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Sophronius of Irkutsk

2008-06-30T18:41:26Z

Silentchapel: New page: '''Saint Sophronius, Bishop of Irkutsk and Wonderworker of all Siberia''' is a Russian saint from 19th century. == Life == He was born in Malorussia in the Chernigov region in 1704. His f...

'''Saint Sophronius, Bishop of Irkutsk and Wonderworker of all Siberia''' is a Russian saint from 19th century.

== Life ==
He was born in Malorussia in the Chernigov region in 1704. His father, Nazarius, was "a common man in his affairs, and the saint was named Stephen, in honor of the protomartyr [[Apostle Stephen the Protomartyr|St. Stephen]]. He had two brothers and a sister, Pelagia. The name of one brother was Paul. The name of the other older brother is unknown, but it is said that he was head of the Krasnogorsk Zolotonosh monastery.

Stephen's childhood years were spent in the settlement of Berezan in the Pereyaslavl district of the Poltava governance, where the family settled after the father was discharged from service. When he came of age, Stephen entered the Kiev Theological Academy, where two other future hierarchs were studying: [[Joasaph of Belgorod|Joasaph, Bishop of Belgorod]] (September 4 and December 10), and [[Paul of Tobolsk|Paul, Metropolitan of Tobolsk]] (June 10 and November 4).

After completing his religious education, Stephen entered the Krasnogorsk Transfiguration monastery (later renamed the Protection monastery, in 1789, it was transformed into a women's [monastery]), where his elder brother already labored in [asceticism]. On April 23, 1730 he received [[tonsure|monastic tonsure]] with the name of Sophronius, in honor of [[Sophronius of Jerusalem|St. Sophronius of Jerusalem]] (March 11).

On the night after his monastic tonsure, St Sophronius heard a Voice in the Protection church predicting his future service: "When you become bishop, build a church dedicated to [[All Saints]]."

In 1732, he was summoned to Kiev. There he was ordained [[hierodeacon]], and then [[hieromonk]] in the cathedral of Holy Wisdom. After St Sophronius had been a monk for two years, he became [[treasurer]] of the Zolotonosh monastery for two years, and then His Grace Bishop Arsenius (Berlov) of the Pereyaslavl diocese sent him into the house of his archbishop, where he was steward for eight years.

These facts testify to the connections of the saint with his original Protection monastery. During his obedience under the presiding hierarch at Pereyaslavl, he often visited his monastery, spending the day in quiet contemplation and work, serving as an example to the brethren.

When Hieromonk Sophronius traveled to the Holy Synod on behalf of his bishop, they paid close attention to him. In January 1742, the future saint was transferred to the St. Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St Peterburg, the foremost monastery of the capital. A year later he was appointed treasurer of the monastery, and in 1746 he was appointed as [[hegumen|Superior]] of the monastery.

He summoned his fellow countryman, the hieromonk Sinesios (Ivanoff), a native of the city of Priluki, and made him hegumen of the St Sergius Hermitage, a dependancy of St. Alexander Nevsky Lavra. From this time the friendship of the two ascetics, hieromonk Sophronius and hieromonk Sinesios, was strengthened by their joint pastoral effort, and they were inseparable until they died in Siberia.

During these years St Sophronius worked hard at managing the monastery and improvement of teaching at the [[seminary]] located nearby. He and Archbishop Theodosius made it their task to acquire more books for the monastic library.

St. Sophronius built a two storey [[church]]: the upper church was dedicated to St. Theodore, the older brother of [[Aleksander Nevsky|St. Alexander Nevsky]]; and the lower to [[John Chrysostom|St. John Chrysostom]].

Bishop Innocent II (Nerunovich) of Irkutsk died in 1747. For six years afterwards, the Irkutsk diocese remained without a spiritual head.

Finally, on February 23, 1753, the empress Elizabeth (1741-1761) recommended the pious Hegumen Sophronius of the Alexander Nevsky monastery to the Holy Synod as "a person, not only worthy of episcopal rank, but also someone completely able to fulfill the wishes and the hopes of the state and the Synod, and take up the burden of episcopal service on the far frontier and satisfy the needs of his flock in that harsh land, among wild primitives and lawless people."

On April 18, 1753, [[Sunday of St. Thomas|Thomas Sunday]], Hieromonk Sophronius was [[consecration|consecrated]] Bishop of Irkutsk and Nerchinsk in the Dormition cathedral.

Foreseeing difficult service on the distant Siberian frontier, the new bishop did not immediately travel to the Irkutsk eparchy, but rather began to gather educated and spiritually experienced co-workers. During this period St. Sophronius visited at his original Krasnogorsk monastery. At the holy places of Kiev, he also sought the blessings of the Kiev Caves Saints for his service. The constant companion of the saint, as had been before, was the hieromonk Sinesios, sharing in his friend's work.

At Moscow, Archbishop Platon of Moscow and Sevsk provided him with further assistance. He gave him fatherly advice for his task, since he was quite familiar with the peculiarities of the Siberian religious life. He forewarned him about the self-willed local authorities, and advised him to surround himself with trustworthy helpers.

On March 20, 1754 the saint arrived at Irkutsk. He went first to the Ascension monastery, his predecessor's residence, and prayed at the grave of Bishop Innocent (Kulchitz), asking his blessing as he took up his assignment.

Familiarizing himself with the state of affairs in the diocese, the saint began the reorganization of the Spiritual consistory, monasteries and parishes, and appealed to the Holy Synod to send worthy men to the Irkutsk eparchy for [[priest|priestly service]].

Before the arrival of St Sophronius, the Irkutsk monasteries had already a century-old history. The founders of these monasteries were motivated by a fervent desire for [[monsaticism|monastic life]]. The wise hierarch appointed people of piety, wisdom, virtue, and with great experience both of life and spiritual matters as heads of the monastic communities. In 1754, Bishop Sophronius elevated his friend and companion Hieromonk Sinesios to be Archimandrite of Ascension monastery. He served the monastery for thirty-three years until his blessed repose.

In September 1754, the bishop issued a decree in which he expressed concern for the education and upbringing of the children of the clergy. He wanted them to learn the [[Horologion]], the [[Psalter]], singing and letters, and this instruction "ought to be conducted with all industriousness and the utmost diligence, so that the children might be able to fulfill the responsibilities of sacristan and deacon."

Studying both people and circumstances, the bishop in his sermons and conversations exhorted all to a higher moral ideal. He devoted particular attention to the reverent and correct performance of the divine services and the [[Holy Mysteries]], and he also looked after the moral purity of laymen. He was concerned about the position of women in the family, and defended them against their unjust inequality. The bishop attempted to set straight the Rule of divine services, and so he summoned priests, [[deacon]]s, [[subdeacon]]s and [[sacristan]]s, and those who sang in the choir during services.

Traveling about the diocese, the saint noticed that censing and the ringing of bells were not being done properly in all places, and therefore he issued a decree restoring the proper way of censing and bell-ringing.

Called to apostolic service in this frontier region, St. Sophronius realized that his duty was to enlighten the Christians of the area, and also to convert the idol-worshippers, who were very numerous in Siberia.

It was difficult to bring pagans to the Church of Christ, especially because sometimes there was no one to serve in the churches, and to borrow priests for missionary activity only made matters worse. Knowing that the Church services would have a salutary effect on non-Russians, the saint not only served with reverence himself, but also required it of all his clergy.

St. Sophronius also contributed to the development of a stable culture among the local people. He offered them monastic lands for settlements and in every way he endeavored to isolate them from the influence of paganism. A constant throng of visitors came from faraway places for his blessing.

Even with his many cares, he did not forget his own spiritual life and eternity. He also led an ascetical life. His cell-attendant said that the saint "used simple food in small quantities. He served often, spent the greater part of the night at prayer, sleeping on the floor under a sheepskin or a fur, a deerskin or bear hide, and a small simple pillow".

The spirit of his ascetic life fit in with the general uplifting of the Christian spirit in Russia after the glorification of [[Dimitri of Rostov|St. Demetrius of Rostov]] (September 21), [[Theodosius of Chernigov]] (September 9), and the uncovering of the incorrupt relics of his predecessor, [[Innocent of Irkutsk|St. Innocent of Irkutsk]] (February 9). This event inspired St. Sophronius to greater efforts and encouraged him to ask for the help of St. Innocent in his task of building up the diocese.

Until the end of his days St Sophronius kept his love for the Krasnogor Zolotonosh monastery, which had nurtured him in the days of his youth. He constantly contributed support for its upkeep, sending the necessary means for this.

Noticing a deterioration in his health, St. Sophronius petitioned the Holy Synod to let him retire. The answer from Peterburg did not come right away, since it was difficult to choose a worthy successor.

The final days of St Sophronius' s life were spent in asceticism and [[prayer]].

The light, which shone on the good deeds of St Sophronius, continues to the present time to testify to the glory of the Heavenly Father, "Who mercifully strengthens His saints." Now the holy memory of St. Sophronius is reverently preserved not only in Siberia at the place of his final deeds, but also at the place of his first deeds.

St Sophronius is also commemorated on June 30 (his glorification in 1918).

== Source ==
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?FSID=100944 Saint Sophronius the Bishop or Irkutsk] ([[OCA]])

[[Category: Saints]]
[[Category: Bishops]]

Therapont of Sardis

2006-05-27T10:42:17Z

Silentchapel:

Our Father among Saints, '''the Hieromartyr Therapon, Bishop of Sardis''' suffered for Christ during the third century (the city of Sardis was in Lydia, Asia Minor). In fulfilling his priestly service, St. Therapon enlightened many of the pagan Greeks with the light of the Christian Faith and [[baptism|baptized]] them. For this, he was brought to trial before the governor Julian and fearlessly declared himself a Christian [[bishop]].

They threw him into prison, where he languished with hunger and thirst, and then they gave him over to cruel tortures. These torments did not break the saint's valiant confession of faith. They led the saint off in chains to the city of Sinaion in Phrygia, and then to Ancyra.

In these cities they tortured him again. They took him to the River Astala, where they stretched him naked upon the ground, fastened to four stakes, and fiercely beat him. After this torture, they took the [[passion-bearer]] to the outskirts of the Satalia diocese, part of the Sardis metropolitanate, and here after long beatings St. Therapon ended his martyric contest.

The stakes to which the saint had been tied, and which were soaked with his blood, put forth green shoots and grew into large trees, whose leaves were found to have curative powers. Many people received healing through them. St. Therapont's feast day is on [[May 27]].

==Hymns==
[[Troparion]] (Tone 4)
:Having partaken of the apostolic way of life,
:And becoming their successor to the throne,
:You have discovered in the practice of the virtues
:The way to divine contemplation.
:Therefore dispensing the word of truth
:You have also suffered to the shedding of blood for the sake of the faith,
:O holy martyr Therapontes, entreat Christ our God to save our souls.

[[Kontakion]] (Tone 1)
:In righteous suffering, O Therapontes saint of Christ,
:You truly became a hierarch and martyr.
:Therefore we entreat you to heal the ingrained passions of our souls,
:Entreating Christ who loves mankind and grants mercy.

==Sources==
*[http://www.oca.org/FSlives.asp www.oca.org - Lives of Saints, May 27.]

[[Category: Saints]]
[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category: Martyrs]]

John (Maximovitch) the Wonderworker

2006-05-27T10:37:41Z

Silentchapel:

[[Image:John Maximovitch.jpg|right|frame|St. John Maximovitch]]
Our father among the saints '''John (Maximovitch), Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco''' (1896-1966), was a [[diocese|diocesan]] [[bishop]] of the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia]] (ROCOR) who served widely from China to France to the United States.

He departed this life on [[June 19]] ([[Julian Calendar|O.S.]]) or [[July 2]] ([[Revised Julian Calendar|N.S.]]), 1966, and was officially [[glorification|glorified]] by the ROCOR on [[July 2]], 1994. His [[feast day]] is not yet celebrated by all Orthodox churches, though many will nonetheless refer to him with the title ''[[Blessed]]'' or even ''[[Saint]]''.

==Life==
The future St. John was born on [[June 4]], 1896, in the southern Russian village of Adamovka in Kharkov province to pious aristocrats, Boris and Glafira Maximovitch. He was given the [[baptism]]al name of Michael. In his youth, Michael was sickly and had a poor appetite, but he displayed an intense religious interest. He was educated at the Poltava Military School (1907-14), Kharkov Imperial University, from which he received a law degree (in 1918), and the University of Belgrade (where he completed his theological education in 1925).

He and his family fled their country as the Bolshevik revolutionaries descended on the country, emigrating to Yugoslavia. There, he enrolled in the Department of Theology of the University of Belgrade. He was [[tonsure]]d a [[monk]] in 1926 by [[Metropolitan]] [[Anthony (Khrapovitsky) of Kiev|Anthony (Khrapovitsky) of Kharkov]] (later the first [[primate]] of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia). Metr. Anthony later in 1926 [[ordination|ordained]] him hierodeacon. Bishop Gabriel of Chelyabinsk ordained him [[hieromonk]] on [[November 21]], 1926. Subsequent to his ordination he began an active life of teaching in a Serbian high school and serving, at the request of local Greeks and Macedonians, in the Greek language. With the growth of his popularity, the [[bishop]]s of the Russian Church Aboard resolved to elevate him to the [[bishop|episcopate]].

[[Image:John_mx.jpg|right|thumb|Photo of St. John]]Hieromonk John was [[Consecration of a bishop|consecrate]]d [[bishop]] on [[May 28]], 1934, with Metr. Anthony serving as principal consecrator, after which he was assigned to the Diocese of Shanghai. Twelve years later he was named Archbishop of China. Upon his arrival in Shanghai, Bp. John began working to restore unity among the various Orthodox nationalities. In time, he worked to build a large [[cathedral]] [[church]] that was dedicated to ''Surety of Sinners [[Icon]] to the [[Mother of God]]'', with a bell tower and large [[parish]] house. Additionally, he inspired many activities: building of churches, hospitals, and orphanages among the Orthodox and Russians of Shanghai. He was intensely active, constantly praying and serving the daily cycle of services, while also visiting the sick with the [[Holy Gifts]]. He often would walk barefooted even in the coldest days. Yet to avoid the appearance of secular glory, he would pretend to act the fool.

With the end of World War II and the coming to power of the Communists in China, Bp. John led the exodus of his community from Shanghai in 1949. Initially, he helped some 5,000 refugees to a camp on the island of Tubabao in the Philippines, while he travelled successfully to Washington, D.C., to lobby to amending the law to allow these refugees to enter the United States. It was while on this trip that Bp. John took time to establish a [[parish]] in Washington dedicated to St. [[John the Forerunner]].

In 1951, Abp. John was assigned to the Archdiocese of Western Europe with his [[cathedra]] in Paris. During his time there, he also served as archpastor of the [[Orthodox Church of France]], whose restored [[Gallican Rite|Gallican liturgy]] he studied and then celebrated. He was the principal consecrator of the Orthodox Church of France's first modern bishop, [[Jean-Nectaire (Kovalevsky) of Saint-Denis]], and ordained to the priesthood the man who would become its second bishop, [[Germain (Bertrand-Hardy) of Saint-Denis]].

In 1962, Abp. John was assigned to the Diocese of San Francisco, succeeding his long time friend Abp. Tikhon. Abp. John's days in San Francisco were to prove sorrowful as he attempted to heal the great disunity in his community. He was able to bring peace such that the new cathedral, dedicated to the ''Joy of all Who Sorrow Icon of the Mother of God'', was completed.

He reposed during a visit to Seattle on [[July 2]], 1966, while accompanying a tour of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God. He was laid to rest in a crypt [[chapel]] under the main altar of the new cathedral.

==External links==
* [http://www.fatheralexander.org/booklets/english/johnmx1.htm Life and miracles of St. John Maximovich - By Bishop Alexander (Mileant)]
* [http://www.zeitun-eg.net/stcyril6/stjohnmaximovitch.exe St. John Maximovich: e-book for Windows® with Internet Explorer]
* [http://saintjohnwonderworker.org/ Saint John Maximovitch Eastern Orthodox Web Page]
* [http://www.serfes.org/lives/stjohn.htm Life of St. John Maximovitch the Wonderworker - Compiled by Fr Demetrios Serfes]
* [http://www.stmaryofegypt.org/library/st_john_maximovich/on_veneration_of_the_theotokos.htm ''Orthodox Veneration of Mary, the Mother of God''], written by St. John the Wonderworker himself, published with a foreword by [[Seraphim Rose]].
* [http://www.stmaryofegypt.org/library/st%5Fjohn%5Fmaximovich/ Homilies and Other Writings of Saint John the Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco].
* [http://orthodox.cn/saints/johnmaximovitch_en.htm St John the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Shanghai]
* [http://www.saintjohnwonderworker.org/akathist.htm Akathist to our Holy Hierarch John]
* [http://saintjohnwonderworker.org/trial1.htm A Saint's Final Golgotha: The Trial of St. John Maximovitch in Public Court (1963)]

[[Category:American Saints]]
[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:Orthodoxy in China]]

Therapont of Sardis

2006-05-27T10:31:31Z

Silentchapel:

Our Father among Saints, '''the Hieromartyr Therapon, Bishop of Sardis''' suffered for Christ during the third century (the city of Sardis was in Lydia, Asia Minor). In fulfilling his priestly service, St. Therapon enlightened many of the pagan Greeks with the light of the Christian Faith and [[baptism|baptized]] them. For this, he was brought to trial before the governor Julian and fearlessly declared himself a Christian [[bishop]].

