World of Orthodoxy

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?

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.

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?

Of hope, faith and purity: three stories from Mount Athos

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.” Here are three stories from Mount Athos that illustrate the truth of this biblical verse.

Can a good atheist inherit the Kingdom of God?

To repent is more than naming one's sins to a priest. It is naïve to think that someone who has sinned all his life and done nothing but evil can always repent at the last moment. One needs to have a change of heart to be forgiven, but examples…

Different ways to walk a path of goodness

In our lives, we face multiple tasks and challenges. Sometimes, we address them directly, but in some indirect solutions might be more helpful. Here are three stories from church life about the benefits of creative problem-solving.

Experiencing miracles: narratives from Mount Athos

How do miracles happen? How do they serve our life in Christ? Here are some insights from the life of Elder Ephraim of Katukania, a twentieth-century saint from Mount Athos.

In the Remission of Our Sins – Which Sins?

At Baptism, we are forgiven all our past sins, and in a confession the sins that we confessed. But when we hear the chant "in remission of the sins" at Communion, to which sins does it refer? Archpriest Vladimir Dolgikh explains.

Humility and prayer: what the elders from Mount Athos say

One cannot become pure just by saying Jesus' Prayer. One must exercise humility and appropriate exertion. A prayer without humility or exertion, your prayer is useless.

How one visit to a church changed the life of schema-abbess Tamar

Tamara joined a convent, despite all persuasion and pleas from her relatives. Over her family's objections, Tamara joined a convent, tonsured as Juvenalia. Some sisters saw a white dove descend on her at her tonsure.

God cares about His children's earthly needs

Here are five narratives from the lives of God's saints and His children that show how God provides for our spiritual and earthly needs in the fulness of His love for us.

What is the true meaning of prayer?

With prayer, we enter a conversation with the Creator to partake of His infinite love, eternity and immortality. We do not pray to have our wishes fulfilled, but to become closer to God.

Three examples of steadfast faith in Christ

Examples of how putting all our faith and trust in the Lord liberates us from the fear of suffering, humiliation and even death.

Should Every Christian Aim for Holiness?

Are there any saints among us, and who might we call a saint? Saints live a righteous life; they have the gift of God’s grace and have a connection with Him in prayer. Are these accomplishments within the reach of a rank and file Christian?

Three stories from the life of Archbishop Theophan

Archbishop Theophan (Bystrov) of Poltava and Pereyaslavl was a confessor of the Russian Royal Family, a prominent theologian and insightful missionary. He was also a man of prayer and ascetic life and a direct acquaintance of Saint John of Kronstadt.

Myrrh-Streaming Icon of the Last Russian Tsar Venerated in Minsk

The prototype of the Moscow myrrh-streaming icon of the Tsar-Martyr was painted in 1996 in California, by the icon painter Pavel Tikhomirov, commissioned by representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

Upholding Faith Amid the Tragedy of the Balkans

In our reports from the Balkans column, we talk about the monasteries, churches, and Orthodoxy in that region through personal stories of monks, priests, abbots and famous Orthodox Christians of Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and…

Resist temptation – at what price?

What did Christ mean when he told us to tear out our eye and cut off our hand if they tempt us? Should we take it as a call to self-mutilation?