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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.
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.”
In 1917, the icon's discovery brought particular comfort to believers: centuries-old statehood was crumbling before their eyes, moral foundations were collapsing, spiritual values were being trampled underfoot.
St Symeon was the first to identify the vision of Divine Light as the primary goal of ascetic striving. He was the first to speak of dispassion and deification in such a personal manner.
Among the vast communion of Orthodox saints, two holy men named John share the rare epithet "of Rila" (or Rylsky in Russian), despite living worlds apart in time and space.
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.
The first widely venerated icon of the Mother of God "Blessed Heaven" in Russia was the image from the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, painted in 1678-1680 by order of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich.
The Great Lent starts on March 3 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.
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.
How often has it been said that we can imbue our actions and words with one meaning or another! How, and by what means, can we transform this Great Lent from a daunting trial into an inspiring journey?
On 13 March the Church commemorates of St Cassian the Roman (435). He laboured in the Christian West, drawing the foundation for his spiritual struggles and works in from the monasteries of Egypt and the Holy Land.
Founded in 2002 with the blessing of Archpriest Andrey Lemeshonok the gold embroidery workshop began its work in earnest when Metropolitan Filaret (Vakhromeev) blessed the creation of its first Holy Shroud of Christ.
His hagiography says that St Ignatius was called the God-bearer because of his deep love for Jesus Christ, for he prayed to Him without pause and was a chosen vessel who carried the divine Name before peoples and kings.
Saint Anthony the Great was the first one who, through his spiritual struggles and his achievement of spiritual perfection, both took on and guided such a large group of disciples that once desolate places became like cities.
The Loving God has given us elder brothers and sisters in Christ—the saints. Nun Lyubov (Nikolaeva) is sharing her story of a personal relationship between a Christian and a saint.
We celebrate the fulfilment of the heartfelt prayer of the parents of the Virgin Mary. We anticipate her coming to this world, her dedication to God and her becoming the God-bearer, the Mother of Christ.
December 19, the memorial day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra, is a patronal feast in our convent. St. Nicholas (Velimirović) of Serbia has left us an instructive message dedicated to this great saint.
A long-awaited project is finally coming to life: land has been allocated, plans are being developed, and soon construction will begin on a monastic almshouse. What will this place be like, who is it for, and how will it be organised?
Under the spiritual guidance of Patriarch Alexy II, lands once blessed by his leadership revived their historical memory, rekindled their Orthodox faith, and flourished anew.
On 28 November, we enter the Nativity Fast in which we prepare ourselves for the great feast of the Nativity of our Lord by focusing on abstinence, prayer and almsgiving. The fast lasts until 7 January.