They threw him into prison, where he languished with hunger and thirst, and then they gave him over to cruel tortures. These torments did not break the saint's valiant confession of faith. They led the saint off in chains to the city of Sinaion in Phrygia, and then to Ancyra.

In these cities they tortured him again. They took him to the River Astala, where they stretched him naked upon the ground, fastened to four stakes, and fiercely beat him. After this torture, they took the [[passion-bearer]] to the outskirts of the Satalia diocese, part of the Sardis metropolitanate, and here after long beatings St. Therapon ended his martyric contest.

The stakes to which the saint had been tied, and which were soaked with his blood, put forth green shoots and grew into large trees, whose leaves were found to have curative powers. Many people received healing through them. St. Therapont's feast day is on [[May 27]].

==Sources==
*[http://www.oca.org/FSlives.asp www.oca.org - Lives of Saints, May 27.]

[[Category: Saints]]
[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category: Martyrs]]

OrthodoxWiki:Questions

2006-05-18T11:37:31Z

Silentchapel:

This '''Questions''' page is the place to post and answer general questions regarding the work here on '''OrthodoxWiki'''. We hope we can help! For general reference/research questions. please see [[OrthodoxWiki:Reference desk]]

==Skin change==
I don't know about y'all, but I liked the default skin ''without'' the boxes rounded off at the corners. Any chance that could be an option for the default skin? —[[User:ASDamick|{{User:ASDamick/sig}}]] 12:57, 10 Sep 2005 (EDT)

:Sure, I could put it in as an option, just for you :-). Give me a little time on this though! [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]]

==Spoken Word==
I just ran across [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Spoken_Wikipedia Wikipedia's Spoken Word Project]. Might there be podcasting in our future??? What do you think? [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]]

==What to do?==
Someone (Fr John?) contacted me at Wikipedia and asked me to help out here, but I'm not sure where to start. I've worked on Wikipedia for several years off and one, and it's easy to find things there that need help, but the quality of work I'm seeing here looks much higher, at least at a glance. Is there a ToDo list somewhere, or anything of that sort? [[User:Theophan|Theophan]] 22:20, 26 Feb 2005 (CST)

::Hi Theophan, I'm sorry for the delay in finding this message, but I'm glad to see that others took up the ball on this one. [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]]

==Timestamp==
Is there a reason that all the timestamps show as CST, even though preferences are set to another time zone? - [[User:Magda|magda]] 10:14, 18 Mar 2005 (CST)

::Hmm... Server time is set to CST, as well as the wiki default (since I'm in Chicago). Maybe to keep all the timestamps in order, they go for the default instead of you local preferences??? [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]] 14:29, 18 Mar 2005 (CST)

==Diptych==
I was reading an [http://www.mpa.gr/article.html?doc_id=528950 article] about the recent synod in Turkey, and came across the word ''diptych''. I asked my husband about it and he said this usage refers to the commemoration of the Patriarchs, who usually co-commemorate each other (as each local church commemorates the bishop, metropolitan, patriarch, etc.). Any idea why this is called a ''diptych''? --[[User:Magda|magda]] 11:53, 25 May 2005 (CDT)

:Hi magda, the [[wikipedia:diptych|Wikipedia article]] says "A diptych is any object with two flat plates attached at a hinge. These objects were quite popular in the ancient world, since they could record notes and measure time and direction." I assume this was just the commonest medium upon which the names of those commemorated were written.

:As a side note, this page seems to be for OrthodoxWiki related questions. Maybe we should move it to a general Orthodoxy q and A page, kind of like Google Answers? Any more ideas on how to best structure this? [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]]

==Troparia and other prayers for Saints' entries?==
Given that this Wiki is unabashedly Orthodox, would it be acceptable to try to have appropriate liturgical prayers in each Saint's entry?
:Oops, that was from me [[User:Dogface|Dogface]] 23:02, December 4, 2005 (CST)

: Certainly! We wouldn't want to put the whole akolouthia in, though, just perhaps the [[troparion]] and [[kontakion]], along with a brief excerpt from some other major text from the feast. {{User:ASDamick/sig}} 06:30, December 5, 2005 (CST)

::The more the better, as far as I'm concerned -- maybe the Troparion and Kontakion in the entry, as Dcn. Andrew suggested, and then more extensive texts links. We'll just need to make sure we have permission to post whatever texts we do post -- that's very important. Thanks, {{User:FrJohn/sig}}

==Calendar of Saints==
I made a couple of entries on Saints, however I don't know how to put links to the articles in the calendar. How should I do this? - [[user:Silentchapel|Silentchapel]]
:[[OrthodoxWiki:Style Manual (Church Calendar)]] says to just edit the template for the date. So for [[February 18]] edit [[Template:February 18]]. Hope this helps. - [[User:Andrew|Andrew]] 15:26, April 26, 2006 (CDT)
[[Category:OrthodoxWiki]]
[[Category:Help]]

=="You have new messages" flag==

The new messages flag keeps displaying even after I've read the new message on my talk page. It keeps displaying even after I've logged out and logged back in. And it keeps displaying even when I log in later on on my other computer. Normally, the message flag should go off once the new message has been retrieved for the first time. That's certainly how it happens on other sites that use the same wikisoftware, e.g., Wikipedia. --[[User:Aquarius Rising|Aquarius Rising]] 17:49, April 26, 2006 (CDT)

::Not sure what's happening here. I haven't seen problems like this before. Have you clicked the "View new messages" link directly yet? Have you tried to refresh your browser? Not sure what else to say! [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]] 22:38, April 26, 2006 (CDT)

:::I have logged in after several days absence, and there is still a new messages flag regarding those earlier, already read messages. And I did click the view new messages link directly. It's weird. I have never experienced this glitch on Wikipedia, Uncyclopedia or any other wiki site that uses the same software. --[[User:Aquarius Rising|Aquarius Rising]] 08:46, May 4, 2006 (CDT)

==Deleting Articles?==
Um, is there any way I can delete an article? I missnamed a couple, so their deletation would be appreciated. [[User:Silentchapel|Silentchapel]]

::Hi Silentchapel,
::You can ask any [[Special:Listusers&group=sysop|sysop]] for help, and let them know the title of the page. Please be aware that some check in more often than others. You can also (as you discovered!) just leave a note on this page too. Thanks, {{User:FrJohn/sig}}

:::Thanks Father! Well, the articles that should be deleted are [[Prophet Habbakuk]] (real article is [[Habbakuk]]) and [[Cosmas of Jerusalem]] (real article is [[Cosmas the Hymnographer]]). Sorry for causing all the trouble, it is just so fun to improve wiki. :->

:::: Done. {{User:ASDamick/sig}} 20:42, April 27, 2006 (CDT)

==Stub==

Hmm, I've been having repeated problems with making pictures I've uploaded into stubs in my articles. Please see [[Edict of Milan]], and then tell me what the heck I'm doing wrong! Thanks so much. [[User:Gabriela|Gabriela]] 11 May, 2006, 12:46 (CST)

:Try "thumb" instead. :) Again, good work on the article! (Don't worry. The wiki syntax takes a little while to get used to.) {{User:Magda/sig}} 12:51, May 11, 2006 (CDT)

:Hmm, that deserves a "duh" response. Don't I feel like a complete idiot! Ah, well, it's good for my sense of humility. Thanks again. I see you also did some minor but quite useful editing. I'm learning. [[User:Gabriela|Gabriela]] 15:02, May 11, 2006 (CST)

==Calendar links==
Sorry if someone already asked this, but I wouldn't it be more logical for calendar entries only to contain links for actual Saint entries, as opposed to Saints and a large number of links that tend to lead to [[Saint titles]] article? For example, if someone wanted to read on St. Theodore the Sanctified, the entry looks like this: [[Saint]] [[Theodore the Sanctified]], the [[disciple]] of [[Venerable]] [[Pachomius the Great]]. Depending on where the person clicks (on name or title) it will lead to two different articles, and somoene who isn't proficient at using OrthodoxWiki probably wouldn't know that seemingly one link leads to two different articles. [[User:Silentchapel|Silentchapel]]

Template:May 16

2006-05-18T11:23:27Z

Silentchapel:

<div style="float:right;margin-left:1em">
[[Image:Pantokrator of Sinai.jpg|100px|Our Lord Jesus Christ]]
</div>Saint [[Theodore the Sanctified]], [[disciple]] of the [[Venerable]] [[Pachomius the Great]]; Venerable Ephraim, [[Abbot]] of Perekos, [[Wonder-worker]] of Novgorod; Blessed child Musa of Rome; Saint George, [[Bishop]] of Mitylene; [[Martyr]] Abdiesus (or Avda), Bishop, and 38 companions, in Persia; Martyr Peter of Blachernae; Saint [[Nicholas of Constantinople|Nicholas]] the [[Mystic]], [[Patriarch]] of Constantinople; Martyrs Vitus, Modestus, and Crescentia at Lucania; New-Martyr Nicholas of Metsov, whose [[relics]] are at Meteora; Saints Cassian and Laurence, [[Abbot]]s of Komel (Vologda); Saint [[Alexander of Jerusalem|Alexander]], [[Archbishop]] of Jerusalem; Saint Euphemia near Neaorion; Holy Fathers of St. Savvas Lavra, who were killed by the Blemmyers; Saint Theodore of Vrsac, Serbia; New-martyr Vukasin of Klepci, Serbia; Saint Brendan the Voyager (or Navigator); Saint Carantoc of Carhampton; Martyr Papelinos; Martyrs Symeon, Isaac, and Dachthisoes of Persia; [[Hieromartyr]] Peregrine, Bishop of Auxerre

Theodore the Sanctified

2006-05-18T11:22:46Z

Silentchapel:

Our Father among Saints, '''Theodore''' was called "Sanctified" because he was the first in his [[monastery]] ordained to the [[priest]]hood.

St. Theodore came from Egypt and was the son of rich and illustrious Christian parents. The yearning for monastic life appeared early in him. Once there was a large party at the house of his parents during the feast of [[Theophany]]. The boy did not want to take part in the festivities, grieving that because of earthly joys he might be deprived of joys in the life to come. He secretly left home when he was fourteen and entered one of the monasteries.

Hearing about [[Pachomius the Great]], he burned with the desire to see the ascetic. St. Pachomius received the young man with love, having been informed by God beforehand about his coming. Remaining at the monastery, St. Theodore quickly succeeded in all his monastic tasks, particularly in the full [[obedience]] to his guide, and in his compassion towards the other brethren. Theodore's mother, learning that he was at the Tabennisi monastery, came to St. Pachomius with a letter from the bishop, asking to see her son. St. Theodore did not wish to break his vow to renounce the world, so he refused to meet with his mother.

Seeing St. Theodore's strength of mind and ability, St. Pachomius once told him to instruct the brethren on [[Holy Scripture]]. St. Theodore was then only twenty years old. He obeyed and began to speak, but some of the older brethren took offense that a new monk should teach them, and they departed. St. Pachomius said to them, "You have given in to the devil and because of your conceit, your efforts will come to naught. You have not rejected Theodore, but rather the Word of God, and have deprived yourselves of the [[Holy Spirit]]."

St. Pachomius appointed St. Theodore as overseer of the Tabennisi monastery, and withdrew to a more solitary monastery. St. Theodore with filial love continued to concern himself over his instructor, and he looked after St. Pachomius in his final illness, and when the great abba reposed in the Lord, he closed his eyes. After the death of St. Pachomius, St. Theodore directed the Tabennisi monastery, and later on he was at the head of all the Thebaid monasteries. St. Theodore the Sanctified was famed for his holiness of life and a great gift of wonderworking, and he was well known to St. [[Athanasius of Alexandria|Athanasius]], Patriarch of Alexandria. St. Theodore reposed in his old age in the year 368, and his feast day is celebrated on [[May 16]].

== Hymns ==
[[Troparion]]: (First Tone)
:Dweller of the desert and [[angel]] in the body,
:you were shown to be a wonder-worker, our God-bearing Father Theodore.
:You received heavenly gifts through fasting, vigil, and prayer:
:healing the sick and the souls of those drawn to you by faith.
:Glory to Him who gave you strength!
:Glory to Him who granted granted you a crown!
:Glory to Him who through you grants healing to all!

[[Kontakion]]: (Second Tone)
:You flourished like a palm tree in the house of God,
:bringing forth the fruit of virtues for the Lord through your ascetic efforts.
:Therefore, you are called blest, venerable Father Theodore,
:for you are equal to the bodiless ones!

==Sources==
*[http://www.oca.org/FSlives.asp www.oca.org - Lives of Saints, May 16.]

[[Category: Saints]]
[[Category: Venerables]]
[[Category: Wonderworkers]]

Template:May 9

2006-05-09T19:23:01Z

Silentchapel:

<div style="float:right;margin-left:1em">
[[Image:Rublev Trinity.jpg|100px|The Holy Trinity]]
</div>Prophet [[Isaiah]]; [[Martyr]] Christopher of Lycia, and with him Martyrs Callinica and Aquilina; Martyr Epimachus the New of Alexandria; Martyr Gordion at Rome; Monk-martyr Nicholas who lived in Vuneni, of Larissa in Thessaly; Venerable [[Shio the Anchorite]] of Georgia; translation of the [[relics]] of [[Saint]] [[Nicholas of Myra|Nicholas]] the [[Wonder-worker]] from Myra to Bari; translation of the relics of Child-martyr Gabriel of Slutsk; repose of Schemahieromonk Joseph of Optina

Shio the Anchorite

2006-05-09T19:21:46Z

Silentchapel:

[[Image:ShiotheAnchorite.jpg|right|thumb|300px|St. [[John the Forerunner]], the [[Theotokos]] and St. Shio]]
Our father among Saints, '''Venerable Shio Mgvime''', [[Anchorite]] of Georgia, was born in Syrian Antioch. His parents were Christians and raised their son as their only heir. The youth received a fine education, he studied the [[Bible|Holy Scripture]] and already in his early years he became accomplished in his ability to expound the Word of God. After hearing about a holy ascetic named John, Shio secretly left his parental home and went to the saint. John made the youth return to his parents, and foretold that his parents would become [[monk|monastics]]. The prediction was soon fulfilled. Shio distributed his inheritance and received the monastic tonsure from St. John.

Twenty years later, Shio set off to Georgia to preach the Word of God with twelve other chosen disciples of St. John. With the blessing both of his teacher and of the Georgian Katholikos Eulabius, St. Shio settled in a cave west of the city of Mtskhet, where he made austere ascetic efforts and was vouchsafed miraculous visions. The solitary life of the ascetic became known, and soon the place of the saint's struggles was transformed into a [[monastery]], where he established a church dedicated to the [[Trinity|Most Holy Trinity]].

Later on, other churches were built in honor of the [[Theotokos|Mother of God]] and St. [[John the Forerunner]]. All the churches were consecrated by the Katholikos Macarius. The number of brethren increased, and the monk gave his blessing for them to found the Mgvim monastery, while he continued his deeds of salvation in seclusion.

St. Shio reposed on [[May 9]]. On the night before his death, he partook of the [[Communion|Holy Mysteries]] and gave the brethren a final salvific instruction. The saint's relics were buried in the monastery he founded. St Shio is the author of 160 precepts for the brethren.

==Sources==
*[http://www.oca.org/FSlives.asp www.oca.org - Lives of Saints, May 9.]

[[Category: Saints]]
[[Category: Venerables]]

File:ShiotheAnchorite.jpg

2006-05-09T19:18:51Z

Silentchapel:

{| align=center border=0 cellpadding=4 cellspacing=4 style="border: 1px solid #CC9; background-color: #F1F1DE"

|Courtesy of the Orthodox Church in America [http://www.oca.org/ www.oca.org]. '''Copyright © by the Orthodox Church in America. All Rights Reserved.''' ''Used by permission on '''OrthodoxWiki''', but not to be copied outside the website or distributed in any other way.''

'''If you placed this tag on an image''', be sure that you have received '''explicit permission''' for each image from the [[Help:Image licenses#OCA.org|appropriate OCA authorities]].
|}

[[Category:OCA.org Images]]

File:ShiotheAnchorite.jpg

2006-05-09T19:18:33Z

Silentchapel:

Parthenios III (Koinidis) of Alexandria

2006-05-01T11:08:09Z

Silentchapel:

His Beatitude, '''Patriarch Parthenios III of Alexandria''' was elected patriarch in February 1987 and was the 113th of the historical see of Alexandria. He was also one of the eight presidents of the [[World Council of Churches]], based in Geneva.

He was born in Port Said, Egypt, to parents of Greek origin, and attended primary and secondary school in Egypt. He graduated from the Theological School of Halki, Istanbul, Turkey in 1939. He did his post-graduate theological studies at Oxford University and at the Sorbonne, Paris.

He took his monastic vows under the name of Parthenios in 1919, was ordained [[deacon]] and later [[priest]]. He was appointed chief secretary to the [[Synod]] of the [[Patriarchate of Alexandria]]. From 1953 to 1959, he served as president of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Patriarchal Library of Alexandria and became a permanent member of the Patriarchal publications. In 1958 he was elected [[Metropolitan]] of Carthage in the diocese of Tripoli, Libya, and became a permanent member of the Synod of the [[Greek Orthodox Patriarchate]] of Alexandria. In 1968, he was elected member of the Central Committee of the [[World Council of Churches]], and became a WCC president in 1991.

The patriarch was the author of many theological essays published in numerous international reviews. Patriarch Parthenios III died of a heart attack on July 23 1996, aged 76, during a visit to Greece. The funeral was held July 30 at the cathedral church of St. Nicholas in Cairo, Egypt.

He was succeeded by Pope [[Petros VII (Papapetrou) of Alexandria|Petros VII]].

