Abbess Thaisia (+1915) was a spiritual mother to Holy Russia and spiritual daughter of St. John Kronstadt (+1909). In the first of her Letters to a Beginner, she talks about “the first condition of our salvation”: Here is the word: Strive to love everyone! The commandment is not difficult but is proper to our very nature…If […]
His Beatitude Patriarch Teoctist of blessed memory would often tell this story about the efficacy of prayer: There was once a young monk who complained that his prayers were never answered. His abbot asked him to take a straw basket used in gardening to a nearby brook and return with water. The monk did as he was […]
We’re currently in the process of developing a new experience here on Discover Orthodoxy. We’ll be featuring Orthodox content creators from around the world with new series and videos being added gradually throughout the year! Every Tuesday, we’ll be updating the website with new videos and posts; plus, we’ll be adding new sections featuring audio […]
With the blessings of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, we are happy to announce that registration for the 2024 Summer Sessions of Ionian Village opens tomorrow, February 1, 2024! Ionian Village will once again offer three programs, catering to high school students and young adults. Registration is available online at www.ionianvillage.org. Need-based scholarships may be offered by contacting the IV office. Spots…
On January 19, 2024, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America officiated a vigil and Hierarchical Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Epiphany at the Holy Monastery of Xenophontos on Mount Athos. Clergy and pilgrims joined Archbishop Elpidophoros for this special service. The intricate iconography and beauty of the monastery glistened under the soft lighting of the candles…
The question of how to fast generates quite a bit of discussion and confusion, especially since there are so many different opinions from different priests on the rules of fasting. Life in today’s world can make keeping the fast difficult for many of us. To help clarify this, I offered 3 levels of fasting that hopefully will provide each of us with a way to use the Lenten period to prepare for the joyous Resurrection of our Lord and Savior.
