Homily on the Name 'Cemetery' and on the Cross of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ (St. John Chrysostom)

The discourse "On the Name 'Cemetery' and on the Cross of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ" is believed to have been delivered by Saint John Chrysostom on Great Friday in 392.

Though this homily is most suitable for Great Friday, in the Russian Church it is traditionally read during the services for the Tuesday of Saint Thomas, since on this day Radonitsa is celebrated, where families gather in cemeteries to commemorate their departed after Bright Week in the joy of the Resurrection of Christ. In this particular homily, Chrysostom explains why the place where we bury our loved ones who have reposed is called a cemetery, a place of sleep or repose (koimêtêrion in Greek), and not as it was formerly, a necropolis, that is, a city of the dead, or a graveyard.

Homily on the Name 'Cemetery' and on the Cross of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ

By St. John Chrysostom

1. Often I have pondered within myself why our fathers, having made the rounds of the houses of prayer in the cities, established that today they should gather outside the city, and here (perform divine services); for it seems to me that they did it not in vain, and not without reason. I sought the reason, and by the grace of God, I found a justification that is fair, well-founded, and fitting for the present feast. What is this reason? We commemorate the cross; and the One crucified on the cross was crucified outside the city: hence, we are brought outside the city. It is said in Scripture, "The sheep follow the shepherd;" where the king is, there are the soldiers, and where the corpse is, there the eagles will be gathered. Therefore, we gather outside the city – but let us first demonstrate from Sacred Scripture that this is indeed the case. So that you do not think this is merely our conjecture, I will call upon Paul as a witness. What does he say about sacrifices? "For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin are burned outside the camp" (Hebrews 13:11). Thus, Jesus also suffered outside the gate to sanctify the people by His own blood. Let us then go to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. This is what Paul said; we have obeyed and have gone out. Therefore, we gather outside (the city) for this reason. But why specifically in this temple of martyrs, rather than in any other? By God's grace, our city is surrounded on all sides by the relics of the saints. Why is it here specifically, and not in another temple of martyrs, that the fathers commanded us to gather? Because here rests a multitude of the deceased. Since today Jesus descended to the dead, we gather here. Therefore, this very place is called a cemetery (κοιμητηριον), so that you may know that those who have passed away and lie here did not die, but rest and sleep. Before the coming of Christ, death was called death. "In the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die" (Gen. 2:17); and again: "The soul that sins shall die" (Ezek. 18:20). And David says: "The death of the wicked is dreadful" (Ps. 33:22); and further: "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints" (Ps. 115:6). Job also states: "Death is rest to such a man" (Job 3:23). And it was not only called death, but also hades. Listen to David, who says: "But God will redeem my soul from the power of hades, when He receives me" (Ps. 48:16); and Jacob: "You will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to hades" (Gen. 42:38). Such names were given to our end before; but when Christ came and died for the life of the world, death is no longer called death, but rather sleep and repose. And that it is indeed called sleep is evident from what Christ said: "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep" (John 11:11). He did not say "he has died," although he was already dead. And to let you know that this term for death as "sleep" was not common, observe how the disciples, upon hearing this, were perplexed and said: "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will get well" (John 11:12); thus they still did not understand what these words meant. Likewise, Paul speaks to some: "Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished" (1 Cor. 15:18)? And in another place, he speaks of the deceased: "For we who are alive... will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep" (1 Thess. 4:15); and in yet another place: "Awake, O sleeper" (Eph. 5:14); and to show that he speaks about the dead, he adds: "and arise from the dead." Do you see how everywhere death is referred to as sleep; therefore this place is also called a cemetery, as this very designation is beneficial for us and filled with great wisdom. Therefore, when you accompany the deceased here, do not mourn, for you are not escorting them to death, but to sleep. This title is sufficient for you to find solace in misfortune. Know, therefore, where you are leading them – to the tomb; and when you accompany them – after the death of Christ, when the bonds of death have already been broken. Thus, from both place and time, you can receive great comfort. Our words, in particular, pertain to women, as this gender is predominantly sensitive and prone to melancholy. You have ample remedy against sorrow – the name of the place. This is why we gather here.

Holy Martyr Vasilije the Baker of Peć (17th cent.)