[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category: Patriarchs of Alexandria]]

Parthenios III (Koinidis) of Alexandria

2006-05-01T11:07:42Z

Silentchapel:

His Beatitude, '''Patriarch Parthenios III of Alexandria''' was elected patriarch in February 1987 and was the 113th of the historical see of Alexandria. He was also one of the eight presidents of the [[World Council of Churches]], based in Geneva.

He was born in Port Said, Egypt, to parents of Greek origin, and attended primary and secondary school in Egypt. He graduated from the Theological School of Halki, Istanbul, Turkey in 1939. He did his post-graduate theological studies at Oxford University and at the Sorbonne, Paris.

He took his monastic vows under the name of Parthenios in 1919, was ordained [[deacon]] and later [[priest]]. He was appointed chief secretary to the [[Synod]] of the [[Patriarchate of Alexandria]]. From 1953 to 1959, he served as president of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Patriarchal Library of Alexandria and became a permanent member of the Patriarchal publications. In 1958 he was elected [[Metropolitan]] of Carthage in the diocese of Tripoli, Libya, and became a permanent member of the Synod of the [[Greek Orthodox Patriarchate]] of Alexandria. In 1968, he was elected member of the Central Committee of the [[World Council of Churches]], and became a WCC president in 1991.

The patriarch was the author of many theological essays published in numerous international reviews. Patriarch Parthenios III died of a heart attack on July 23 1996, aged 76, during a visit to Greece. The funeral was held July 30 at the cathedral church of St. Nicholas in Cairo, Egypt.

He was succeeded by Pope [[Petros VII (Papapetrou) of Alexandria|Petros VII]].

[[Categories: Bishops]]
[[Categories: Patriarchs of Alexandria]]

Parthenios III (Koinidis) of Alexandria

2006-05-01T11:06:52Z

Silentchapel:

Talk:Holy water

2006-04-29T21:28:36Z

Silentchapel:

I need someone to write about holy water not being able to spoil. [[User:Silentchapel|Silentchapel]]

: How can any water spoil? It's complete inert. {{User:ASDamick/sig}} 15:54, April 29, 2006 (CDT)
::Water can get 'stale', though. --{{User:Pistevo/sig}} 16:26, April 29, 2006 (CDT)
::: Well, that... Look at http://www.holytrinityorthodox.com/events/01-19-2006/index.htm [[User:Silentchapel|Silentchapel]]

Apostle Sosipater

2006-04-29T18:22:56Z

Silentchapel:

[[Image:Jasonsosipater.jpg|frame|thumb|200px|Ss. [[Apostle Jason|Jason]] and Sosipater]]
The holy, glorious, all-laudable '''Apostle Sosipater''' is numbered among the [[Apostles#The_Seventy|Seventy Apostles]]. Born in Achaea, he was [[Bishop]] in Iconium (prior to the [[Apostle Tertius]]) by his relative the [[Apostle Paul]]. With the [[Apostle Jason]] he traveled to the island of Corfu where they built a church in honor of the [[Apostle Stephen the Protomartyr]] and converted many pagans to the Christian faith. Seeing this, the king of Corfu threw them into prison where they [[conversion|converted]] seven other prisoners to the Christian faith: Saturninus, Jakischolus, Faustianus, Januarius, Marsalius, Euphrasius and Mammius. The king had those seven put to death for their faith in boiling pitch.

The king's daughter, the virgin Cercyra, having watched these holy apostles being tortured and turned to the Christian faith, distributed all her jewels to the poor. The king became angry and put her in prison, yet she would not deny Christ. So he had the prison burned, but she remained unharmed. Many people were [[baptism|baptized]] upon seeing this [[miracle]]. He then had her killed with arrows while tied to a tree.

Many believers fled to a nearby island to get away from the enraged king, but as he chased them his boat sank. The new king embraced the Christian faith and in baptism received the name Sebastian. From then on Sts. Sosipater and Jason freely preached the [[Gospel]] and built up the Church in Corfu until a very old age, when they gave up their souls to God. St. Sosipater's [[feast day]]s are [[November 10]] and [[April 28]].

== Source ==
St. [[Nikolai Velimirovic]], ''The [[Prologue of Ohrid]]''

[[Category:Biblical Saints]]
[[Category:Saints]]

Apostle Jason

2006-04-29T18:20:25Z

Silentchapel:

[[Image:Jasonsosipater.jpg|frame|thumb|200px|Ss. Jason and [[Apostle Sosipater|Sosipater]]]]
The holy, glorious, all-laudable '''Apostle Jason''' is numbered among the [[Apostles#The_Seventy|Seventy Apostles]]. Born in Tarsus, he was appointed [[Bishop]] of Tarsus by the [[Apostle Paul]]. With the [[Apostle Sosipater]] he traveled to the island of Corfu where they built a church in honor of the [[Apostle Stephen the Protomartyr]] and converted many pagans to the Christian faith. Seeing this, the king of Corfu threw them into prison where they [[conversion|converted]] seven other prisoners to the Christian faith: Saturninus, Jakischolus, Faustianus, Januarius, Marsalius, Euphrasius and Mammius. The king had those seven put to death for their faith in boiling pitch.

The king's daughter, the virgin Cercyra, having watched these holy apostles being tortured and turned to the Christian faith, distributed all her jewels to the poor. The king became angry and put her in prison, yet she would not deny Christ. So he had the prison burned, but she remained unharmed. Many people were [[baptism|baptized]] upon seeing this [[miracle]]. He then had her killed with arrows while tied to a tree.

Many believers fled to a nearby island to get away from the enraged king, but as he chased them his boat sank. The new king embraced the Christian faith and in baptism received the name Sebastian. From then on Sts. Sosipater and Jason freely preached the [[Gospel]] and built up the Church in Corfu until a very old age, when they gave up their souls to God. St. Jason's [[feast day]] is [[April 28]].

== Source ==
St. [[Nikolai Velimirovic]], ''The [[Prologue of Ohrid]]''

[[Category:Biblical Saints]]
[[Category:Saints]]

File:Jasonsosipater.jpg

2006-04-29T18:10:34Z

Silentchapel:

File:Jasonsosipater.jpg

2006-04-29T18:09:42Z

Silentchapel: http://saints.oca.org/IconDirectory/LG/april/0428jason-sosipater.jpg

http://saints.oca.org/IconDirectory/LG/april/0428jason-sosipater.jpg

John the Forerunner

2006-04-29T17:42:55Z

Silentchapel: /* Relics */

[[Prophet]] and Forerunner '''John the Baptist''' is also refered to as '''John the Forerunner''' because he was the forerunner of [[Christ]]. He was an [[ascetic]] and great prophet, who [[baptism|baptized]] Christ and became one of the most revered [[saint]]s in the [[Orthodox Church]]. John is a cousin of Christ through his mother [[Elizabeth]] who was the daughter of Zoia. Zoia is the sister of Christ's [[Anna|grandmother]]. He was later beheaded by Herod in the first century to statisfy the request of Herod's stepdaughter, Salome, and wife Herodias. Because he baptized Christ, he is the [[patron saint]] of [[godparent]]s. He is sometimes called the ''Angel of the Desert''; because of this title, he is sometimes depicted with wings.

[[Book of Isaiah|Isaiah]] 40:3-5 is commonly read as a prophecy of John. His father, [[Zacharias]], was a [[priest]] of the course of Abia ([[I Paraleipomenon|1 Chr.]] 24:10), and his mother, Elizabeth, was of the daughters of Aaron ([[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] 1:5). John held the priesthood of Aaron, giving him the authority to perform baptisms of God.

His birth took place six months before that of Jesus, and according to the [[Gospel]] account was expected by prophecy ([[Gospel of Matthew|Matt.]] 3:3; Isa. 40:3; [[Book of Malachi|Mal.]] 3:1) and foretold by an [[angel]]. Zacharias lost his power of speech because of his unbelief over the birth of his son, and had it restored on the occasion of John's circumcision (Luke 1:64).

John was a [[Nazarite]] from his birth (Luke 1:15; [[Numbers|Num.]] 6:1-12). He spent his early years in the mountainous tract of Judea lying between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea (Matt. 3:1-12). He led a simple life, wearing rope (gamla) fiber clothing and eating "locusts and wild honey" (Matt. 3:4).

As an adult John started to preach in public, and people from "every quarter" were attracted to his message. The essence of his preaching was the necessity of repentance and turning away from selfish pursuits. He denounced the Sadducees and Pharisees as a "generation of vipers," and warned them not to assume their heritage gave them special privilege (Luke 3:8). He warned tax collectors and soldiers against extortion and plunder. His doctrine and manner of life stirred interest, bringing people from all parts to see him on the banks of the Jordan River. There he baptized thousands unto repentance.

The fame of John reached the ears of Jesus in Nazareth (Matt. 3:5), and he came from Galilee to Jordan to be baptized by John, on the special ground that it became him to "fulfill all righteousness" (Matt. 3:15). John's special office ceased with the baptism of Jesus, who must now "increase" as the King come to his kingdom. He continued, however, for a while to bear testimony to the Messiahship of Jesus. He pointed him out to his [[disciple]]s, saying, "Behold the Lamb of God." His public ministry was suddenly (after about six months probably) brought to a close by his being cast into prison by Herod, whom he had reproved for the sin of having taken to himself the wife of his brother Philip (Luke 3:19). He was shut up in the castle of Machaerus, a fortress on the southern extremity of Peraea, 9 miles east of the Dead Sea, and here he was beheaded at the instigation of Herodias; later tradition also implicates Salomé. His disciples, having consigned the headless body to the grave, went and told Jesus all that had occurred (Matt. 14:3-12). John's death occurred apparently just before the third [[Passover]] of Jesus' ministry.

Jesus himself testified regarding John that he was a "burning and a shining light" (John 5:35). John was the last of the Old Testament prophets, thus serving as a bridge figure between that period of revelation and Jesus. They also embrace a tradition that, following his death, John descended into Hell and there once more preached that Jesus the Messiah was coming.

== Feast Days ==
The Orthodox Church remembers Saint John the Forerunner on six separate feast days, listed here in order of the church year which begins on September 1:

*[[September 23]] - Conception of St. John the Forerunner
*[[January 7]] - The Commemoration of St. John the Forerunner (main feast day, immediately after Epiphany on January 6)
*[[February 24]] - First and Second Finding of the Head of St. John the Forerunner
*[[May 25]] - Third Finding of the Head of St. John the Forerunner
*[[June 24]] - Birth of St. John the Forerunner
*[[August 29]] - The Beheading of St. John the Forerunner

== Relics ==
*St. Demetrios Church, Neo Phaleron, Piraeus
*Benaki Museum, Athens
*Topkapi Museum, Constatinople
*Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, Syria
*Cetinje Monastery, Montenegro (righ palm)

[[Category:Biblical Saints]]
[[Category:Saints]]

User:Silentchapel

2006-04-29T17:35:36Z

Silentchapel:

Holy water

2006-04-29T17:33:49Z

Silentchapel:

Holy water is used in Orthodox rites of [[blessing]] and [[exorcism]], and is the water normally used for [[baptism]]s.

A quantity of holy water is typically kept in a [[baptismal font|font]] placed near the entrance of the church where it is available for anyone who needs it. Holy water is sometimes sprinkled on items or people when they are blessed, as part of the prayers of blessing. For instance, in Alaska, the fishing boats are sprinkled with holy water at the start of the fishing season as the priest prays for the crews' safety and success. Orthodox Christians most often bless themselves with holy water by drinking it. It is traditional to keep a quantity of it at home, and many Orthodox Christians will drink a small amount daily with their morning prayers. It may also be used for informal blessings when no clergy are present. For example, parents might bless their children with holy water before they leave the house for school or play.

The use of holy water is based on the story of [[Jesus]]' baptism by [[John the Baptist|Saint John the Baptist]] in the River Jordan and the Orthodox interpretation of this event. In this view, John's baptism was a baptism of repentance, and the people came to have their sins washed away by the water. Since Jesus had no sin, but was God himself, his baptism had the effect of Jesus blessing the water, making it holy, that is used fully for its original created purpose to be an instrument of life.

Jesus' baptism is commemorated in the Orthodox Church at the Feast of [[Theophany]] (literally "God shining forth") on [[January 6]]. At the [[Vespers]] of this feast, a font of holy water is typically blessed in the church, to provide holy water for the parish's use in the coming year. The next morning, the prayers often include a trip to a nearby river, lake or other public source of drinking water, to bless that water as well. This represents the redemption of all creation as part of humanity's salvation. In the following weeks, the priest typically visits the homes of the parish's members and prays prayers of blessing for their families, homes and pets, sprinkling them with holy water. Again, this practice is meant to visibly represent God's sanctifying work in all parts of the people's lives.

Holy water can also be blessed at any other time of the year if there is a need, and this is usually done on the first day of a month. The holy water used for a baptism is blessed as part of the baptism service.

===Blessing of holy water at Theophany===
On the feast of Holy Theophany holy water is blessed twice, at the conclusion of the [[Divine Liturgy|Divine Liturgies]] both on the eve and on the feast itself. After processing to the place where the vessel of water is prepared to the singing of appropriate [[troparion|troparia]] there are a group of [[Bible|Scripture]] readings culminating in the baptism account from the [[Gospel]] of [[Mark the Evangelist|Saint Mark]] (1:9-11) followed by the [[Great Litany]]. This is sung just as for the Liturgy, but with the following additional petitions which make clear what is being asked of God and what the use, purpose, and blessing of the water is believed to entail.

:That these waters may be sanctified by the power, and effectual operation, and descent of the [[Holy Spirit]]:
:That there may descend upon these waters the cleansing operation of the super-substantial [[Trinity]]:
:That he will endue them with the [[grace]] of redemption, the blessing of Jordan, the might, and operation, and descent of the Holy Spirit:
:That [[Satan]] may speedily be crushed under our feet, and that every evil counsel directed against us may be brought to naught:
:That the Lord our God will free us from every attack and temptation of the enemy, and make us worthy of the good things which he hath promised:
:That he will illumine us with the light of understanding and of piety, and with the descent of the Holy Spirit:
:That the Lord our God will send down the blessing of Jordan and sanctify these waters:
:That this water may be unto the bestowing of [[sanctification]]; unto the remission of [[sin]]s; unto the healing of [[soul]] and body; and unto every expedient service:
:That this water may be a fountain welling forth unto life eternal:
:That it may manifest itself effectual unto the averting of every machination of our foes, whether visible or invisible:
:For those who shall draw of it and take of it unto the sanctification of their homes:
:That it may be for the purification of the souls and bodies of all those who, with faith, shall draw and partake of it:
:That he will graciously enable us to perfect sanctification by participation in these waters, through the invisible manifestation of the Holy Spirit:

Then, following a lengthy set of didactic prayers that expound on the nature of the feast and summarize [[salvation]] history, praising God's creation of and mastery over the [[Classical element|elements]], the priest makes the [[Sign of the Cross]] over the water with his hand and prays specifically for the blessing to be invoked upon it. At the climax of the service, he immerses the hand cross into the water three times in imitation of Christ's baptism to the singing of the festal troparion and then blesses the entire church and congregation with the newly consecrated water.

==Source==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Holy_water&oldid=49421283 en.wikipedia.org - Entry on holy water]

[[Category: Spirituality]]

Talk:Holy water

2006-04-29T17:32:09Z

Silentchapel:

I need someone to write about holy water not being able to spoil. [[User:Silentchapel|Silentchapel]]

Holy water

2006-04-29T17:31:19Z

Silentchapel:

Holy water is used in Orthodox rites of [[blessing]] and [[exorcism]], and is the water normally used for [[baptism]]s.

A quantity of holy water is typically kept in a [[baptismal font|font]] placed near the entrance of the church where it is available for anyone who needs it. Holy water is sometimes sprinkled on items or people when they are blessed, as part of the prayers of blessing. For instance, in Alaska, the fishing boats are sprinkled with holy water at the start of the fishing season as the priest prays for the crews' safety and success. Orthodox Christians most often bless themselves with holy water by drinking it. It is traditional to keep a quantity of it at home, and many Orthodox Christians will drink a small amount daily with their morning prayers. It may also be used for informal blessings when no clergy are present. For example, parents might bless their children with holy water before they leave the house for school or play.

The use of holy water is based on the story of [[Jesus]]' baptism by [[John the Baptist|Saint John the Baptist]] in the River Jordan and the Orthodox interpretation of this event. In this view, John's baptism was a baptism of repentance, and the people came to have their sins washed away by the water. Since Jesus had no sin, but was God himself, his baptism had the effect of Jesus blessing the water, making it holy, that is used fully for its original created purpose to be an instrument of life.

Jesus' baptism is commemorated in the Orthodox Church at the Feast of [[Theophany]] (literally "God shining forth") on [[January 6]]. At the [[Vespers]] of this feast, a font of holy water is typically blessed in the church, to provide holy water for the parish's use in the coming year. The next morning, the prayers often include a trip to a nearby river, lake or other public source of drinking water, to bless that water as well. This represents the redemption of all creation as part of humanity's salvation. In the following weeks, the priest typically visits the homes of the parish's members and prays prayers of blessing for their families, homes and pets, sprinkling them with holy water. Again, this practice is meant to visibly represent God's sanctifying work in all parts of the people's lives.

Holy water can also be blessed at any other time of the year if there is a need, and this is usually done on the first day of a month. The holy water used for a baptism is blessed as part of the baptism service.

