When the Patriarch of Constantinople ordained him as bishop of Nicomedia, he became a loving shepherd to his flock and spared no effort to ease the plight of the sick and needy.
On this day, 22 March, as we honour the memory of the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste, our Convent also celebrates the Name Day of Father Valery Zakharov, a dedicated priest who has been with us since the foundation of our Convent 25 years ago.
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?
He was a contemporary of the Holy Apostles and, according to tradition, a disciple of Archangel Michael himself, who brought him to Christ and gave him baptism.
He also founded the great Lavra in Palestine famous for its strict and simple monastic rule that exists to this day. Steadfast and uncompromising on matters of faith, he was also compassionate and loving with people and animals.
All these saints were relatives and St Theodore the Tyro (2 March) who were in the same prison with him for their Christian faith.
How dreadful would our lives become if we had no words to say “Forgive me” and “Lord will forgive, and I do also”? No worldly wisdom could bring order and restore peace among people without the aid of forgiveness.
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.”
A perpetual struggle is going on between our passions and God’s grace. If we cannot eradicate our passions, what can we do at least to keep them at bay?
The life of Martyr Eudokia is an example of the power of repentance to transform one’s life from unclean to pure, from unbelief to full faith in God.
The world has many sacred places, but none of them is Paradise. However, we can find paradise when God dwells within us. Paradise also resides around people with peaceful hearts. The sense of paradise may be fleeting and fragile.
In a dream, he had a vision of the Golgotha in which the good thief descended from the cross to lead him to Christ, and entrusted to his keeping His Cross.
Our patronal feast is like a small Easter during Great Lent. In the middle of the largest church in the Convent rests the decorated image of the Reigning Icon of the Mother of God.
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.