St. Vasilije of Peć (Feast Day - April 29)

In the 17th century, when Serbia was under Turkish occupation, in the town of Peć, located near the Peć Patriarchate, there lived a pious Christian by the name of Vasilije, who was a baker by profession. He married at a young age and by the time he was 35 years old he already had grown children.

One day, inflamed by carnal passion, a local Turk kidnapped one of his daughters who had just reached the age of marriage. Vasilije, afraid that the Turk would force her into marriage and become a Muslim, went in pursuit of the kidnapper, and when he encountered him, other Turks came to the kidnapper's aid so that Vasilije was outnumbered and severely beaten. When given the option of converting to Islam or losing his life, Vasilije chose to die as an Orthodox Christian. The furious Turks therefore hacked him with a scimitar and left him to die on the street bleeding. This massacre took place on the outskirts of Peć in the direction of the village of Dečani. The Holy Martyr, near death, was able to crawl to the nearby village of Ćuška, but there his life came to an end.

Venerable Nektary of Optina (+ 1928)

Venerable Nektary of Optina (Feast Day - April 29)

The last Optina elder elected by the Brotherhood was Venerable Nektary, a disciple of the skete's abbot Venerable Anatoly (Zertsalov) and Venerable Ambrose. He bore the cross of the service of eldership during the years of severe trials for the Russian Orthodox Church and for all of Russia. Elder Nektary spent fifty years in the Optina Hermitage, twenty of which were in seclusion. He ascended the spiritual ladder from seclusion to public service and was a worthy successor to the Optina elders. Endowed by God with the great gift of prophecy and foresight, he saw the coming troubles and sorrows of the people long before the revolution and civil war. Elder Nektary prayed for all of Russia, consoled people, and strengthened their faith. During the years of severe temptations, Venerable Nektary took upon himself the burden of human sins. He shared the fate of many of his believing compatriots: he was persecuted, exiled, and died in exile. Less is known about his life's journey - in connection with the persecution of the Church, the persecution of monasticism - than about his illustrious predecessors.

April: Day 29: Holy Apostles Jason and Sosipater With Their Companions

April: Day 29:*
Holy Apostles Jason and Sosipater With Their Companions
 
(On What the Holy Apostles Did To Spread the Christian Faith and What We Must Do To Spread It)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Apostles of the Seventy, Jason and Sosipater, whose memory is celebrated today, disciples and relatives of the Holy Apostle Paul, preached the gospel together in various countries. On the island of Corcyra (Kerkyra) they were imprisoned for this and here “they converted seven thieves to Christ,” who accepted a martyr’s death for the faith: they died in a cauldron with melted resin, sulfur and wax. The prison guard, converted to Christ by the Apostles, was also put to death by beheading. The Apostles Jason and Sosipater themselves were subjected to torture in the eyes of all the people and then thrown back into prison. The daughter of the ruler of Corcyra looked on their sufferings from a window and was so amazed by the patience of the martyrs that she confessed herself a Christian. For this she too was imprisoned and then, hanged on a tree, accepted death for Christ, being suffocated by smoke and struck by arrows.

Homily Four for the Sunday of Saint Thomas (St. John of Kronstadt)

Homily Four for the Sunday of Saint Thomas

By St. John of Kronstadt

“And Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’” (John 20:28)

So resolutely did Thomas believe in the Resurrection of the Lord from the dead, when he felt the wounds on His hands and the wound in His most pure side: "You are my Lord and my God!" that is:

You have conquered by the power of Your Divinity the universal death of fallen Adam and granted resurrection to the entire human race;

You are the conqueror of hades;

You have opened again the gates of paradise to the fallen and You restored the human race.

Homily Three for the Sunday of Saint Thomas (St. John of Kronstadt)

Homily Three for the Sunday of Saint Thomas

By St. John of Kronstadt

“Then the other disciples said to him (Thomas), ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in His hand, and put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe’” (John 20:25).

Beloved! The Holy Apostle Thomas, by his unbelief and the sincere faith that followed in the Risen Lord, teaches the weak-believers and all unbelievers sincere faith in Jesus Christ. He especially teaches faith to people who are Christians of our time, who are very, very cautious in faith and are very afraid that they might not believe what they think may not really be, and they do not believe much that really is.