===Blessing of holy water at Theophany===
On the feast of Holy Theophany holy water is blessed twice, at the conclusion of the [[Divine Liturgy|Divine Liturgies]] both on the eve and on the feast itself. After processing to the place where the vessel of water is prepared to the singing of appropriate [[troparion|troparia]] there are a group of [[Bible|Scripture]] readings culminating in the baptism account from the [[Gospel]] of [[Mark the Evangelist|Saint Mark]] (1:9-11) followed by the [[Great Litany]]. This is sung just as for the Liturgy, but with the following additional petitions which make clear what is being asked of God and what the use, purpose, and blessing of the water is believed to entail.

:That these waters may be sanctified by the power, and effectual operation, and descent of the [[Holy Spirit]]:
:That there may descend upon these waters the cleansing operation of the super-substantial [[Trinity]]:
:That he will endue them with the [[divine grace|grace]] of redemption, the blessing of Jordan, the might, and operation, and descent of the Holy Spirit:
:That [[Satan]] may speedily be crushed under our feet, and that every evil counsel directed against us may be brought to naught:
:That the Lord our God will free us from every attack and temptation of the enemy, and make us worthy of the good things which he hath promised:
:That he will illumine us with the light of understanding and of piety, and with the descent of the Holy Spirit:
:That the Lord our God will send down the blessing of Jordan and sanctify these waters:
:That this water may be unto the bestowing of [[sanctification]]; unto the remission of [[sin]]s; unto the healing of [[soul]] and body; and unto every expedient service:
:That this water may be a fountain welling forth unto life eternal:
:That it may manifest itself effectual unto the averting of every machination of our foes, whether visible or invisible:
:For those who shall draw of it and take of it unto the sanctification of their homes:
:That it may be for the purification of the souls and bodies of all those who, with faith, shall draw and partake of it:
:That he will graciously enable us to perfect sanctification by participation in these waters, through the invisible manifestation of the Holy Spirit:

Then, following a lengthy set of didactic prayers that expound on the nature of the feast and summarize [[salvation]] history, praising God's creation of and mastery over the [[Classical element|elements]], the priest makes the [[Sign of the Cross]] over the water with his hand and prays specifically for the blessing to be invoked upon it. At the climax of the service, he immerses the hand cross into the water three times in imitation of Christ's baptism to the singing of the festal troparion and then blesses the entire church and congregation with the newly consecrated water.

==Source==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Holy_water&oldid=49421283 en.wikipedia.org - Entry on holy water]

[[Category: Spirituality]]

Irene Chrysovalantou

2006-04-29T15:02:13Z

Silentchapel:

Our venerable mother '''Irene of Chrysovalantou''' was the [[abbess]] of the [[monastery]] of Chrysovalantou. Her [[feast day]] is on [[July 28]].

Originally slated to wed the Emperor, she went to the monastery of Chrysovalantou, and immediately engaged herself in vigils and prayer. She then replaced the Abbess very early on, and increased her spiritual struggles, with great trust in God to guide the community properly. She developed the gifts of foresight and exorcism. Her prayer through the night continued in the courtyard of the monastery, and caused herself to levitate and the cypress trees to bend towards her. She was granted three apples from St John the Theologian, visions of angels, and appeared in a vision to the Emperor to release an unjustly convicted man. After her death at 102 years, she continued to be a wonderworker.

[[Image:St_Irene_Chrysovalantou.jpg|right|Saint Irene, Abbess of the Monastery of Chrysovalantou]]
==The Royal Wedding==
Irene was born in Cappadocia to an aristocratic family. She had a sister who would later marry Empress [[Theodora the Iconodule|Theodora]]'s brother Vardas.

Empress Theodora, who ruled the empire after the death of Theophilus as regent for her son, re-established Orthodoxy and removed the [[iconoclast]]s. On her son Michael's twelfth birthday, Empress Theodora sent messengers to find a suitably beautiful, virtuous, and refined girl for Michael's wife. Coming across Irene, they offered and she accepted to wed Michael, and they (along with some of Irene's family) set off for Constantinople for the wedding.

During the journey to Constantinople they passed Mt. Olympos, and Irene asked to visit Ioannikos the recluse to receive his blessing. The [[hermit]]'s spiritual insight allowed him to foresee the arrival of the group, and also Irene's future, and he said, "Welcome Irene, Servant of God. Proceed to the Imperial City in joy because the [[convent]] of Chrysovalantou needs you in the community."

Irene, amazed by his [[prophesy|prophetic]] power, [[prostration|prostrated]] and begged his blessing. Ioannikos lifted her up, gave her strength with spiritual thoughts and gave his blessing, and Irene joyfully continued the journey to Constantinople. On her arrival, she was received with great ceremony by relatives, patricians, senators, and poor.

But, the wedding was not to be: Michael had already been married. Irene was not upset, but rather gave thanks to God; turning down many marriage proposals from outstanding men in Byzantium, she set off for the Monastery of Chrysovalantou.

==Sister of Chrysovalantou==
Irene was impressed by the monastery's atmosphere and the sisterhood's way of life, so much so that she freed her slaves, gave her inherited wealth and dowry to the poor and entered the community, wearing a habit of sackcloth. With [[humility]] and [[obedience]] she served the sisterhood, cheerfully and attentively performing the most lowly and despised tasks, and never using worldly sophistries or aristocratic indignation.

The abbess of Chrysovalantou noticed that Irene was following [[Christ]]'s words that "without Me, you can do nothing. Anyone who remains in Me as I remain in him will bear much fruit" ([[Gospel of John|John]] 15:5); and the [[novice]] was admired by all for her obedience, humility, love, and enthusiasm; her community went so far as to say that she had the spirit of a freed slave.

In her cell she read the lives of the saints, learning from St. [[Arsenios the Great|Arsenios]] the night-long prayer. Irene asked for a blessing to embark on this, and the abbess, recognising Irene's humility, granted her request before the end of her first year of the novitiate. Irene was able to stand from morning to night with [[orans|hands raised]], sometimes standing for full days without movement, much to the amazement of the abbess.

Irene would do this for three years, and the evil one was unable to divert her because of Irene's success in subduing earthly thoughts and temptations through [[abstinence]] and obedience. Her food was bread and water, with occasional supplements from herbs or vegetables; her [[habit]] was replaced only every [[Easter]], and she would only clean it to give to the poor during [[Lent]]. Her obedience was cleaning the bathroom. Any wayward thoughts or signs of the evil one's activity were immediately [[confession|confessed]] to the abbess, with Irene's exercises recommenced.

After this, Irene had only to [[Sign of the Cross|cross]] herself as successful defense against the evil one; however, on one occasion she was so shaken with doubt that she fell to the ground, shedding tears of [[prayer]] to the Lord, His holy [[Theotokos|Mother]], all the saints and the [[archangel]]s (to whom the monastery was dedicated).

:"O Blessed Trinity (Father, Son, and [[Holy Spirit]]), everlasting God, at the [[intercession]] of Your most holy Mother and in the presence of the archangels, their armies, the celestial powers and all Your saints, help Your servant. Deliver me from the assaults of the devil."

After many tears in many nights, she was able to overcome these doubts, and in her renewed devotion she appeared transfigured to many people whom she led to the Lord, renewing the faith of rich and poor and causing many unmarried women enter the monastery.

After some time, the abbess became weak and near the time of her repose. The sisterhood was filled with sorrow on realising this, while Irene shed many tears. On her last day, many nuns had gathered in her cell, but Irene was not there; the abbess noted this, and said to them:
:"Do not lament my departure for in my successor you have a leader who is wiser than I. Be obedient to her, this daughter of light, lamb of Christ and vessel of the Holy Spirit. Do not accept anyone but Irene."

Then, with the words "Glory to You, O Lord, in Your mercy," she reposed. Irene was not told of these disclosures for the sake of her humility, but the sisterhood prayed that the Lord's will would be done, and then sought the [[patriarch]]'s advice. Patriarch [[Methodios the Confessor]] was a leader of great courage, and, through the iconoclasts, had the [[stigmata]] of Christ, and also had the gift of foresight. When the patriarch asked who should be the superior, they responded that the patriarch should decide, guided by the Holy Spirit. Patriarch Methodios asked if there was a humble nun named Irene; and if so, that she was the choice pleasing in the sight of God. The sisterhood was filled with such joy at the workings of the Holy Spirit that Methodios rose and offered [[incense]] as thanks to the Lord, and [[ordination|ordained]] Irene [[deaconess]]. After advising her in the ways of administering and guiding the sisterhood, the patriarch clothed her as abbess and gave the sisterhood his blessing as farewell.

==Abbess of Chrysovalantou==
When the sisterhood arrived at the monastery, they held a great celebration for the friends and spiritual children of the monastery. Irene was joyless because she felt herself to be utterly inadequate for the task, however, the sisterhood reassured her. In her cell she constantly prayed, saying:
:"Lord Jesus Christ, Good Shepherd of Your sheep, help Your servant and this, my flock, because we have no power of our own to resist the assaults of the demons. Leave us not without Your grace."

To which she received the reply:
:"Watch and pray without ceasing for from this day you will have the responsibility of the spiritual welfare of many for whom our Lord was incarnate and shed His precious blood, souls that He has committed to your care. Take care that the 'blind do not lead the blind' so that both fall into the ditch."

In receiving this command, Irene redoubled her [[Prayer Rule|spiritual exercises]] and was given great wisdom and revelations in how to lead the flock. With this strength from God, she told her sisterhood:
:"I know, beloved sisters in Christ, that it was not logical that I, your humble, unworthy, and illiterate servant, should be called to teach you, but the ways of God are mysterious. If it is by His grace that I am your superior, then I pray that you will obey me. Surely if we do not obey the laws (promised before God and His angels) of the habit we wear, we achieve nothing. For it is said: 'faith without works is dead' ([[Book of James|James]] 2:17). Why have we left the unreal and temporal world? To disobey His commandments? If so, like the foolish virgins we also will lose the eternal kingdom. (Matthew 25:1-13) The soul cannot be divided so as to have both pride and humility, unrestricted pleasure and abstinence. Therefore let us rid our soul of worldly desire and seek only purity, humility, patience, and love (prayer of St. [[Isaac the Syrian]]) lest we lose not only ourselves but others also."

The more Irene was respected for her judgment, holy way of life, and [[miracle]]s, the more she humbled herself. She identified with the unrepentant thief such that, at the offering of [[Holy Communion]], she had to hide her face to prevent people from seeing her tears. Sometimes Irene would remain in prayer and contemplation for as long as a week without ceasing, taking only uncooked vegetables and water for sustenance.

==Wonder-worker of Chrysovalantou==
===Gift of Foresight===
One of Irene's gifts was that of foresight. Irene asked God that she might be given the gift of foresight so that she could have knowledge of the sisters' impending trials so that she would be better able to advise them. A [[guardian angel]] greeted her, saying, "Hail, fruitful servant of God, the Lord has sent me that more might be saved through your guidance. I am to remain at your side and disclose the events of the future." He disappeared, but remained with her, continually revealing the hidden problems of the nuns and all others who sought her advice. Irene was able to use her gift to correct confessions, never to reprimand or humiliate. Giving thanks to God, regardless of how many would seek her advice, she increased in humility.

===Prince Varda's Death===
Irene's sister, wife of Prince Varda, sent her eunuch to see Irene. Irene informed him of a recent revelation that the prince would soon die at the wish of the Emperor Michael, and that the emperor himself would immediately lose his life and kingdom. Even though this disclosure was confidential, Prince Varda was told everything by his wife; however, due to Prince Varda's pride and faithlessness, he dismissed the idea. As the saint predicted, Prince Varda was killed in battle, closely followed by the Emperor. Irene continued to serve the Church in the reign of Basil the Macedonian, the successor to the throne.

===The Magician's Wiles===
A young and beautiful girl came to the monastery of Chrysovalantou and became a novice. To fight this, the evil one incited her ex-fiancé such that he sought the help of a magician in Cappadocia. The magician's spells made the novice lose her mind and threaten to drown herself. Irene lamented her neglect and received the power to defy the evil one in this struggle. Gathering her community together, she explained the situation and ordered a week-long period of [[fast]]ing, daily 100 prostrations, and the continual prayer for an understanding of God's will. On the third night, St. [[Basil the Great|Basil]] appeared to Irene, advising her to take the novice to the convent of Vlachernae, where the Mother of God would heal her. Taking two senior nuns with her, on arrival they fell asleep during their first all-night [[vigil]] from exhaustion.

Irene's vision continued while she slept: a pilgrim procession appeared in white and golden robes, shining with a strange and unearthly light, scattering flowers and incense on the path. Irene asked their purpose, to be told that the Mother of God was coming. The Mother of God arrived at that moment, surrounded by hosts of angels, so radiant that none could look upon her; she visited the sick, then came to Irene, who prostrated in fear. While prostrate, Irene heard the Mother of God tell St. [[Basil the Great|Basil of Caesarea]] to cure the young girl from Caesarea, saying, "My Son and God has given you this power." Irene then awoke with the message, "Return to your convent and within three days your novice will be healed." She disclosed her vision to her companions and they departed with joy, arriving in time for Friday's [[Vespers]].

After Vespers, Irene instructed her sisterhood to lift up their eyes and hands to heaven and cry, "Lord, have mercy;" after many hours and many tears, Sts. Basil and Anastasia said to Irene, "Stretch out your hand, accept the gift, and do not trouble us any more." The gift was the magician's aids, including model idols of the nun and her ex-fiancé.

Giving thanks to God during the all-night vigil, in the morning they sent the novice to Vlachernae with holy bread and all the magician's aids. After the [[Divine Liturgy]] at Vlachernae, the [[priest]] anointed her and solemnly burnt the magician's aids. As the aids were burnt, the suffering novice was released from her bonds, and the idols made sounds like pigs anticipating slaughter. The novice, and all those present, were filled with holy fear and gave thanks to the Lord.

===Destroyer of Demons===
Nicholas was a young man, responsible for the vineyard of the monastery. He fell in love with one of the nuns, such that he lay awake at night listening to the suggestions of the demons to hear how he might satisfy his lust. One night he fell unconscious as a result of this. The following morning Irene heard of this, and said, "Blessed be God who has allowed us to be the objects of the devil's attention," and gave orders for Nicholas to be taken to the Church of St. Anastasia so that Irene would not receive the credit for Nicholas' healing. However, St. Anastasia appeared to Irene and told her not to lay aside the responsibility for healing her own servant.

Irene decided to confine Nicholas in a straightjacket tied to one of the pillars of the church. Once after the [[Great Entrance]], Nicholas was so consumed with fury that he broke the chains, rushed to the [[Holy Doors]] and began to bite the flesh of the priest, so much so that Irene had to leave her stall and order Nicholas to be still; an order so powerful that he was immediately calm. He tried to move back, but he could not move.

After the Liturgy Irene prostrated herself beside Nicholas and prayed to God for his health. After some time, she stood up and ordered the demon to leave Nicholas, who was seized and hurled to the ground, after which Nicholas was cured. He was sent back to work with a strict rule of life, was advised to pray for the protection of the holy angels to avoid such a thing happening in the future, and left praising God.

===Handkerchiefs of the Cypress Trees===
On great [[feast]]s it was the custom of Irene to keep vigil in the courtyard of the monastery, giving thanks for the awesome beauty of creation. During one of these vigils one of the nuns, who was unable to sleep, left her cell and entered the courtyard. The nun was blessed to see Irene motionless, in prayer and levitated a metre off the ground, with two cypress trees bent to the ground before her. After Irene had finished, she blessed the trees and they returned to standing upright.

At first, the nun thought this to be a vision of the evil one. Afterwards, when others of the sisterhood noticed handkerchiefs at the top of those trees, the nun who saw Irene related what she saw. In response to this the whole sisterhood was so excited that Irene rebuked them, focusing on the need for concentration of their own prayer rule and ordering them not to relate any miracles until after Irene's repose.

===Apples of St. Basil===
Irene kept the feast of St. Basil especially holy because they both came from Cappadocia. After the feast day of St. Basil, during the third watch of the night, she heard a voice saying, "Welcome the sailor who brings fruit to you today and eat it with joy; let your soul rejoice;" followed by a similar voice during [[Matins]] saying, "Go to the door and bring in the sailor who is visiting you." She invited the sailor in and greeted one another, and stayed until the end of the Liturgy. After Liturgy, Irene enquired after the sailor's journey, to which he replied,
:"I am a sailor from Patinas and I joined a boat coming to this town for business. As we were passing the coast of that island, we saw a very old man on the shore who called to us to wait for him. We could not because we were near the rocks, so with a good wind behind us we left. He then shouted all the more loudly ordering the boat to stop. This it did at once. Then he came to us walking on the waves and soon entered the boat. Then taking three apples from beneath his cloak, he gave them to me saying, 'When you go to the capital, give these to the patriarch and tell him that the Almighty sends them to him from His beloved [[disciple]], John.' After that he took another three and asked that these be presented to you, the abbess of Chrysovalantou. To you he said, 'Eat these and all that your beautiful soul desires will be granted you because this gift comes to you from John in Paradise.' Having said this he blessed God, wished us well, and disappeared."

Irene offered a prayer of thanksgiving, with tears of joy, for St. [[John the Theologian]], the [[Apostle]], [[Evangelist]], and beloved disciple of Christ. The sailor asked for a blessing and left the monastery. Irene fasted for a week, thanking God for the apples. After this, she ate small pieces of the first apple daily, without any other form of sustenance, for forty days; when she ate, she smelt as if she was exuding [[myrrh]]; during this time, the remaining apples became more beautiful and aromatic. On [[Holy Thursday]], she directed her sisterhood to receive Communion; after the Liturgy, the second apple was divided between them; when eaten, so sweet was the taste that the sisters felt as if their souls were being fed. The third apple was kept until Irene would know what to do with it.

