asked that secretly the celebration of the Saint be on the 17th January which also honors Saint Anthony so that it didn’t look to the Turks that a new day of celebration had been set for the Martyr.

May they bless and guide us.

December 17th:St.Dionysios

*In loving memory of my late grandfather, Father Dionysios. May God rest your soul and pardon our sins. We shall always love and remember you*.

Saint Dionysius of Zakynthos, the Bishop of the island of Aegina, was born in 1547 on the island of Zakynthos (Zante). Though born into a noble family, he was determined to flee the world and set his mind upon heavenly things.

He entered the monastery of Strophades, and after the prescribed time, he was clothed in the angelic schema by the abbot. Though young in years, he surpassed many of his elders in virtue, and was found worthy of ordination to the holy priesthood. Although he protested his unworthiness, St Dionysius was consecrated Bishop of Aegina. In that office he never ceased to teach and admonish his flock, and many were drawn to him in order to profit from his wisdom. He feared the praise of men, lest he should fall into the sin of vainglory, so he resigned his See and returned to Zakynthos.In 1579 the diocese of Zakynthos was widowed (when a bishop dies, his diocese is described as "widowed"), and Dionysius agreed to care for it until a new bishop could be elected. Then he fled from the worldly life which gave him no peace, and went to the Monastery of the Most Holy Theotokos Anaphonitria, twenty miles from the main village.

A certain stranger murdered the saint's brother Constantine, an illustrious nobleman. Fearing his victim's relatives, the stranger, by chance or by God's will, sought refuge in the monastery where St Dionysius was the abbot. When the saint asked the fugitive why he was so frightened, he confessed his sin and revealed the name of the man he had murdered, asking to be protected from the family's vengeance. St Dionysius wept for his only brother, as was natural. Then he comforted the murderer and hid him, showing him great compassion and love. Soon the saint's relatives came to the monastery with a group of armed men and told him what had happened. He pretended to know nothing about it. After weeping with them and trying to console them, he sent them off in the wrong direction. Then he told the murderer that he was the brother of the man he had killed. He admonished him as a father, and brought him to repentance. After forgiving him, St Dionysius brought him down to the shore and helped him to escape to another place in order to save his life.

Because of the saint's Christ-like virtue, he was granted the gift of working miracles. Having passed his life in holiness, St Dionysius reached a great age, then departed to the Lord on December 17, 1624. Not only are the saint's relics incorrupt, but he is also one of Greece's "walking saints" (St Gerasimus and St Spyridon are the others). He is said to leave his reliquary and walk about performing miracles for those who seek his aid. In fact, the soles of his slippers wear out and must be replaced with a new pair from time to time. The old slippers are cut up, and the pieces are distributed to pilgims. On August 24, we celebrate the Transfer of his Holy Relics. Through the prayers of Saint Dionysius, may Christ our God have mercy upon us and save us.

Apolytikion

Let us, the faithful, in one accord honor Dionysios,
the offspring of Zakynthos, the Bishop of Aegina,
and the protector of the Monastery of the Strophades.
Let us entreat him in sincerity:
By your prayers save those
who celebrate your memory
and cry out to you:
Glory to Christ, who has glorified you;
glory to Him who has granted you to us
as our unsleeping intercessor.