All such people are well taught by the example of the Holy Apostle Thomas. The Lord intentionally allowed him to doubt so much about His resurrection from the dead precisely because He, as God, saw in the future a multitude of unbelievers who needed to be convinced of His Divinity by the example of a man similar to them in unbelief: and such a man is Saint Thomas. He did not believe that Jesus Christ, as God, was resurrected by the power of His Divinity, although all ten Apostles unanimously said to him: "We have seen the Lord," and he promises to believe this only when he sees on Him the wounds from the nails, when he puts his hand into the wounds of the nails and into His side.

April: Day 28: Teaching 1: Saint Cyril, Bishop of Turov

 

April: Day 28:
Saint Cyril, Bishop of Turov
 
(Every Christian is Obliged to Contribute to the Spread and Strengthening of the Christian Faith)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The glorious hierarch of the Russian Church, Saint Cyril, whose memory is today, was born and raised in the city of Turov (now a poor town in the Minsk province, on the river Pripet). Having zealously devoted himself to book learning and having become well versed in the divine writings, Saint Cyril decided to leave the home of his parents and the vain pleasures of the world. In the Borisoglebsky Monastery in Turov he took monastic vows and soon surpassed everyone there in monastic feats. Not content with the usual feats of fasting and prayer, he, following the example of the Eastern ascetics, ascended a pillar. This first pillar dweller of the Russian land spent several years in seclusion, mortifying his flesh more than before with fasting and prayer. But saving his soul, he did not refuse spiritual healing and help to those who were attracted to him in great numbers by the glory of his feats and spiritual wisdom. Giving advice and instructions orally, he also wrote many pious works on the column. And it was not surprising that the prince and the inhabitants of Turov, after the death of the Bishop of Turov, began to ask their great ascetic to be their Bishop. Ready to serve for the benefit of his neighbors, Cyril agreed to their persuasive request and was appointed Bishop of Turov, around 1169. In the rank of Bishop, he zealously taught his flock in the church, and these teachings glorified him so much even in the distant countries of the Russian land that Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky wanted to read them and, receiving them, read them with reverence. But vigorous in spirit, Saint​ Cyril was weakened in body from extraordinary ascetic exploits; moreover, his soul was drawn to monastic solitude, and the Saint left the episcopal see, and spent the last days of his life in deep solitude. For his great Christian virtues, the Church canonized him.

Homily on the Sunday of Thomas (Righteous Alexei Mechev)

Homily on the Sunday of Thomas*

By Righteous Alexei Mechev

After completing the Forty Days of Great Lent, we have entered a new Forty Days, yet of a completely different nature. There, we mourned our sins, confessed our weaknesses, humbled ourselves through fasting and abstinence – we were in every respect as guilty ones seeking mercy and forgiveness of sins.

The new Forty Days, beginning with the glorious Resurrection of Jesus Christ, has placed us in a new and radiant state as Christians, liberated from condemnation, resurrected for a new holy life, confident in the eternal blessedness of the immortality bestowed upon us.

There we saw an example for ourselves in our Lord, how He, entering into the work of saving humankind, spent forty days in the strictest fasting, in solitary prayer, and in struggle against the unseen enemy.

Homily Two for the Sunday of Saint Thomas (St. John of Kronstadt)

Homily Two for the Sunday of Saint Thomas

By St. John of Kronstadt

Behold, the feast of feasts has passed for us, the royal gates in the temples of the Lord are closed, and the service has become less solemn than it was during Bright Week. What, then, brethren, has this feast left in our souls? After all, Christian feasts do not pass before us in their turn in order to leave our souls idle, but in order to abolish, to free us from the cares and affairs of worldly vanity. In other words: the Lord gives us feasts so that for a time we stop thinking, worrying, rejoicing or grieving about worldly, earthly, transient things, and to think, care, rejoice about heavenly, eternal things. It was precisely for this purpose that the past feast was given to us.

The Lord has granted us to behold the all-bright feast of the Resurrection of Christ so that we might see in it the beginning of the general resurrection of the whole human race on the last day of the world: "Christ is risen from the dead, He has become the firstfruits of them that slept" (1 Cor. 15:20), says the word of God. For us, the Lord suffered, died, was buried, and rose again: and His death, burial, and resurrection are, as it were, our own death, burial, and resurrection. That is why we sang at Matins during Bright Week: "Yesterday I was buried with You, O Christ, today I rise with You, having risen again." Yes, we will certainly all rise again, and we all look forward to it, that is, we await the resurrection of the dead. This is as certain as it is certain that tomorrow will be a day. Has this ever occurred to you, have you thought about it during the feast? But it was absolutely necessary to think about it. All the great ecclesiastical feasts, and the feast of Easter especially, remind us of our redemption through Jesus Christ from eternal death and of our resurrection for the life of the age to come.