On [[Holy Friday]], during the singing of the [[hymn]]s of the [[Passion]], Irene had a vision of countless radiant angelic beings entering the church: some with stringed instruments, singing beautiful hymns to God; others with goblets of myrrh, to be poured onto the [[altar]], which filled the monastery with a wonderful fragrance. Among these beings was a particularly majestic man, a face radiant like the sun, who was treated with devotion. He approached the altar and, taking the shroud offered to him by the other beings, covered the now-fragrant alter.

The angel who stood by the altar, with great sadness, cried out to the majestic one, "Until when, O Lord?" to which a voice replied, "Until the second Solomon, when the heights will be united with the depths and all will be one. Then the Lord will be exalted and the memory of Irene will be glorified." Irene took this as confirmation of her teaching that no one, whether herself or another of the sisters, could be glorified until they achieved the Kingdom in death. Irene gathered the community, reiterating the necessity of running from worldly honour to achieve and behold the glory of God.

===The Emperor's Vision===
Irene had a noble relative who was unjustly convicted of conspiracy to kill the emperor, who then sentenced the noble relative to drown at sea. Friends and relatives of the convicted ran to Irene for intervention. She comforted them and told them to return home and to have faith in God. She then went to her cell to intercede for the unjustly condemned man.

God allowed for Irene to appear before the emperor in a dream. Irene threatened the emperor, saying "O King, get up immediately and release the prisoner condemned through jealousy. If you do not listen to me I will request the King of Kings to cause your death and the deliverance of your worthless body to wild animals." The Emperor, angered, asked who threatened him; she responded, "I am the abbess of Chrysovalantou. Irene is my name," and hit him so hard that he awoke and she disappeared. The eemperor demanded from the guards an explanation as to how the woman had escaped. The guards pleaded their ignorance, and he realised that he had received a vision.

The next day, the condemned was questioned and proved his loyalty to the emperor's satisfaction. The emperor asked him if he knew of an Irene of Chrysovalantou. "Of course," was his response. "She is a relative of mine, a most virtuous and God-fearing abbess, so humble that she never leaves her monastery and only rarely receives visitors."

The emperor sent his nobles, along with an artist, to go to Chrysovalantou monastery, so that the artist could paint a portrait of Irene after he had left the monastery; all this was revealed to Irene. After Matins she returned to the church with the sisterhood, telling them to bring the visitors to her immediately. When they arrived to her, she became so radiant that they fell to the floor, unable to behold such a presence. Irene immediately told them, "Do not be afraid. I am also a fallible creature. But why does your skeptical master put you to all this trouble? Tell him to do as I said and release the prisoner, or else all that I prophesied will befall him." The nobles agreed to report this to the emperor, but asked to stay with her, ostensibly to hear more words from her, but also for the artist to be able to paint her likeness.

The artist painted a portrait, but when it was shown to the emperor the whole company was overwhelmed by a great light. Blinded, the emperor said the beginning of [[Psalm]] 50, and to his amazement, his blindness passed. He looked at the portrait and realised that it was the same person he had seen in the vision. The prisoner was released with full honours, and a message of thanks was sent to Irene for intervening. He asked for her presence to bless himself and the empress, but she responded, "Thanks be to God who desires not the death of a sinner but his repentance. Do not thank me, glorify Him," and, "It is neither right for your majesties to enter the convent nor for me to visit you. You do not need the blessing of a sinful woman when you have the holy patriarch and spiritual directors of the great monasteries to advise you. Do as they say and you will rule this empire with wisdom. Please attend to what I say and may the right hand of God watch over you."

After these events, the royal house, as well as the family of the former prisoner, were attentive to the example and teaching of the monastery of Chrysovalantou; in return for this, the monastery received numerous gifts. Among many others, Irene became known for her ability to predict death. Using this gift from God, she was able to strengthen many people in their last hours.

==Repose of the Venerable Irene==
In accordance with angelic prophecy, that Irene would repose on the day after St. [[Panteleimon]]'s feast day, the monastery kept the day before St. Panteleimon as a feast to celebrate the anniversary of the monastery's founding.

Irene spent the whole week prior to that in preparation. She spent all of her days in meditation and fasting, drinking water and eating only small pieces from the last remaining apple, eaten because she felt her time of repose to be near. As soon as she ate the first fragment all enmity disappeared from the monastery, and the monastery was filled with fragrance from the apple. In a moment of doubt Irene cried out with great anguish. The sisterhood ran to her, and Irene recovered her composure, saying,
:"Today, my children, I depart from this world and you will see me no more. For the time has come for me to pass to eternal life. Therefore elect as your superior Sister Mary, for I know that she has already been chosen by God. I know that she will lead you according to His Will and keep you on the narrow path so that you will also attain to the broad avenues of paradise. Hate the world and all that is in it, for as our Lord and Master has said, 'Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, there is no love for the Father in him' ([[I John]] 2:15), because all these temporal things are vanity ([[Ecclesiastes]] 1:2). Never follow the will of the flesh but only the Will of God because it is He who gave you all things that you may return them to Him in that day."
And so, after her last instructions and nominating the next abbess of Chrysovalantou, she raised her hands and eyes to the heavens and prayed:
:"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, the Good Shepherd who has saved and fed us with Your own most precious Blood, I deliver in Your Holy Hands this little flock. Hide it under the shadow of Your wings (Psalm 90), protect it from the wiles of the devil for Yours is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory and to You we give thanks for ever and ever."
After she finished this prayer she sat up and smiled at the sight of the angels who greeted her, and her face was radiant. She closed her eyes and fell asleep in the Lord.

===Funeral===
At the all-night vigil, there were so many people—rich and poor—that the monastery gates had to be closed by force. The next day, at the funeral, the even larger congregation was amazed at the beauty of Irene, who was over 102 years old. Throughout the funeral and burial there was an unexplainable and indescribable fragrance filling the monastery.

==St. Irene the Wonder-worker==
Countless miracles surround St. Irene. First of these was the smell, the same present at the funeral, which continued at the saint's grave for years. Countless miracles occur at the site, and many prayers for St. Irene's intercessions are continually answered. One such series of miracles is for mothers who are unable to conceive: after asking for St. Irene's intercessions, often a child is born, and the parents will name their child Chrysovalanti or Chrysovalantou.

==Hymns==
[[Apolytikion]] in the Plagal of Tone One (Tone 5)

''modeled on 'Ton Synarnarhon Logon (Co-eternal with the Father)' ''
:Not a temporal kingdom on earth didst thou obtain,
:but Christ, thy most comely Bridegroom, vouchsafed thee heavenly crowns,
:and thou reignest as a queen with Him eternally;
:for thou didst dedicate thyself unto Him with all thy soul,
:O Irene, our [[righteous]] Mother,
:thou boast of Chrysovalantou, and mighty help of all the Orthodox.

[[Kontakion]] in Tone Three

''modeled on 'I Parthenou Simeron (Today the Virgin)' ''
:Leaving all the world behind with its impermanent glory,
:thou wast wedded unto Christ, the King immortal and holy,
:bringing Him as precious dowry thy maiden beauty
:and thy trophies won through abstinence over demons.
:O Irene, our righteous Mother, entreat thy Bridegroom to show His mercy to us.

==External links and sources==
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?FSID=102119 St. Irene Chrysovolantou] ([[OCA]])
*[http://www.serfes.org/lives/stirene.htm The Life Of Saint Irene Chrysovalantou] translated by Mother Xenia in Jerusalem, compiled by [[Archimandrite]] Nektarios Serfes
*[http://www.stirene.org/StIreneChrysovalantou/StIreneChrysovalantou_index.htm Our Holy Mother Irene, Most Gracious Abbess of the Sacred Monastery of Chrysovalantou]
*[http://goarch.org/en/chapel/saints.asp?contentid=498 Irene the Righteous of Chrysovalantou] ([[GOARCH]])

[[Category:Featured Articles]]
[[Category:Monastics]]
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Venerables]]
[[Category:Wonderworkers]]

Sabbas the Sanctified

2006-04-29T14:58:34Z

Silentchapel:

[[Image:Sava_the_Sanctified.jpg|thumb|frame|240px|St. Sabbas the Sanctified]]
[[Venerable]] '''Sabbas the Sanctified''' was born in the fifth century at Cappadocia of pious Christian parents, John and Sophia. His father was a military commander. Journeying to Alexandria on military matters, his wife went with him, but they left their five-year-old son in the care of an uncle. When the boy reached eight years of age, he entered the monastery of St. Flavian located nearby. The gifted child quickly learned to read and became an expert on the [[Bible|Holy Scripture]]s. In vain did his parents urge St. Sabbas to return to the world and enter into marriage.

When he was seventeen years old he received [[monastic]] [[ tonsure]], and attained such perfection in [[fast]]ing and [[prayer]] that he was given the gift of wonderworking. After spending ten years at the [[monastery]] of St. Flavian, he went to Jerusalem, and from there to the monastery of [[Euthymius the Great|St. Euthymius the Great]] ([[January 20]]). But St. Euthymius sent St. Sabbas to Abba Theoctistus, the head of a nearby monastery with a strict cenobitic rule. St. Sabbas lived in obedience at this monastery until the age of thirty.

After the death of the Elder Theoctistus, his successor blessed St. Sabbas to seclude himself in a cave. On Saturdays, however, he left his hermitage and came to the monastery, where he participated in divine services and ate with the brethren. After a certain time St. Sabbas received permission not to leave his hermitage at all, and he struggled in the cave for five years.

St. Euthymius attentively directed the life of the young monk, and seeing his spiritual maturity, he began to take him to the Rouba wilderness with him. They set out on January 14, and remained there until [[Palm Sunday]]. St. Euthymius called St. Sabbas a child-elder, and encouraged him to grow in the monastic virtues.

When St. Euthymius fell asleep in the Lord (+473), St Sabbas withdrew from the Lavra and moved to a cave near the monastery of [[Gerasimus of Jordan|St. Gerasimus of Jordan]] ([[March 4]]). After several years, disciples began to gather around St. Sabbas, seeking the monastic life. As the number of monks increased, a lavra sprang up. When a pillar of fire appeared before St. Sabbas as he was walking, he found a spacious cave in the form of a church.

St. Sabbas founded several more monasteries. Many miracles took place through the prayers of St. Sabbas: at the Lavra a spring of water welled up, during a time of drought there was abundant rain, and there were also healings of the sick and the demoniacs. St. Sabbas composed the first monastic Rule of church services, the so-called "Jerusalem Typikon", accepted by all the Palestine monasteries. The saint surrendered his soul to God in the year 532. His feast day is on [[December 5]].

==Sources==
*[http://www.oca.org/FSlives.asp www.oca.org - Lives of Saints, December 5.]

[[Category: Saints]]
[[Category: Desert Fathers]]
[[Category: Hermits]]
[[Category: Venerables]]
[[Category: Wonderworkers]]

Savvas the New of Kalymnos

2006-04-29T14:55:36Z

Silentchapel:

[[Image:St-Savas-the-New-icon.jpg|frame|right|St. Sava the New of Kalymnos]]
Our venerable and God-bearing father '''Sava the New''' (also spelled ''Savvas'' or ''Savas'') is the [[patron saint]] of the Greek Island of Kalymnos (Calymna), where he lived during the last twenty years of his life as the [[priest]] and spiritual father of the [[nun]]s of the Convent of All Saints. He was a great [[ascetic]], [[confessor]], [[iconographer]], and [[wonder-worker|miracle-worker]]. He is one of the recently recognized saints in the Greek Orthodox Church.

The feast of St. Sava the New of Kalymnos is celebrated on various dates in different traditions, including [[February 7]], [[April 7]] ([[March 25]] in the [[Old Calendar]]), [[December 5]] with St. [[Sabbas the Sanctified|Sava the Sanctified]], and the fifth Sunday of [[Great Lent]] with St. [[Mary of Egypt]].

==Life==
Saint Sava was born in 1862 in Eastern Thrace and was [[baptize]]d with the name of Vasilios. From a young age he had a calling for the holy [[monastic]] life and so he left for [[Mount Athos]] as a teen where he entered [[St. Anne's Skete (Athos)|St. Anne's Skete]]. Along with the usual monastic duties, he learned [[iconography]] and [[Byzantine chant|Byzantine music]].

After a few years, he traveled to Jerusalem for a pilgrimage to the holy sites, and there he entered the [[monastery]] of St. George Hozevitou. After a period of being a [[novice]], he was [[tonsure]]d a [[monk]] and given the name of Sava.

In 1902, St. Sava was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]] and a year later he was ordained to the holy priesthood. He spent almost 10 years in the desert by the Jordan where he led an austere life and occupied himself with prayer and iconography. His dwelling consisted of two cells which he reached by ascending up a rope ladder. This isolation was necessary for successful inner concentration and noetic prayer and he made great spiritual progress there.

[[Image:St-Savas-the-New.jpg|frame|left|St. Sava the New of Kalymnos]]
Due to health reasons and the political situation in Palestine which made life unsafe, St. Sava returned to Greece where he searched for a quiet place to continue his monastic life. He traveled throughout Greece for three years but could not find a suitable place. His prayers were answered when another saint, St. [[Nektarios of Aegina]], had asked St. Sava to come to the Holy Trinity Convent in Aegina and serve as a priest for nuns. There he would also be able to teach them the sacred art of iconography and Byzantine music. St. Sava stayed at the convent for six years, from 1919 until 1925. This time at the Convent was one of the most significant events in the saint's life due to his association with St. Nektarios who was at the height of his spiritual development. St. Sava had the opportunity to confess and receive counsel from St. Nektarios. The two had the highest esteem for each other and each considered the other a saint.

As a matter of fact, St. Sava painted the first [[icon]] of St. Nektarios: One day St. Sava asked the [[abbess]] not to let anyone disturb him for forty days, during which he remained confined to his cell. After 40 days, he came out of his cell holding an icon of St. Nektarios. He handed it to the abbess and asked her to place it in the church for veneration. The abbess was surprised since St. Nektarios had not been [[glorification|glorified]] ("canonized") as a saint yet, and she was afraid that the convent would get into trouble. Although the saint was always meek and humble, he insisted, and told her in a commanding manner: "You must show obedience. Take the icon and place it on the [[iconostasis|icon stand]], and do not scrutinize the will of God." He knew the holiness and purity of St. Nektarios.

After St. Nektarios reposed, more and more pilgrims would come to the convent due to the growing reputation of St. Nektarios as a miracle-worker. This disrupted the quiet life that St. Sava loved, and so he departed the convent in 1925, again for a quieter life.

St. Sava spent the last years of his life as the priest and spiritual father at the Convent of All Saints on the island of Kalymnos. As a [[confessor]], he combined leniency with severity. He was lenient on certain sins and severe to others. He remained an ardent spiritual striver until the end of life and practiced extreme forms of self-restraint with regard to food, drink, and sleep. St. Sava became a shining example of virtue to all who came into contact with him. Many smelled a heavenly fragrance in his presence and some even saw him rising above the ground as he stood at prayer.

Towards the end of his life, St. Sava was in a state of intense prayer and holy contrition. For three days he did not receive anyone and he gave his last counsels: requested love and obedience in Christ. When he was on the point of death taking his last breath, suddenly he received strength, brought his blessed small hands together, and clapped them repeatedly saying his last holy words: "The Lord! The Lord! The Lord!" He went to the Lord in 1948 on the eve of the [[feast]] of the [[Annunciation]]. One nun saw the soul of the saint ascending in a golden cloud towards heaven. After about 10 years when the saint's grave was opened in accordance to the Greek Orthodox custom, a heavenly fragrance emanated from the grave and this was witnessed by many, including the local [[bishop]]. This was a testament to the sanctity of the saint. Numerous [[miracle]]s and healings have since been attributed to St. Sava the New of Kalymnos.

==Hymns==
[[Apolytikion]]
:Let us faithful praise Holy Savas, the glory and protector of Kalymnos,
:and peer of the Holy [[Ascetic]]s of old;
:for he has been glorified resplendently as a servant of [[Christ]],
:with the gift of working miracles,
:and he bestows upon all God's grace and mercy.

[[Kontakion]]
:Today the island of the Kalymnians celebrates your holy memory with a rejoicing heart;
:for it possesses as truly God-given wealth,
:your sacred body that has been glorified by God, O Father Savas,
:approaching which they receive health of both soul and body.

[[Megalynarion]]
:Rejoice, thou new star of the Church,
:the offspring of Thrace and the beauty of Kalymnos,
:O God-inspired Savas, fellow citizen of [[angel]]s and equal of all the saints.

==Source==
*''Modern Orthodox Saints'', Vol. 8. "[http://www.panagiavlahernon.org/st-savvas.html St. Savvas the New]" by Dr. Constantine Cavarnos, Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies

==External links==
*[http://www.koel-art.com/pics/byz3/45-3.jpg Icon of St. Savas of Kalymnos]
*[http://www.abbamoses.com/months/april.html Saint Savvas the New of Kalymnos (1948) (March 25 OC)] (under the entry for April 7)

[[Category:Iconographers]]
[[Category:Monastics]]
[[Category:Saints]]

Andrew of Crete

2006-04-29T14:54:04Z

Silentchapel:

[[Image:Andrewofcrete.jpg|right|thumb|200px|St. Andrew of Crete]]
'''Saint Andrew, Archbishop of Crete''', was born in the city of Damascus into a pious Christian family. Up until seven years of age the boy was mute and did not talk. However, after communing the [[Holy Mysteries]] of Christ he found the gift of speech and began to speak. And from that time the lad began earnestly to study [[Holy Scripture]] and the discipline of theology.

