World of Orthodoxy

Ladder of Divine Ascent: from Earthly Things to That Which is Above

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.

Miraculous Icon of our Lady of Czestochowa

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.

He Who Gives Embraces Divine Joy

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”.

Fasting during the Great Lent

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?

Great Lent, Our Preparation for the Feast of Feasts

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.

Great Lent: Fasting, Almsgiving and Prayer

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.

The Virtue of Almsgiving in the Orthodox Tradition

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 Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, guardian of humanity

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.

Contemplating the Last Judgement of Our Lord

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.

Preparing for Great Lent in the Orthodox Tradition

The Orthodox Church approaches the Great Lent which will start on March 15th 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.

The Church Calendar, Our Roadmap to the Kingdom of the Lord

The calendar of the Church humbles our proud minds. It returns us to the truth of God the Creator of all things, including time, and thus its rightful master.

Nativity Fast 2022-2023

The Nativity Fast sanctifies the last part of the year and is established so that by the day of the Nativity of Christ we will purify ourselves by repentance, prayer and abstinence. As a result, we could piously meet the Son of God who came…

How the Most Holy Theotokos intercedes for us:stories from Mount Athos

On 28 August the Church commemorates the Dormition of the Theotokos. The Holy Mountain, the realm of the Mother of God, celebrates this feast with special joy. Here are five examples of the Holy Virgin's intercession for different people.

10 Facts About the Minsk Icon of the Mother of God

On August 26, the Belarusian Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of the Minsk Icon of the Mother of God. The image was discovered in the river which flows through Minsk. The icon is safely located today in the Holy Spirit Cathedral.

Prayer, our plea for God's mercy for our world

Hannu Pöyhönen professor, doctor of theology and a founding member of the Panagia Monastic Centre in Lammi, Finland, addresses the anxieties, doubts and fears affecting mankind in our troubled times.

Guilt, remorse and the mystery of forgiveness

Repentance is hard work. It takes humility to admit our sins and courage to repent and ask for forgiveness. Here are four timeless narratives from saints and monks from different centuries.

Obedience, the crown of all virtue

Obedience is the food of all saints; raised in the spirit of obedience, they rise to perfection through its practice.

Icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow" (With Coins)

On August 5, we celebrate the miraculous transformation of the “Joy of All Who Sorrow” icon of the Mother of God. It happened on this day in 1888 when a lightning struck the chapel where the icon was placed and burning the chapel’s walls and…

Dormition Fast 2022

The Dormition Fast is our occasion to remember the Mother of God as a model of Christian life and to emulate her example in our lives. The Dormition Fast in the Russian Orthodox Church, starts on 14 August and ends two weeks later, on 28 August.…

Choosing our lives with wisdom

Speaking of marriage and celibacy, Apostle Paul taught: "he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does better." Should we take it to mean that celibacy is superior to marriage?