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Saint Nikephoros, a martyr was not just an example of Christian virtue and devotion to God, but also a vivid illustration of the truth that even a sacrifice of life will mean nothing in the eyes of God if given without love.
The Orthodox Church approaches the Great Lent which will start on February 23rd according to the Julian calendar. In order to prepare for the Lenten journey, the Church gives us four pre-lenten weeks to help us understand why we fast.
In plain terms, the message from the Lord that we are trying so hard to decline is utterly clear: we should live in love, even towards our enemies, and humbly recognize our own faults while maintaining faith in God.
As we are reminded in the hymns of the Church, Christ came to the Jordan not just to renew the fallen nature of man, but also to bless His entire creation by sanctifying the water. With the feast of the Theophany, the Lord shows us a different…