At fourteen years of age he went off to [[Jerusalem]] and there he accepted monastic tonsure at the monastery of [[Sabbas the Sanctified|St. Sava the Sanctified]]. St Andrew led a strict and chaste life, he was meek and abstinent, such that all were amazed at his virtue and reasoning of mind. As a man of talent and known for his virtuous life, over the passage of time he came to be numbered among the Jerusalem clergy and was appointed a secretary for the Patriarchate - a writing clerk. In the year 680 the locum tenens of the Jerusalem Patriarchate, Theodore, included [[archdeacon]] Andrew among the representatives of the Holy City sent to the [[Sixth Ecumenical Council]], and here the saint contended against [[heresy|heretical teachings]], relying upon his profound knowledge of Orthodox doctrine. Shortly after the Council he was summoned back to Constantinople from Jerusalem and he was appointed archdeacon at the church of [[Hagia_Sophia_%28Constantinople%29|Hagia Sophia]], the Wisdom of God. During the reign of the emperor Justinian II (685-695) St. Andrew was ordained [[bishop]] of the city of Gortineia on the island of Crete. In his new position he shone forth as a true luminary of the Church, a great hierarch - a theologian, teacher and [[hymnographer]].

St. Andrew wrote many liturgical [[hymn]]s. He was the originator of a new liturgical form - the [[canon]]. Of the canons composed by him the best known is the [[Great Canon|Great Penitential Canon]], including within its 9 odes the 250 [[troparion|troparia]] recited during the [[Great Lent]]. In the First Week of Lent at the service of [[Compline]] it is read in portions (thus called "methymony", and again on Thursday of the Fifth Week at the [[All-night Vigil]] during [[Matins]].

St. Andrew of Crete gained renown with his many praises of the [[Theotokos|All-Pure Virgin Mary]]. To him are likewise ascribed: the Canon for the feast of the Nativity of Christ, three odes for the Compline of [[Palm Sunday]] and also in the first four days of Holy Passion Week, as well as verses for the feast of the Meeting of the Lord, and many another church-song. His hynographic tradition was continued by the churchly great melodists of following ages: Saints [[John of Damascus]], [[Cosmas the Hymnographer|Cosmas of Maium]], [[Joseph the Hymnographer|Joseph the Melodist]], [[Theophanes the Confessor|Theophanes the Branded]]. There have also been preserved edifying Sermons of St. Andrew for certain of the Church feasts.

Church historians are not of the same opinion as to the date of death of the saint. One suggests the year 712, while others - the year 726. He died on the island of Mytilene, while returning to Crete from Constantinople, where he had been on churchly business. His [[relics]] were transferred to Constantinople. In the year 1350 the pious Russian pilgrim Stefan Novgorodets saw the relics at the Constantinople monastery named for St. Andrew of Crete. His feast is on [[July 4]].

==Sources==
*[http://www.oca.org/FSlives.asp www.oca.org - Lives of Saints, July 4.]

[[Category: Saints]]
[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category: Church Fathers]]
[[Category: Hymnographers]]

User:Silentchapel

2006-04-28T21:36:24Z

Silentchapel:

My name is Bojan Teodosijevic, I'm a law student attending [[Sava_of_Serbia|St. Sava]] parish in the center of Belgrade. I was born in 1986, in an atheist family. Having read a children's Bible at an early age, I was alyways interested in religion, but thanks to the works of [[Nikolai_Velimirovic|St. Nikolai Velimirovic]], I was fully introduced to the life of the [[Orthodox_Church|Church]].

I believe that Internet is one of the most promising assests for spreading Orthodoxy in modern era, second only to personal witnessing. As for my spiritual side, St. George the Greatmartyr is my patron, even though I consider [[Nectarios_of_Aegina|St. Nectarios]] to be my secondary patron for a miracle I received thanks to this great man's intercession.
'''

'''Contributions:'''''
# [[Canon]]
# [[Great Canon]]
# [[Magnificat]]
# [[Prayer of the Three Holy Children]]
# [[Andrew of Crete|Saint Andrew of Crete]]
# [[Cosmas the Hymnographer|Saint Cosmas the Hymnographer]]
# [[Habbakuk|Saint Habbakuk the Prophet]]
# [[Isaiah|Saint Isaiah the Prophet]]
# [[Jonah|Saint Jonah the Prophet]]
# [[Sabbas the Sanctified|Saint Sabbas the Sanctified]]
# [[Samuel|Saint Samuel the Prophet]]
# [[Theophanes the Confessor|Saint Theophanes the Confessor and Hymnographer]]

== External Links ==
*[http://silentchapel.livejournal.com] - My personal blog on LiveJournal.
*[http://www.angelfire.com/planet/parastos/beingorthodox.html] - My site on Orthodox spirituality.

Template:December 5

2006-04-28T21:35:05Z

Silentchapel:

<div style="float:right;margin-left:1em">
[[Image:Pantokrator of Sinai.jpg|100px|Our Lord Jesus Christ]]
</div>Saint [[Sabbas the Sanctified]]; Saint Karion (Cyrion) and his son Saint Zachariah of Egypt; [[Martyr]] Anastasius the fuller of Salona in Dalmatia (see also [[October 25]]); Saint Gurias, [[Archbishop]] of Kazan; Saint Nectarios the Bulgarian of Bitol (Bulgaria) and his elder Saint Philotheos the [[Righteous]], of Karyes [[Skete]] on [[Mount Athos]]; commemoration of the [[monk]]s of Karyes martyred by the Latins; Saint Necetius, [[Bishop]] of Trier (Gaul); Martyr-[[hermit]] Justinian of Ramsey Island; Martyr Diogenes; Martyr Abercius; Saint Nonnus, monk; Saint Gratus, monk

Sabbas the Sanctified

2006-04-28T21:34:09Z

Silentchapel:

[[Image:Sava_the_Sanctified.jpg|thumb|frame|240px|St. Sabbas the Sanctified]]
[[Venerable]] '''Sabbas the Sanctified''' was born in the fifth century at Cappadocia of pious Christian parents, John and Sophia. His father was a military commander. Journeying to Alexandria on military matters, his wife went with him, but they left their five-year-old son in the care of an uncle. When the boy reached eight years of age, he entered the monastery of St. Flavian located nearby. The gifted child quickly learned to read and became an expert on the [[Bible|Holy Scripture]]s. In vain did his parents urge St. Sabbas to return to the world and enter into marriage.

When he was seventeen years old he received [[tonsure|monastic tonsure]], and attained such perfection in [[fast]]ing and [[prayer]] that he was given the gift of wonderworking. After spending ten years at the [[monastery]] of St. Flavian, he went to Jerusalem, and from there to the monastery of [[Euthymius|St. Euthymius the Great]] ([[January 20]]). But St. Euthymius sent St. Sabbas to Abba Theoctistus, the head of a nearby monastery with a strict cenobitic rule. St. Sabbas lived in obedience at this monastery until the age of thirty.

After the death of the Elder Theoctistus, his successor blessed St. Sabbas to seclude himself in a cave. On Saturdays, however, he left his hermitage and came to the monastery, where he participated in divine services and ate with the brethren. After a certain time St. Sabbas received permission not to leave his hermitage at all, and he struggled in the cave for five years.

St. Euthymius attentively directed the life of the young monk, and seeing his spiritual maturity, he began to take him to the Rouba wilderness with him. They set out on January 14, and remained there until [[Palm Sunday]]. St. Euthymius called St. Sabbas a child-elder, and encouraged him to grow in the monastic virtues.

When St. Euthymius fell asleep in the Lord (+473), St Sabbas withdrew from the Lavra and moved to a cave near the monastery of [[Gerasimus of Jordan|St. Gerasimus of Jordan]] ([[March 4]]). After several years, disciples began to gather around St. Sabbas, seeking the monastic life. As the number of monks increased, a lavra sprang up. When a pillar of fire appeared before St. Sabbas as he was walking, he found a spacious cave in the form of a church.

St. Sabbas founded several more monasteries. Many miracles took place through the prayers of St. Sabbas: at the Lavra a spring of water welled up, during a time of drought there was abundant rain, and there were also healings of the sick and the demoniacs. St. Sabbas composed the first monastic Rule of church services, the so-called "Jerusalem Typikon", accepted by all the Palestine monasteries. The saint surrendered his soul to God in the year 532. His feast day is on [[December 5]].

==Sources==
*[http://www.oca.org/FSlives.asp www.oca.org - Lives of Saints, December 5.]

[[Category: Saints]]
[[Category: Desert Fathers]]
[[Category: Hermits]]
[[Category: Venerables]]
[[Category: Wonderworkers]]

Sabbas the Sanctified

2006-04-28T21:29:30Z

Silentchapel:

[[Image:Sava_the_Sanctified.jpg|thumb|frame|240px|St. Sabbas the Sanctified]]
[[Venerable]] '''Sabbas the Sanctified''' was born in the fifth century at Cappadocia of pious Christian parents, John and Sophia. His father was a military commander. Journeying to Alexandria on military matters, his wife went with him, but they left their five-year-old son in the care of an uncle. When the boy reached eight years of age, he entered the monastery of St. Flavian located nearby. The gifted child quickly learned to read and became an expert on the [[Bible|Holy Scripture]]s. In vain did his parents urge St. Sabbas to return to the world and enter into marriage.

When he was seventeen years old he received [[tonsure|monastic tonsure]], and attained such perfection in [[fast]]ing and [[prayer]] that he was given the gift of wonderworking. After spending ten years at the [[monastery]] of St. Flavian, he went to Jerusalem, and from there to the monastery of [[Euthymius|St. Euthymius the Great]] ([[January 20]]). But St. Euthymius sent St. Sabbas to Abba Theoctistus, the head of a nearby monastery with a strict cenobitic rule. St. Sabbas lived in obedience at this monastery until the age of thirty.

After the death of the Elder Theoctistus, his successor blessed St. Sabbas to seclude himself in a cave. On Saturdays, however, he left his hermitage and came to the monastery, where he participated in divine services and ate with the brethren. After a certain time St. Sabbas received permission not to leave his hermitage at all, and he struggled in the cave for five years.

St. Euthymius attentively directed the life of the young monk, and seeing his spiritual maturity, he began to take him to the Rouba wilderness with him. They set out on January 14, and remained there until [[Palm Sunday]]. St. Euthymius called St. Sabbas a child-elder, and encouraged him to grow in the monastic virtues.

When St. Euthymius fell asleep in the Lord (+473), St Sabbas withdrew from the Lavra and moved to a cave near the monastery of [[Gerasimus of Jordan|St. Gerasimus of Jordan]] ([[March 4]]). After several years, disciples began to gather around St. Sabbas, seeking the monastic life. As the number of monks increased, a lavra sprang up. When a pillar of fire appeared before St. Sabbas as he was walking, he found a spacious cave in the form of a church.

St. Sabbas founded several more monasteries. Many miracles took place through the prayers of St. Sabbas: at the Lavra a spring of water welled up, during a time of drought there was abundant rain, and there were also healings of the sick and the demoniacs. St. Sabbas composed the first monastic Rule of church services, the so-called "Jerusalem Typikon", accepted by all the Palestine monasteries. The saint surrendered his soul to God in the year 532. His feast day is on [[December 5]].

==Sources==
*[http://www.oca.org/FSlives.asp www.oca.org - Lives of Saints, December 5.]

[[Category: Saints]]
[[Category: Monks]]
[[Category: Venerables]]
[[Category: Wonderworkers]]

File:Sava the Sanctified.jpg

2006-04-28T21:22:36Z

Silentchapel:

File:Sava the Sanctified.jpg

2006-04-28T21:21:52Z

Silentchapel:

Andrew of Crete

2006-04-28T21:14:48Z

Silentchapel:

[[Image:Andrewofcrete.jpg|right|thumb|200px|St. Andrew of Crete]]
'''Saint Andrew, Archbishop of Crete''', was born in the city of Damascus into a pious Christian family. Up until seven years of age the boy was mute and did not talk. However, after communing the [[Holy Mysteries]] of Christ he found the gift of speech and began to speak. And from that time the lad began earnestly to study [[Holy Scripture]] and the discipline of theology.

At fourteen years of age he went off to [[Jerusalem]] and there he accepted monastic tonsure at the monastery of [[Sava the Sanctified|St. Sava the Sanctified]]. St Andrew led a strict and chaste life, he was meek and abstinent, such that all were amazed at his virtue and reasoning of mind. As a man of talent and known for his virtuous life, over the passage of time he came to be numbered among the Jerusalem clergy and was appointed a secretary for the Patriarchate - a writing clerk. In the year 680 the locum tenens of the Jerusalem Patriarchate, Theodore, included [[archdeacon]] Andrew among the representatives of the Holy City sent to the [[Sixth Ecumenical Council]], and here the saint contended against [[heresy|heretical teachings]], relying upon his profound knowledge of Orthodox doctrine. Shortly after the Council he was summoned back to Constantinople from Jerusalem and he was appointed archdeacon at the church of [[Hagia_Sophia_%28Constantinople%29|Hagia Sophia]], the Wisdom of God. During the reign of the emperor Justinian II (685-695) St. Andrew was ordained [[bishop]] of the city of Gortineia on the island of Crete. In his new position he shone forth as a true luminary of the Church, a great hierarch - a theologian, teacher and [[hymnographer]].

St. Andrew wrote many liturgical [[hymn]]s. He was the originator of a new liturgical form - the [[canon]]. Of the canons composed by him the best known is the [[Great Canon|Great Penitential Canon]], including within its 9 odes the 250 [[troparion|troparia]] recited during the [[Great Lent]]. In the First Week of Lent at the service of [[Compline]] it is read in portions (thus called "methymony", and again on Thursday of the Fifth Week at the [[All-night Vigil]] during [[Matins]].

St. Andrew of Crete gained renown with his many praises of the [[Theotokos|All-Pure Virgin Mary]]. To him are likewise ascribed: the Canon for the feast of the Nativity of Christ, three odes for the Compline of [[Palm Sunday]] and also in the first four days of Holy Passion Week, as well as verses for the feast of the Meeting of the Lord, and many another church-song. His hynographic tradition was continued by the churchly great melodists of following ages: Saints [[John of Damascus]], [[Cosmas the Hymnographer|Cosmas of Maium]], [[Joseph the Hymnographer|Joseph the Melodist]], [[Theophanes the Confessor|Theophanes the Branded]]. There have also been preserved edifying Sermons of St. Andrew for certain of the Church feasts.

Church historians are not of the same opinion as to the date of death of the saint. One suggests the year 712, while others - the year 726. He died on the island of Mytilene, while returning to Crete from Constantinople, where he had been on churchly business. His [[relics]] were transferred to Constantinople. In the year 1350 the pious Russian pilgrim Stefan Novgorodets saw the relics at the Constantinople monastery named for St. Andrew of Crete. His feast is on [[July 4]].

==Sources==
*[http://www.oca.org/FSlives.asp www.oca.org - Lives of Saints, July 4.]

[[Category: Saints]]
[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category: Church Fathers]]
[[Category: Hymnographers]]

Template:September 22

2006-04-28T14:47:11Z

Silentchapel:

<div style="float:right;margin-left:1em">
[[Image:Pantokrator of Sinai.jpg|100px|Our Lord Jesus Christ]]
</div>[[Hieromartyr]] Phocas, [[Bishop]] and [[Wonder-worker]] of Sinope; Prophet [[Jonah]] (see also [[September 21]]); [[Martyr]] Phocas the Gardener of Sinope; [[Saint]] Jonah the [[Presbyter]], father of St. Theophanes the [[Hymnographer]] (see [[October 11]]) and St. Theodore Graptus or "the Branded" (see [[December 27]]); Saint Peter the Tax-collector; Saint Jonah, [[Abbot]] of Yashezersk; 26 martyrs of [[Zographou Monastery (Athos)|Zographou]] [[Monastery]] on [[Mount Athos]], martyred by the Latins (see also [[September 21]], [[October 10]]); Saint Cosmas the Bulgarian of Zographou Monastery; [[New-Martyr]]s Isaac and Martin; Saint Macarius, Abbot of Zhabynka and Belev, Wonder-worker; Saint Theophanes the Silent, recluse of the [[Monastery of the Kiev Caves|Kiev Caves]]; Martyr Maurice of Saint-Maurice-en-Valais, and those with him; [[synaxis]] of the saints of Tula; repose of Abbot Innocent of [[Valaam Monastery|Valaam]] and Blessed Parasceva "Pasha of Sarov," [[Fool-for-Christ]] of Diveyevo [[Convent]]

Template:September 21

2006-04-28T14:46:18Z

Silentchapel:

<div style="float:right;margin-left:1em">
[[Image:Elevation.jpg|100px|Elevation of the Holy Cross]]
</div>[[Apodosis]] of the [[Exaltation of the Cross]]; [[Apostle Quadratus]] of the Seventy; Prophet [[Jonah]]; [[Hieromartyr]] Hypatius, [[Bishop]] of Ephesus, and [[Presbyter]] Andrew (see also [[September 20]]); [[Martyr]] Eusebius of Phoenicia; Martyr Priscus of Phrygia; Martyrs Eusebius, Nestabus, and Zeno of Gaza; [[Saint]]s Isaac and Meletius, Bishops of Cyprus; Saint Joseph of Zaonikiev [[Monastery]] (Vologda); Saint Daniel, [[Abbot]] of Shuzhgorsk (Novgorod); Saint Jonah the Sabbaite; 26 martyrs of [[Zographou Monastery (Athos)|Zographou]] on [[Mount Athos]]: [[Igumen]] Thomas, the monks Barsanuphius, Cyril, Micah, Simon, Hilarion, James, Job, Cyprian, Sava, James, Martinian, Cosmas, Sergius, Menas, Joasaph, Joannicius, Paul, Anthony, Euthymius, Dometian, Parthenius, and four laymen who died with them; six martyrs, aides-de-camp of Maximian; opening of the [[relics]] of Saint Demetrius, [[Metropolitan]] of Rostov

User:Silentchapel

2006-04-28T14:45:27Z

Silentchapel:

My name is Bojan Teodosijevic, I'm a law student attending [[Sava_of_Serbia|St. Sava]] parish in the center of Belgrade. I was born in 1986, in an atheist family. Having read a children's Bible at an early age, I was alyways interested in religion, but thanks to the works of [[Nikolai_Velimirovic|St. Nikolai Velimirovic]], I was fully introduced to the life of the [[Orthodox_Church|Church]].

