The book Ladder of Divine Ascent by St. John, hegumen of Mount Sinai is a guide for ascending to spiritual perfection. In his book, the Saint captured the entire spiritual path in a vibrant image of a ladder with thirty rungs.
The history of venerating the icon of the Mother of God, brought at the end of the 14th century to the Polish city of Czestochowa, remains underexplored. Ancient Russian calendars and menologies do not mention it.
In the words of St. Paisios of the Holy Mountain, recently glorified by the Church, “The one who takes experiences human gladness, while the one who gives embraces Divine joy”.
The Church calls monasticism the angelic life. From the times of the Apostles to the present day, millions have taken this route, by giving up their possessions and estate, renouncing the ways of the world and following Christ.
The Great Lent has begun. What is the meaning of these forty days, why are they divided into weeks, and how does each week lead us to the Great and Holy Pascha? Paul Pinson explains.
In 1923, the future martyr was only 26 years old. Seeing the unfolding persecution of the Church, he was ordained priest with the words, "We need to protect the faith". Priest Valerian Novitsky was arrested and executed in 1930.
This is a fragment from the Rite of Forgiveness service. The chant is performed by the Monastic Choir of St. Elisabeth Convent. It describes the suffering of Adam, the father of all mankind.
Children's Choir of St. Elisabeth Convent performs an orthodox song «Grant me, O Lord, grace». The conductor is matushka Maria Bakhvalova. Choir members are the children of the convent's parishioners, girls and boys aged 7 to 16.
We invite you to join us at 02.00 Eastern Time (09:00 Minsk Time) for a Live Stream of the Russian Orthodox Divine Liturgy Service celebrated at St Elisabeth Convent.
We invite you to share with us our moments of thoughtful prayer, contemplation and worship online at 16.00 CET (18:00 Minsk Time) broadcast live from our Church of the Reigning Icon of the Mother of God.
How can we change our world? To quote Saint Ignatius Bryanchaninov, do not try to shake the foundations, but be vigilant; take care of yourself, your family and kin; be an example for others, and thousands will be saved around you.
We are accustomed to being guided solely by our personal experience. We do not have the courage to speak about the struggle and the triumph over the sin because it is beyond human power.
So what kind of fasting should we aim for if we want to please God and benefit our spirits? There is no need to muse too much over these questions - today's Gospel readings give us the idea.
What did the Lord come into the world for? He came to liberate man from the bonds of slavery. Apostle Paul explains what kind of slavery it was: For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. (Romans 7: 19).
When visiting is not a possibility, our slide shows can help you feel in the midst of the events. See us throughout the year, visit our workshops, farmsteads, come to our worship services online. Be a part of our life.
The forty martyrs of Sebaste were Christian soldiers who distinguished themselves in battles and glorified themselves in eternity by remaining loyal to Christ despite flattery and brutal torture.
The Great Lent starts on February 27 in the Belarusian Orthodox Church this year. The sisters of Saint Elisabeth Convent will embark on this journey to Easter by reading what the Church Fathers have said about the three pillars of Lent.
On the Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross, we are reminded of Christ's calling to us: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."
The spiritual message of the icon revealed itself with time. It promises eventual forgiveness to the Russian people and the return of the supreme power from the Holy Theotokos after a long period of suffering and repentance.
Our patronal feast is like a small Easter during Great Lent. In the middle of the largest church in the Convent rests the decorated image of the Reigning Icon of the Mother of God.
Our likes, preferences and mindsets may change, but God remains the same. We will be judged on how we knew Him – or failed to do so – in our present lives.
The Triumph of Orthodoxy reaffirms the true humanity of Jesus Christ and our calling to participate in His holiness.
The Great Lent is the longest fasting season of the year for the Orthodox. We all know about the importance of prayer, almsgiving and fasting. But what are the rules of fasting? Are there some things, we should not do during the Lent?
In the Orthodox tradition, almsgiving is the third main virtue after prayer and fasting. Our Lord Jesus Christ and many of His Saints have talked about the importance of giving alms. So what is this virtue all about?
The Mother of God prays for us, showing us the power of the prayer to change us from within, transform our lives and make a positive difference to the world.
How dreadful would our lives become if we had no words to say “Forgive me” and “Lord will forgive, and I do also”? No worldly wisdom could bring order and restore peace among people without the aid of forgiveness.
A perpetual struggle is going on between our passions and God’s grace. If we cannot eradicate our passions, what can we do at least to keep them at bay?
God, who gives the sinners and the righteous their dues, is not someone who lies in waiting to punish a wrongdoer after the fact. What gives us fear and trembling is the hurting wound of not responding to the love that He had given to us.
As we pray for our dead, we remember that all the living will enter eternal life in their time. We also realise how vain and fragile our earthly lives are, how finite are our worldly comforts and wealth, how small are many of our daily concerns.
The Meeting of the Lord is the feast of our coming together with the Saviour. It is an event that opens our eyes to the reality of our salvation in the incarnate Lord.
