St. Nilus of Sora, my patron saint

St Geoffrey	Archangel Michael

If we live as people of God, there will be room for all nations in the Balkans and in the world. If we liken ourselves to Cain who killed his brother Abel, then the entire earth will be too small even for two people. The Lord Jesus Christ teaches us to be always children of God and love one another. We should remember the words of St. Paul: "If it be possible, as much as lies in you, live peaceably with all men."

Patriarch Pavle of the Serbian Orthodox Church

ORTHODOX PATRIARCH LEADS BY EXAMPLE

Destroyed and Desecrated Serbian Orthodox Churches in Kosovo and Metohija

Unless we know Christ personally we have not yet learnt what it means to be a Christian.

Metropolitan ANTHONY (Bloom)

For an in depth view of the Orthodox Christian view of peace visit the ORTHODOX PEACE FELLOWSHIP.

English Literature: The Awe Inspiring Art

SERMONS ON CONFESSION by METROPOLITAN ANTHONY

Blessed Olinka, Pray for us!

The following is a quote from Dostoevsky's great novel The Brothers Karamozov. The Startz Zossima is conversing about the proofs of God.

"One cannot prove anything here, but it is possible to be convinced."
"How? By what?"
"By the experience of active love. Try to love your neighbors actively and tirelessly. The more you succeed in loving, the more you'll be convinced at the existence of God and the immortality of your soul. And if you reach complete selflessness in the love of your neighbor, then undoubtedly you will believe, and no doubt will even be able to enter your soul. This has been tested. It is certain."

The Startz Zossima did more to bring me to the Holy Orthodox Church than anything else I had read. The vision of active love and the joy of that is what I had been seeking. As I began to know the Holy Orthodox Church, I realized that Dostoevsky indeed was a true preacher, because that is the vision of the Church as well. Dostoevsky's novels are a good introduction to the vision of Orthodoxy, its Spirit and feeling. So different from the West.

I will be talking more about this in the days to come. In the meantime a link to a fine Dostoevsky site is in order here. Dostoevsky

We run to thee O Ambrose, our Father as to a healing spring. For thou dost truly instruct us on the path of salvation, preserving us from misfortune and calamity by the prayers, consoling us in sorrows of body and soul, teaching above all by humility, patience and love. Pray to Christ, the Lover of mankind, and to our Fervent Intercessor that our souls may be saved.

The Story of the Onion

 

St Haralambos

Blessed Mother Maria of Ravensbruck

 

There are 3 pages on the web that are dedicated to Blessed Mother Maria of Ravensbrück. The ikon is courtesy of Raymond J. Mastroberte

The evil and hatred that caused Ravenbruck is still with us, as seen by what happened to a Swedish teenager.

John Hron

Given the recent scandals of sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church, this link is helpful.  The Orthodox Church is not immune from that kind of problem and it too needs airing out, in our Church.  Our prayer is that abuse where ever it occurs will be rooted out swiftly.

Protection of the Theotokos

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Fr. Tryphon and Fr.Paul are monks from Vashon Island Washington. Theirs is the only monastery I have ever been to. I was pleased that Fr. Paul emailed me, telling me about their web page. They have some of the best coffee I have ever drank.

 

Carolmana's Page has some very beautiful Native-American Art, Thanks for the Award of the Wolf-Song.

 

 

http://home.it.net.au/~jgrapsas/pages/sava.htm

To the Serbs, the grave of St. Sava was most sacred. During the time of Turkish dominance, the Serbs came from all sides to his grave, offering prayers to God, and seeking consolation in their suffering, and strength in their hope for liberation. Realising to what extent the Serbs revered their saint, the Turks disinterred the body of St. Sava from Mileshevo, taking it to BELGRADE at a place called VRACHAR, where on a pyre, his body was burned to ashes, in the year of 1594.

Holy Father Sava, we thy sinful servants ask

Lead us to give our hearts to God first,

Lead us to live for Chrisr rhe Lord first,

Lead us to seek His righteousness first,

Lead us to desire Orthodox truth first,

Lead us to remember the Saints first,

Lead us to cherish the Church first,

Lead us to love one another first,

Lead us to seek unity of all first;

Holy Father Sava, pray to God to save us.

TROPARION

O guide of Orthodoxy and blessed teacher of virtues,* purifier and enlightener of thy homeland,* beauty of monastics,* most wise

Father, Holy Sava,* by thy teaching thou didst enlighten thy people,* O flute of the Spirit, pray to Christ God for our souls.

KONTAKION

As the first great hierarch and co-worker with the Apostles,* the Church of thy people magnifies thee;* and since thou hast found

favor with Christ,* save us by thy prayers from every calamity,* so that we may proclaim to thee: Rejoice, God-wise Father Sava.

 

Mel Dyer a friend of mine offered me huge help when I first put this site up back in January of 1997, he has my thanks.

Mel Dyer KC7DCI

 

 

For a good place to talk about Orthodoxy online try

 

Nicholas' Forum

OrthodoxChristianity.net Community

 

 

 

Below are links to journeys from being an Evangelical to becoming Orthodox

Evangelical to Orthodox

If you visit an Orthodox Church a helpful read before you go is the link below. Orthodox Worship can be very different from what one is used to in any church of the west. I remember my first visit to St. Spiridon's Orthodox Cathedral in Seattle, I was afraid I was going to offend someone, because my friend and I had no idea what was going on. The service was all in Church Slavonic.

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