I believe that Internet is one of the most promising assests for spreading Orthodoxy in modern era, second only to personal witnessing. As for my spiritual side, St. George the Greatmartyr is my patron, even though I consider [[Nectarios_of_Aegina|St. Nectarios]] to be my secondary patron for a miracle I received thanks to this great man's intercession.
'''

'''Contributions:'''''
# [[Canon]]
# [[Great Canon]]
# [[Magnificat]]
# [[Prayer of the Three Holy Children]]
# [[Andrew of Crete|Saint Andrew of Crete]]
# [[Cosmas the Hymnographer|Saint Cosmas the Hymnographer]]
# [[Habbakuk|Saint Habbakuk the Prophet]]
# [[Isaiah|Saint Isaiah the Prophet]]
# [[Jonah|Saint Jonah the Prophet]]
# [[Samuel|Saint Samuel the Prophet]]
# [[Theophanes the Confessor|Saint Theophanes the Confessor and Hymnographer]]

== External Links ==
*[http://silentchapel.livejournal.com] - My personal blog on LiveJournal.
*[http://www.angelfire.com/planet/parastos/beingorthodox.html] - My site on Orthodox spirituality.

Jonah

2006-04-28T14:44:13Z

Silentchapel:

[[Image:Jonah.jpg|frame|thumb|298px|St. Jonah the Prophet]]
The '''Holy Prophet Jonah''' lived in the eighth century before the birth of Christ and was a successor of the [[Elisha|Prophet Elisha]]. The Book of the Prophet Jonah contains prophecies about the judgments on the Israelite nation, the sufferings of the Savior, the downfall of Jerusalem, and the end of the world. Besides the prophecies, the [[Book of Jonah]] relates how he was sent to the Ninevites to preach repentance (Jon. 3: 3-10).

Our Lord [[Jesus Christ]], addressing the Scribes and the Pharisees who demanded a sign from Him, said that no sign would be given except for the sign of the Prophet Jonah, "As Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so also shall the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights (Mt. 12: 40). From these words the Lord shows clearly the symbolic meaning of the Book of the Prophet Jonah in relation to Christ's death on the [[Cross]], descent into [[Hell]], and the [[Resurrection]].

Reproaching the lack of penitence and recalcitrance of the [[Jew]]s, the Lord said, "The Ninevites shall rise in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and one greater than Jonah is here" (Mt. 12: 41).

His feast day is on [[September 22]].

==Sources==
*[http://www.oca.org/FSlives.asp www.oca.org - Lives of Saints for September 22]

[[Category: Saints]]
[[Category: Prophets]]

File:Jonah.jpg

2006-04-28T14:38:13Z

Silentchapel:

File:Jonah.jpg

2006-04-28T14:37:10Z

Silentchapel:

Orthodox Church

2006-04-28T07:42:01Z

Silentchapel:

The '''Orthodox Church''' is the [[Church]] founded by [[Jesus Christ]] and his [[apostles]], begun at the day of [[Pentecost]] with the descent of the [[Holy Spirit]] in the year 33 A.D. It is also known (especially in the contemporary West) as the '''Eastern Orthodox Church''' or the '''Greek Orthodox Church'''. It may also be called the Orthodox Catholic Church, the Orthodox Christian Church, the [[One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church|one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church]], the [[Body of Christ]], the [[Bride of Christ]], or simply the Church.

The [[bishop]]s of the Orthodox Church trace unbroken [[Apostolic Succession|succession]] to the very [[apostles]] themselves, therefore ultimately receiving their consecrations from our Lord [[Jesus Christ]]. All the bishops of the Church, no matter their titles, are equal in their [[sacrament]]al office. The various titles given to bishops are simply administrative or honorific in their essence. At an [[ecumenical council]], each bishop may cast only one vote, whether he is the Ecumenical Patriarch or simply an [[auxiliary bishop]] without a [[diocese]]. Thus, there is no equivalent to the [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] [[pope|papacy]] within the Orthodox Church.

As with its [[apostolic succession]], the [[faith]] held by the Church is that which was handed by [[Jesus Christ|Christ]] to the [[apostles]]. Nothing is added to or subtracted from that deposit of faith which was "handed once for all to the saints" ([[Book of Jude|Jude]] 3). Throughout history, various [[heresy|heresies]] have afflicted the Church, and at those times the Church makes [[dogma|dogmatic]] pronouncements (especially at [[ecumenical councils]]) delineating in new language what has always been believed by the Church, thus preventing the spread of [[heresy]] and calling to repentance those who [[schism|rend asunder]] the Body of Christ. Its primary statement of faith is the [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed]].

== Current Church structure ==
The Orthodox Church of today consists of fourteen or fifteen [[autocephaly|autocephalous]] churches and five [[autonomy|autonomous]] churches, sometimes referred to as [[jurisdiction|jurisdictions]]. Autocephalous churches are fully self-governing in all they do, while autonomous churches must have their [[primate|primates]] confirmed by one of the autocephalous churches, usually its mother church. All the Orthodox churches remain in [[full communion]] with one another, sharing the same [[faith]] and [[praxis]]. There have been occasional breaks in communion due to various problems throughout history, but they generally remain brief and not developing into full [[schism]]. The [[Church of Constantinople|Patriarchate of Constantinople]] is also the Ecumenical Patriarchate and has the status of "first among equals" among the Orthodox Churches.

'''See: [[List of autocephalous and autonomous Churches]]'''

==See also==
*[[Ecclesiology]]

== External links (Overviews of the Orthodox Church) ==

*[http://members.aol.com/RdrDavid/ Orthodoxy]: The Narrow Path

[[Category:Church History]]
[[Category:Ecclesiology]]
[[Category:Jurisdictions]]

Great Canon

2006-04-27T22:15:12Z

Silentchapel:

[[Image:Andrewofcrete.jpg|right|thumb|200px|St. Andrew of Crete]]
The '''Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete''' is a lengthy penitential [[canon]] composed in 7th century, which is performed during the [[Great Lent]].

==Structure and Composition==
The Great Canon consists of four parts, each divided into 9 odes like a regular [[canon]]. However, there are slight differences between the the odes of the two compositions. In the Great Canon, there is a greater number of [[troparia]]. At the refrain "Have mercy on me, O Lord, have mercy on me", a full [[prostration]] is performed. Also, some of the odes have additional refrains and troparia to the author of the canon, [[Andrew of Crete|St. Andrew of Crete]], or [[Mary of Egypt|St. Mary of Egypt]], one of the greatest models of repentance in Christianity.
[[Image:Zosimas and Mary of Egypt.jpg|right|frame|Sts. Zosima and Mary of Egypt]]
==Performance==
The Great Canon is performed during the first week of the Great Lent. During the [[Compline]] on Monday, Tuesday, Wendesday and Thursday, one portion of Canon is sung after Psalm 69 is read. On Wendesday of the fifth week of the Great Lent, Life of St. Mary of Egypt is read together with the entire Great Canon at [[Matins]] service. This practice was implemented during the life of St. Andrew, who was also the author of St. Mary's hagiography.

==Contents==
A basic distinguishing feature of the Great Canon is its extremely broad use of images and subjects taken both from the Old and New Testaments. As the Canon progresses, the congregation encounters many biblical examples of sin and repentance. The Bible (and therefore, the Canon) speaks of some individuals in a positive light, and about others in a negative one - the penitents are expected to emulate the positive examples of sanctity and repentance, and to learn from and avoid the negative examples of sin, fallen nature and pride. However, one of the most notable aspects of the Canon is that it attempts to potray the Biblical images in a very personal way to every penitant: the Canon is written in such form that the faithful identify themselves with many people and events found in the Bible.

==References==
*[http://www.stjohndc.org/russian/GrLent/e_CanonCrete.htm www.stjohndc.org]

==External Links==
*[http://www.monachos.net/monasticism/andrew_of_crete/great_canon.shtml Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete]

[[Category: Liturgics]]
[[Category: Hymnography]]

Great Canon

2006-04-27T22:02:27Z

Silentchapel: /* Performance */

Great Canon

2006-04-27T22:01:43Z

Silentchapel:

[[Image:Andrewofcrete.jpg|right|thumb|200px|St. Andrew of Crete]]
The '''Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete''' is a lengthy penitential [[canon]] composed in 7th century, which is performed during the [[Great Lent]].

==Structure and Composition==
The Great Canon consists of four parts, each divided into 9 odes like a regular [[canon]]. However, there are slight differences between the the odes of the two compositions. In the Great Canon, there is a greater number of [[troparia]]. At the refrain "Have mercy on me, O Lord, have mercy on me", a full [[prostration]] is performed. Also, some of the odes have additional refrains and troparia to the author of the canon, [[Andrew of Crete|St. Andrew of Crete]], or [[Mary of Egypt|St. Mary of Egypt]], one of the greatest models of repentance in Christianity.
[[Image:Zosimas and Mary of Egypt.jpg|right|frame|Sts. Zosima and Mary of Egypt]]
==Performance==
The Great Canon is performed during the first week of the Great Lent. During the [[Compline]] on Monday, Tuesday, Wendesday and Thursday, one portion of Canon is read after Psalm 69 is read. On Wendesday of the fifth week of the Great Lent, Life of St. Mary of Egypt is read together with the entire Great Canon at [[Matins]] service. This practice was implemented during the life of St. Andrew, who was also the author of St. Mary's hagiography.

==Contents==
A basic distinguishing feature of the Great Canon is its extremely broad use of images and subjects taken both from the Old and New Testaments. As the Canon progresses, the congregation encounters many biblical examples of sin and repentance. The Bible (and therefore, the Canon) speaks of some individuals in a positive light, and about others in a negative one - the penitents are expected to emulate the positive examples of sanctity and repentance, and to learn from and avoid the negative examples of sin, fallen nature and pride. However, one of the most notable aspects of the Canon is that it attempts to potray the Biblical images in a very personal way to every penitant: the Canon is written in such form that the faithful identify themselves with many people and events found in the Bible.

==References==
*[http://www.stjohndc.org/russian/GrLent/e_CanonCrete.htm www.stjohndc.org]

==External Links==
*[http://www.monachos.net/monasticism/andrew_of_crete/great_canon.shtml Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete]

[[Category: Liturgics]]

Great Canon

2006-04-27T22:00:28Z

Silentchapel:

[[Image:Andrewofcrete.jpg|right|thumb|200px|St. Andrew of Crete]]
The '''Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete''' is a lengthy penitential [[canon]] composed in 7th century, which is performed during the [[Great Lent]].

==Structure and Composition==
The Great Canon consists of four parts, each divided into 9 odes like a regular [[canon]]. However, there are slight differences between the the odes of the two compositions. In the Great Canon, there is a greater number of [[troparia]]. At the refrain "Have mercy on me, O Lord, have mercy on me", a full [[prostration]] is performed. Also, some of the odes have additional refrains and troparia to the author of the canon, [[Andrew of Crete|St. Andrew of Crete]], or [[Mary of Egypt|St. Mary of Egypt]], one of the greatest models of repentance in Christianity.
[[Image:Zosimas and Mary of Egypt.jpg|right|frame|Sts. Zosima and Mary of Egypt]]
==Performance==
The Great Canon is performed during the first week of the Great Lent. During the [[Compiline]] on Monday, Tuesday, Wendesday and Thursday, one portion of Canon is read after Psalm 69 is read. On Wendesday of the fifth week of the Great Lent, Life of St. Mary of Egypt is read together with the entire Great Canon at [[Matins]] service. This practice was implemented during the life of St. Andrew, who was also the author of St. Mary's hagiography.

==Contents==
A basic distinguishing feature of the Great Canon is its extremely broad use of images and subjects taken both from the Old and New Testaments. As the Canon progresses, the congregation encounters many biblical examples of sin and repentance. The Bible (and therefore, the Canon) speaks of some individuals in a positive light, and about others in a negative one - the penitents are expected to emulate the positive examples of sanctity and repentance, and to learn from and avoid the negative examples of sin, fallen nature and pride. However, one of the most notable aspects of the Canon is that it attempts to potray the Biblical images in a very personal way to every penitant: the Canon is written in such form that the faithful identify themselves with many people and events found in the Bible.

==References==
*[http://www.stjohndc.org/russian/GrLent/e_CanonCrete.htm www.stjohndc.org]

==External Links==
*[http://www.monachos.net/monasticism/andrew_of_crete/great_canon.shtml Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete]

[[Category: Liturgics]]

User:Silentchapel

2006-04-27T20:37:17Z

Silentchapel:

My name is Bojan Teodosijevic, I'm a law student attending [[Sava_of_Serbia|St. Sava]] parish in the center of Belgrade. I was born in 1986, in an atheist family. Having read a children's Bible at an early age, I was alyways interested in religion, but thanks to the works of [[Nikolai_Velimirovic|St. Nikolai Velimirovic]], I was fully introduced to the life of the [[Orthodox_Church|Church]].

I believe that Internet is one of the most promising assests for spreading Orthodoxy in modern era, second only to personal witnessing. As for my spiritual side, St. George the Greatmartyr is my patron, even though I consider [[Nectarios_of_Aegina|St. Nectarios]] to be my secondary patron for a miracle I received thanks to this great man's intercession.
'''

'''Contributions:'''''
# [[Canon]]
# [[Great Canon]]
# [[Magnificat]]
# [[Prayer of the Three Holy Children]]
# [[Andrew of Crete|Saint Andrew of Crete]]
# [[Cosmas the Hymnographer|Saint Cosmas the Hymnographer]]
# [[Habbakuk|Saint Habbakuk the Prophet]]
# [[Isaiah|Saint Isaiah the Prophet]]
# [[Samuel|Saint Samuel the Prophet]]
# [[Theophanes the Confessor|Saint Theophanes the Confessor and Hymnographer]]
'''
'''Minor additions:'''''
# Added the icon in [[Joseph the Hymnographer|St. Joseph the Hymnographer]] article.

== External Links ==
*[http://silentchapel.livejournal.com] - My personal blog on LiveJournal.
*[http://www.angelfire.com/planet/parastos/beingorthodox.html] - My site on Orthodox spirituality.

Great Canon

2006-04-27T20:36:22Z

Silentchapel:

The '''Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete''' is a lengthy penitential [[canon]] composed in 7th century, which is performed during the [[Great Lent]]. It is divided into four portions, which are read during the Great Compiline on Monday, Tuesday, Wendesday and Thursday of [[Pure Week]]. The whole canon is read all over again on Wendesday evening of the fifth week of the Great Lent.

The refrain "Have mercy upon me O Lord, have mercy upon me" accompanies each verse of the Great Canon. Several [[troparia]] in honor of [[Andrew of Crete|St. Andrew]], composer of the canon, and to [[Mary of Egypt|St. Mary of Egypt]] are also included. The Church of Jerusalem implemented this practice during St. Andrew’s lifetime. When in the year 680 AD, St. Andrew traveled to Constantinople for the [[6th Ecumenical Council]], he brought with him and made public both his great composition and the life of St. Mary of Egypt, written by his compatriot and teacher, Sophronios, Patriarch of Jerusalem. The Life of St. Mary of Egypt is read together with the Great Canon at [[Matins]] on Wednesday of the fifth week of Great Lent.

A basic distinguishing feature of the Great Canon is its extremely broad use of images and subjects taken from [[Bible|Sacred Scripture]], both from the Old and New Testaments. As the Canon progresses, the congregation encounters many biblical examples of sin and repentance. The Bible (and therefore, the Canon) speaks of some individuals in a positive light, and about others in a negative one - the penitents are expected to emulate the positive examples of sanctity and repentance, and to learn from and avoid the negative examples of sin, fallen nature and pride. However, one of the most notable aspects of the Canon is that it attempts to potray the Biblical images in a very personal way to every penitant: the Canon is written in such form that the faithful identify themselves with many people and events found in the Old and New Testaments.

==References==
*[http://www.stjohndc.org/russian/GrLent/e_CanonCrete.htm www.stjohndc.org]

==External Links==
*[http://www.monachos.net/monasticism/andrew_of_crete/great_canon.shtml Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete]

[[Category: Liturgics]]

Canon (hymn)

2006-04-27T19:48:33Z

Silentchapel:

A '''canon''' is a structured [[hymn]] used in a number of [[Eastern Orthodoxy|Eastern Orthodox]] services. It consists of nine ''odes'', sometimes called ''canticles'' or ''songs'' depending on the translation, based on compositions (also called odes) found in the [[Bible]] and with one exception, the [[Old Testament]].

