Travelling: leaving a blessing

‘He led them out as far as Bethany.’ We should understand that this occurred on the fortieth day after the Resurrection. You, O reader, should understnad that the events which the Evangelists describe in brief actually took place over many days. Luke himself says in the Book of Acts that Jesus was ’seen by them [...]

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Preparation For Confession

St. John of Kronstadt
A meditation for those preparing to stand before the Creator and Church community in the awesome Mystery of Holy Confession, thereby being given the renewal of a second baptism.

I, a sinful soul, confess to our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ, all of my evil acts which I [...]

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Why Are Vigil Lamps Lit Before Icons

by St. Nikolai Velimirovich
Living Water
First – because our faith is light. Christ said: I am the light of the world (John 8,12). The light of the vigil lamp reminds us of that light by which Christ illumines our souls.
Second – in order to remind us of the radiant character of the saint [...]

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The Purpose of the Pieties

“When the mind forgets the purpose of piety, then visible works of virtue become useless.” -  St. Mark the Ascetic

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Better to do nothing, than anything without Prayer.

Comment: Just as before work of any kind, it is always and ever the Orthodox praxis to pray before reading the scriptures, before reading anything, including and especially the Fathers, or hearing any kind of presentation or discussion. This is to avoid self-deception, the delusions into which listeners and speakers and readers are drawn, which [...]

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Short, Useful Prayers

More short prayers Orthodox Christians frequently use or find good for repetition, from our Holy Fathers:

“All shall be saved, and I alone shall be condemned.”
“It is my fault.”
“Lord, Thou knowest I am the least of all, but I am Thine, save me.”
“Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst come under my roof, but speak [...]

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Adoring the Cross

“Hail! life-giving Cross, unconquerable trophy of the true faith, door to Paradise, succour of the faithful, rampart set about the Church. Through thee the curse is utterly destroyed, the power of death is swallowed up, and we are raised from earth to heaven: invincible weapon, adversary of demons, glory of martyrs, true ornament of holy [...]

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The Best Known Celtic Prayer

Is Hebrew: “The LORD bless thee and keep thee. The LORD make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee. The LORD lift up the light of his countenance upon thee and grant thee peace” (Numbers 6).

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Remembering the Saints in All Things

Comment: Remembering the saints in everyday, mundane things is an old custom of all Orthodox worldwide, and is sometimes obscured today by the modern megachurch approach to piety. It is good to take a lesson from the Celts in this, who remind us of something older, and more universal – more catholic – than the [...]

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Pieties among the Celts

Comment: Celtic prayer consistently shows a recognition of God in all things, in the mundane, and likewise the practice of the pieties, the “taking of pains”, in little things to remember God. These days those ways are sometimes thought to be a merely Russian or Eastern or particular ethnic thing. Nothing could be farther from [...]

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