The closer we approach God, the more it hurts inside. Every real step towards God tears a person apart. The Lord does not want us to become attached to time, space, or any particular values. He wants us to be free.
Birthday: 04.08.1956
Name Day: December 13 ( Apostle Andrew the First-Called)
Chirotony Dates: 04/07/1992; 11/14/1992
We all sincerely desire to be saved. Otherwise, we would not be here. Coming to church out of habit, listening to chants, saying some good words and smiling at one another may be beneficial for our mind, but not for our spirit. In reality, we come here because we are preparing for death. The time will come for each of us to ascend his own Golgotha. We should not be afraid however, because we are Christians...
Birthday: 04.17.1964
Name Day: October 8 (Reverend Sergius of Radonezh)
Chirotony Dates: 12/30/1995; 08/28/1996;
The Church has a simple recipe for all of life's emergencies: cling to the Lord in prayer, Communion, and everything that unites a person with Him. Then, our sorrows and misfortunes recede, and our problems are solved. However, doing so takes effort, and renunciation of one's ego and pride, because the enemy is trying to sow anger, resentment and hostility in our hearts.
Birthday: 07.07.1965
Name Day: December 13 (Apostle Andrew the First-Called)
Chirotony Dates: 05/28/1998; 06/06/1998
The Lord is always looking for ways not to punish or defeat a person, but to save each one of us.
Birthday: 10.23.1957
Name Day: December 6 (The Holy Prince Alexander Nevsky)
Chirotony Dates: 03/15/2000; 04/23/2000
In our time, enduring ourselves with all our so-called character traits is probably the greatest act of faith. [This act is necessary] for the Lord to blot out all of these "rough spots" bringing to light the pure gold of the soul that He created, and that is now covered with a crust...
Birthday: 02.14.1950
Name Day: March 22 (Holy Martyr Valery)
Chirotony Dates: 05/23/2001; 11/25/2001
Holiness is not some unattainable height. Holiness is when God begins to act in a sinful person, in spite of all his human talents, or perhaps his infirmities. At this point, it is no longer a personal achievement, but God's grace.
Birthday: 10.27.1974
Name Day: October 8 (Reverend Sergius of Radonezh)
Chirotony Dates: 02/10/2002; 06/16/2013
What does it mean to repent to the Lord for our sins? It means changing our lives by following Christ.
Birthday: 08.07.1979
Name Day: October 8 (Reverend Sergius of Radonezh)
Chirotony Dates: 11/05/2009; 06/20/2010
In any of our trials and difficulties, we must not forget that the church is always open, and that we can come here, be comforted, pray, ask God for forgiveness and achieve the very purpose of our coming into this world—the union with Christ.
Birthday: 08.29.1973
Name Day: November 23 (Apostle Rodion)
Chirotony Dates: 11/28/2011; 02/25/2012
There are words in the Gospel that speak of the simplicity that we must achieve to be able to draw close to God, so that He can lay His hand on us, as if we were children with simple, innocent thoughts and feelings.
Birthday: 09.21.1968
Name Day: November 2 (Great Martyr Artemy)
Chirotony Dates: 12/14/2009; 03/15/2015
I have come to realize that this world has its own ways, none of which has anything in store for me in regard to the salvation of my soul. At the same time, I was moved by the gospel parable of the talents. It really touched my heart, and kept me awake at night. I was thinking, 'What if I am hiding my God-given talent in the sand instead of answering His call? What account will I give for this?' When I was 27, these thoughts led me to enter the seminary.
Birthday: 08.10.1986
Name Day: October 8 (Reverend Sergius of Radonezh)
Chirotony Dates: 07/29/2016; 01/01/2017
Any knowledge that man discovers through science is a gift of God to people, proclaiming His presence in this world.
Birthday: 07.14.1980
Name Day: October 3 (Blessed Prince Oleg Bryansky)
Chirotony Dates: 07/19/2020; 11/07/2020
Birthday: 11.14.1973
Name Day: October 3 (Blessed Prince Oleg Bryansky)
Chirotony Dates: 10/22/2005
Birthday: 07.19.1972
Name Day: August 6 (Blessed Prince Boris)
Chirotony Dates: 06/02/2012
I have come to realize that this world has its own ways, none of which has anything in store for me in regard to the salvation of my soul. At the same time, I was moved by the gospel parable of the talents. It really touched my heart, and kept me awake at night. I was thinking, 'What if I am hiding my God-given talent in the sand instead of answering His call? What account will I give for this?' When I was 27, these thoughts led me to enter the seminary.
In our convent, we too strive to fulfil this will of the elder, praying for unity in the words of Fr Sophrony every day. Our confessor, Father Andrey Lemeshonok, often quotes the elder in his conversations with parishioners and sisters.
The celebrations in honour of the 230th anniversary of the foundation of the Minsk diocese of the B.O.C. will be held in Minsk on 17 September. The festivities will begin at 10.00 a.m. in the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit.
On the 9th of September, we wish a happy name day to Nun Anfisa (Ostapchuk), a sister of our Convent. Mother Anfisa shares her experiences in the hospital ministry, religious life, faith in God, and the joy of serving others for 27 years.
At some point, we will become weak, only to find out that we had neglected our spirits and not prepared them for the life to come. Therefore, as we call for God's help, we should not ask him to turn around the circumstances of our lives.
True life is the life within. Someone who truly lives in God will be silent about it. They need not say a word, but we will all have the sense of God's presence in them, and they will irradiate love and divine light.
As the Holy Venerable John of Kronstadt once observed, God will eventually put the right person in the right place at the right time, so that they will achieve their own salvation and help others achieve theirs.
Christ came so that we could dedicate ourselves to God and make it the meaning of our lives. We do not just live to leave something behind for our successors to remember. We are here to defeat death and enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
On 22 August, we celebrated the birthday of our Convent. For many, the time spent at the Convent has become a treasure and a valuable experience and a source of inspiration. We asked nun Olga to talk about the highlights of her monastic life.
In most cases, we know the truth about our dignity but are too afraid to say it. Instead, we say to ourselves, reassuringly, "I am doing okay." We must be born again. I wish that all of us could be reborn with a new idea of dignity and beauty.
Saints like Elisabeth Romanov and Nun Barbara keep our spirits alive in the most trying times. They rise like stars on the celestial horizon to warm with their love all who are weary and burden. They bring wisdom and consolation to people who…
On the Feast Day of the Holy Royal Martyr Grand Duchess Elisabeth lay sisters and Convent workers share personal stories of their “acquaintance” with St. Elisabeth and their gratitude to our Heavenly Patroness.
Archpriest Artemis (Vladimirov), the Spiritual Father of Moscow's St. Elizabeth Gymnasium and a writer, discusses the relevance of the martyrdom of Grand Duchess Elizabeth Romanov and the Russian royal family to the present.
Historian Dmitry Grishin the author of a literary biography of Elizabeth Romanov published in Russian as a part of the book series "Outstanding People". We asked him to talk about Elizabeth Romanov as a wife and almsgiver, and how these two…