The canon dates from the 7th century and was either devised or introduced into the Greek language by [[Andrew of Crete|St. Andrew of Crete]], whose penitential Great Canon is still used on certain occasions during [[Great Lent]]. It was further developed in the 8th century by Sts. [[John of Damascus]] and [[Cosmas the Hymnographer]], and in the 9th century by Sts. [[Joseph the Hymnographer]] and [[Theophanes the Confessor|Theophanes the Branded]].

Over time the canon came to replace the [[kontakion]], a vestigal form of which is still used on several occasions and which has been incorporated into the performance of the canon.

==Performance==
As with all other Orthodox [[church]] music, a canon is sung by a choir or [[cantor]] in ''a cappella'' [[chant]]. An ode of the canon is begun by singing the Biblical ode from its beginning. At some point this is interrupted by an introductory stanza called an ''[[irmos]]'', "link", which poetically connects it to the subject of the canon. Following the irmos and sung alternately with the subsequent verses of the ode are a series hymns comprising a single stanza each, or ''[[troparion|troparia]]'', set in the same melody and meter as the irmos, that expand on its theme. The ode is completed with a final stanza called ''katavasia'', which might or might not be present depending on the service and occasion, and which also varies accordingly. It might be a repetition of the irmos, the irmos of the second canon when more than one canon is being sung together, the irmos of the canon for an upcoming major feast day, or some other verse prescribed by the service books. (Katavasia means "coming down" and the verse is so called because as originally performed the two choirs would descend from their places on the left and right sides of the church to sing it together in the middle.)

When a full canon is performed, between odes three and four a ''sedalen'' or "sitting hymn" is sung. Between odes six and seven a vestigal ''[[kontakion]]'' is sung with only its ''prooimion'', or initial stanza, and the ''oikos'' or first ''strophe''. This order is rearranged somewhat if the canon is accompanied by an [[akathist]].

===Modern performance===
In modern practice the Biblical odes are not actually sung except during [[Matins]] on the weekdays of [[Great Lent]]. Most often odes one through nine are all sung with the exception of ode two; there are therefore only eight odes sung in most canons. Ode two has an extremely penitential theme, so this too is only sung during Lenten weekday Matins. At these times the services call for the singing of three odes only. (The book containing the changeable portions of services for Lent is called the [[''Triodion'']] in consequence.) Because of this, canons that are not sung at this time often have no irmoi or troparia of ode two recorded for them. Ode two is also sung in the Great Canon of St. Andrew.

Instead, the ode normally begins with the irmos. The troparia that follow are each introduced by a brief refrain which is again determined by the subject of the canon. For example, in a Canon of the Resurrection the refrain is, "Glory, O Lord, to thy holy Resurrection"; in a Canon to the Most Holy [[Theotokos]] the refrain is, "Most Holy Theotokos, save us"; and in the most general case it is "Glory to thee our God, glory to thee." For the last one or two troparia, the refrain is replaced by the doxology "Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit both now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen." However, during Sunday Matins the ''[[Magnificat]]'', which forms half of the ninth Biblical ode, is usually sung in its entirety before the irmos.

The total number of troparia is determined by local usage. Theoretically there are as many as fourteen for each ode with some troparia repeated if the service books do not prescribe enough of them and some conjoined if there are too many. This makes the canon too lengthy for typical parish use, so more often no more than three troparia are sung regardless of how many troparia or canons are prescribed.

Although it is intended that the troparia be sung this is impractical in most cases, so it is usually done only during the Matins of [[Pascha|Pascha]]. They are most often read ''recto tono'' by a single [[Reader|reader]] as are the refrains that precede them. Often two readers will read the refrains and troparia anitphonally.

==Usage==
Canons are used most notably at [[Matins]], at Great and Small [[Compline]]; and at special services such as the [[Paraclesis]] and those of similar structure such as the [[Panakhida]] or [[Molieben]]. In the latter cases it is often vestigal, consisting of no more than a selection of ''irmoi'' with refrains and doxology. Canons may also be used in private prayer either as a regular part of a [[Prayer_Rule|rule]] or for special needs. One traditional prayerful preparation for reception of the [[Eucharist]] is to read three canons and an [[akathist]] the evening prior. When used privately there is generally no attempt at an elaborated musical or metrical performance.

==Poetic and musical structure==
The Biblical odes are not identical in meter, and so although all the music is performed in the same mode each ode must comprise an individual composition. However, in the original Greek compostitions, the irmos and troparia would by design be of the same meter and so could use the same melody. Acrostics would often be present as well, read down a canon's troparia, and sometimes involving the irmos as well if it was composed at the same time. The meter and acrostic would be given along with the canon's title.

==Texts==
The nine odes may be found in any complete Orthodox Psalter, and they are:
# The Ode of [[Moses]] in Exodus ([[Exodus]] 15:1-19)
# The Ode of Moses in Deuteronomy ([[Deuteronomy]] 32:1-43)
# The Prayer of Anna the mother of [[Samuel]] the Prophet ([[1 Kings]] 2:1-10)
# The Prayer of [[Habbakuk]] the Prophet ([[Book of Habbakuk|Habbakuk]] 3:2-19)
# The Prayer of [[Isaiah]] the Prophet ([[Book of Isaiah|Isaiah]] 26:9-20)
# The Prayer of [[Jonah]] the Prophet ([[Book of Jonah|Jonah]] 2:3-10)
# The [[Prayer of the Three Holy Children]] ([[Book of Daniel|Daniel]] 3:26-56)*
# The Song of the Three Holy Children (The ''Benedicte'', Daniel 3:57-88)*
# The Song of the [[Theotokos]] (The ''[[Magnificat]]'', [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] 1:46-55) and the Prayer of [[Zacharias]] the father of the [[John the Baptist|Forerunner]] (The ''[[Canticle of Zachary|Benedictus]]'', Luke 1:68-79)

Collections of irmoi for various occasions are found in the ''[[Irmologion]]'', one of the standard service books of the Orthodox Church. Irmoi and troparia for the canons are also found in the ''[[Menaion]]'' and the ''[[Octoechos]]'', and in the seasonal service books the ''[[Triodion]]'' and the ''[[Pentecostarion]]''.

==References==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Canon_%28hymnography%29&oldid=41087012 Original article found in Wikipedia]

==External links==
*[http://www.monachos.net/monasticism/andrew_of_crete/great_canon.shtml The Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete]
*[http://www.anastasis.org.uk/PentCan02noted.pdf The Iambic Canon of Pentecost] with notes, an example of a canon giving both original meter and acrostic.

[[Category:Liturgics]]

OrthodoxWiki:Questions

2006-04-27T19:06:46Z

Silentchapel: /* Deleting Articles? */

This '''Questions''' page is the place to post and answer general questions regarding the work here on '''OrthodoxWiki'''. We hope we can help! For general reference/research questions. please see [[OrthodoxWiki:Reference desk]]

==Skin change==
I don't know about y'all, but I liked the default skin ''without'' the boxes rounded off at the corners. Any chance that could be an option for the default skin? —[[User:ASDamick|{{User:ASDamick/sig}}]] 12:57, 10 Sep 2005 (EDT)

:Sure, I could put it in as an option, just for you :-). Give me a little time on this though! [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]]

==Spoken Word==
I just ran across [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Spoken_Wikipedia Wikipedia's Spoken Word Project]. Might there be podcasting in our future??? What do you think? [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]]

==What to do?==
Someone (Fr John?) contacted me at Wikipedia and asked me to help out here, but I'm not sure where to start. I've worked on Wikipedia for several years off and one, and it's easy to find things there that need help, but the quality of work I'm seeing here looks much higher, at least at a glance. Is there a ToDo list somewhere, or anything of that sort? [[User:Theophan|Theophan]] 22:20, 26 Feb 2005 (CST)

::Hi Theophan, I'm sorry for the delay in finding this message, but I'm glad to see that others took up the ball on this one. [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]]

==Timestamp==
Is there a reason that all the timestamps show as CST, even though preferences are set to another time zone? - [[User:Magda|magda]] 10:14, 18 Mar 2005 (CST)

::Hmm... Server time is set to CST, as well as the wiki default (since I'm in Chicago). Maybe to keep all the timestamps in order, they go for the default instead of you local preferences??? [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]] 14:29, 18 Mar 2005 (CST)

==Diptych==
I was reading an [http://www.mpa.gr/article.html?doc_id=528950 article] about the recent synod in Turkey, and came across the word ''diptych''. I asked my husband about it and he said this usage refers to the commemoration of the Patriarchs, who usually co-commemorate each other (as each local church commemorates the bishop, metropolitan, patriarch, etc.). Any idea why this is called a ''diptych''? --[[User:Magda|magda]] 11:53, 25 May 2005 (CDT)

:Hi magda, the [[wikipedia:diptych|Wikipedia article]] says "A diptych is any object with two flat plates attached at a hinge. These objects were quite popular in the ancient world, since they could record notes and measure time and direction." I assume this was just the commonest medium upon which the names of those commemorated were written.

:As a side note, this page seems to be for OrthodoxWiki related questions. Maybe we should move it to a general Orthodoxy q and A page, kind of like Google Answers? Any more ideas on how to best structure this? [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]]

==Troparia and other prayers for Saints' entries?==
Given that this Wiki is unabashedly Orthodox, would it be acceptable to try to have appropriate liturgical prayers in each Saint's entry?
:Oops, that was from me [[User:Dogface|Dogface]] 23:02, December 4, 2005 (CST)

: Certainly! We wouldn't want to put the whole akolouthia in, though, just perhaps the [[troparion]] and [[kontakion]], along with a brief excerpt from some other major text from the feast. {{User:ASDamick/sig}} 06:30, December 5, 2005 (CST)

::The more the better, as far as I'm concerned -- maybe the Troparion and Kontakion in the entry, as Dcn. Andrew suggested, and then more extensive texts links. We'll just need to make sure we have permission to post whatever texts we do post -- that's very important. Thanks, {{User:FrJohn/sig}}

==Calendar of Saints==
I made a couple of entries on Saints, however I don't know how to put links to the articles in the calendar. How should I do this? - [[user:Silentchapel|Silentchapel]]
:[[OrthodoxWiki:Style Manual (Church Calendar)]] says to just edit the template for the date. So for [[February 18]] edit [[Template:February 18]]. Hope this helps. - [[User:Andrew|Andrew]] 15:26, April 26, 2006 (CDT)
[[Category:OrthodoxWiki]]
[[Category:Help]]

=="You have new messages" flag==

The new messages flag keeps displaying even after I've read the new message on my talk page. It keeps displaying even after I've logged out and logged back in. And it keeps displaying even when I log in later on on my other computer. Normally, the message flag should go off once the new message has been retrieved for the first time. That's certainly how it happens on other sites that use the same wikisoftware, e.g., Wikipedia. --[[User:Aquarius Rising|Aquarius Rising]] 17:49, April 26, 2006 (CDT)

::Not sure what's happening here. I haven't seen problems like this before. Have you clicked the "View new messages" link directly yet? Have you tried to refresh your browser? Not sure what else to say! [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]] 22:38, April 26, 2006 (CDT)

==Deleting Articles?==
Um, is there any way I can delete an article? I missnamed a couple, so their deletation would be appreciated. [[User:Silentchapel|Silentchapel]]

::Hi Silentchapel,
::You can ask any [[Special:Listusers&group=sysop|sysop]] for help, and let them know the title of the page. Please be aware that some check in more often than others. You can also (as you discovered!) just leave a note on this page too. Thanks, {{User:FrJohn/sig}}

:::Thanks Father! Well, the articles that should be deleted are [[Prophet Habbakuk]] (real article is [[Habbakuk]]) and [[Cosmas of Jerusalem]] (real article is [[Cosmas the Hymnographer]]). Sorry for causing all the trouble, it is just so fun to improve wiki. :->

Prayer of the Three Holy Children

2006-04-27T18:42:03Z

Silentchapel:

The '''Prayer of [[Azariah]] and the Prayer of the Three Holy Children,''' omitted from [[Protestantism|Protestant]] [[Bible]]s as an [[apocrypha]]l addition, is a lengthy passage ''[[Book of Daniel|Daniel]]'' 3, that would come between verses 23 and 24 in Protestant Bibles. This addition contains the prayer of Azariah (Abednego in Babylonian; see Daniel 1:6-7) while the three youths were in the fiery furnace, a brief account of the [[angel]] who met them in the furnace, and the hymn of praise they sang when they realized they were delivered.

These sections are retained in the [[Septuagint]] and in the [[Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]] and [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] Biblical canon; the "Song of the Three Holy Youths" is part of the hymn called a [[canon]] sung during the [[Matins]] and other services in Orthodoxy; and it can be found in the [[Church of England]] Book of Common Prayer as the canticle ''Benedicite omnia Opera''.

==Text==
:Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers: thy name is worthy to be praised and glorified for evermore:
:For thou art righteous in all the things that thou hast done to us: yea, true are all thy works, thy ways are right, and all thy judgments truth.
:In all the things that thou hast brought upon us, and upon the holy city of our fathers, even Jerusalem, thou hast executed true judgment: for according to truth and judgment didst thou bring all these things upon us because of our sins.
:For we have sinned and committed iniquity, departing from thee. In all things have we trespassed, and not obeyed thy commandments, nor kept them, neither done as thou hast commanded us, that it might go well with us.
:Wherefore all that thou hast brought upon us, and every thing that thou hast done to us, thou hast done in true judgment.
:And thou didst deliver us into the hands of lawless enemies, most hateful forsakers of God, and to an unjust king, and the most wicked in all the world.
:And now we cannot open our mouths, we are become a shame and reproach to thy servants; and to them that worship thee.
:Yet deliver us not up wholly, for thy name's sake, neither disannul thou thy covenant:
:And cause not thy mercy to depart from us, for thy beloved Abraham's sake, for thy servant Issac's sake, and for thy holy Israel's sake;
:To whom thou hast spoken and promised, that thou wouldest multiply their seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that lieth upon the seashore.
:For we, O Lord, are become less than any nation, and be kept under this day in all the world because of our sins.
:Neither is there at this time prince, or prophet, or leader, or burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, or place to sacrifice before thee, and to find mercy.
:Nevertheless in a contrite heart and an humble spirit let us be accepted.
:Like as in the burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, and like as in ten thousands of fat lambs: so let our sacrifice be in thy sight this day, and grant that we may wholly go after thee: for they shall not be confounded that put their trust in thee.
:And now we follow thee with all our heart, we fear thee, and seek thy face.
:Put us not to shame: but deal with us after thy lovingkindness, and according to the multitude of thy mercies.
:Deliver us also according to thy marvellous works, and give glory to thy name, O Lord: and let all them that do thy servants hurt be ashamed;
:And let them be confounded in all their power and might, and let their strength be broken;
:And let them know that thou art God, the only God, and glorious over the whole world.
:And the king's servants, that put them in, ceased not to make the oven hot with rosin, pitch, tow, and small wood;
:So that the flame streamed forth above the furnace forty and nine cubits.
:And it passed through, and burned those Chaldeans it found about the furnace.
:But the angel of the Lord came down into the oven together with Azarias and his fellows, and smote the flame of the fire out of the oven;
:And made the midst of the furnace as it had been a moist whistling wind, so that the fire touched them not at all, neither hurt nor troubled them.
:Then the three, as out of one mouth, praised, glorified, and blessed, God in the furnace, saying,
:Blessed art thou, O Lord God of our fathers: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever.
:And blessed is thy glorious and holy name: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever.
:Blessed art thou in the temple of thine holy glory: and to be praised and glorified above all for ever.
:Blessed art thou that beholdest the depths, and sittest upon the cherubims: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever.
:Blessed art thou on the glorious throne of thy kingdom: and to be praised and glorified above all for ever.
:Blessed art thou in the firmament of heaven: and above ail to be praised and glorified for ever.
:O all ye works of the Lord, bless ye the Lord : praise and exalt him above all for ever,
:O ye heavens, bless ye the Lord : praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O ye angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O all ye waters that be above the heaven, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O all ye powers of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O ye sun and moon, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O ye stars of heaven, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O every shower and dew, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O all ye winds, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever,
:O ye fire and heat, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O ye winter and summer, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O ye dews and storms of snow, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O ye nights and days, bless ye the Lord: bless and exalt him above all for ever.
:O ye light and darkness, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O ye ice and cold, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O ye frost and snow, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O ye lightnings and clouds, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O let the earth bless the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O ye mountains and little hills, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O all ye things that grow in the earth, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O ye mountains, bless ye the Lord: Praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O ye seas and rivers, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O ye whales, and all that move in the waters, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O all ye fowls of the air, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O all ye beasts and cattle, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O ye children of men, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O Israel, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O ye priests of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O ye servants of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O ye spirits and souls of the righteous, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O ye holy and humble men of heart, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever.
:O Ananias, Azarias, and Misael, bless ye the Lord: praise and exalt him above all for ever: far he hath delivered us from hell, and saved us from the hand of death, and delivered us out of the midst of the furnace and burning flame: even out of the midst of the fire hath he delivered us.
:O give thanks unto the Lord, because he is gracious: for his mercy endureth for ever.
:O all ye that worship the Lord, bless the God of gods, praise him, and give him thanks: for his mercy endureth for ever.

==Sources==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Prayer_of_Azariah_and_Song_of_the_Three_Holy_Children&oldid=46620557 en.wikipedia.org - The originl article.]
*[http://st-takla.org/pub_Deuterocanon/Deuterocanon-Apocrypha_El-Asfar_El-Kanoneya_El-Tanya__7-Daniel.html st-takla.org - Deutrocanonical chapters of Book of Daniel]

[[Category: Liturgics]]