April: Day 27: Teaching 1: Holy Hieromartyr Symeon, the Lord’s Brother in the Flesh

 

April: Day 27: Teaching 1:
Holy Hieromartyr Symeon, the Lord’s Brother in the Flesh
 
(What Does It Mean To Believe In Jesus Christ?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. After the martyrdom of James, the first Bishop of Jerusalem, Symeon, whose memory is celebrated today, was chosen as the second Bishop of Jerusalem. He was the son of Cleopas, one of the two disciples whom the Lord met after the Resurrection walking to Emmaus; and Cleopas was the brother of Saint Joseph, the betrothed of the Most Holy Theotokos; therefore Symeon is considered a relative of the Savior. The previous life of Symeon is unknown to us. After the ascension of the Savior, he was numbered among the Seventy Apostles, preached the gospel in Judea and saw the death of James. Then he governed the Church of Jerusalem for forty years. During the destruction of Jerusalem, in the reign of Titus, Symeon withdrew with other Christians to the city of Pella, in the vicinity of Jerusalem; then he returned again to Jerusalem and continued to govern the Church until the persecutions began under Emperor Trajan. The Romans especially persecuted Symeon, as one of the descendants of King David. They were afraid that the Jews who belonged to the royal family would dare to resist Caesar and restore their kingdom.

An Image of the Importance of the Kollyvades Movement from an 18th Century French Travelogue Entry

In 1776, a French nobleman, traveler and diplomat known as Count Choiseul-Gouffier (1752-1817) had the following encounter with a Greek Orthodox monk on the Greek island of Patmos, which he recorded (below) and depicted (above) in his travelogue titled Voyage pittoresque de la Grèce, published in Venice in 1782. He encountered this monk on his way to the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian:

As soon as my ship had anchored, I hastened to dismount to go to the Convent. I was far from foreseeing the encounter, which would excite, the moment after, my interest and my curiosity. I was going towards the mountain, when I saw a Caloyer who was coming down from it, and who, advancing towards me with haste, asked me in Italian, what country I was from, where I came from, what had happened in Europe for seven years since no ship had since landed on these rocks. In barely French he said to me: "Tell me," he cried, "is Voltaire still alive?"

Homily on Bright Saturday, Before the Distribution of Artos (St. Innocent of Kherson)

Homily on Bright Saturday, Before the Distribution of Artos
 
By Saint Innocent, Archbishop of Kherson and Tauride

Christ is Risen!

Having nourished us abundantly during the present week with the immaterial bread of the word of God and sweet hymns, the Holy Church, out of condescension to our weakness, has gathered us now for the breaking of material bread for us. But just as the world is accustomed to degrade the most spiritual things to flesh and blood, so the Church elevates the most sensual to the spirit. It is not in vain that images of sacred objects are seen on the broken bread: this indicates to the most short-sighted in spiritual understanding its spiritual significance and importance.

Why is it broken now? The breaking of the holy bread, according to the clear indication of the Church itself in the prayer read at its consecration, is now performed in memory of the Resurrection of Christ. Why the concept of bread was connected with the memory of the Resurrection, when at the Resurrection itself there was not and could not be any bread, there are many reasons for this. Firstly, the Old Testament Jewish Passover, instituted at the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, and which served as a transformation of our Passover, was connected with the seven-day eating of a special, sacred bread, called unleavened bread. It was necessary to remind Christians, in the midst of Passover, of this eating, which among the Israelites contained much that was instructive. Bread is now especially blessed in memory of the Resurrection of Christ because in the stories of the Evangelists we more than once see the Risen Lord either eating or blessing the eating. Thus, on the evening of that very day on which He arose, He breaks bread in Emmaus, and is recognized in this breaking by two of His disciples, who did not recognize Him during the entire journey with Him. On the evening of that same day, in Jerusalem, among His disciples, the Lord Himself deigns to eat fish and honey as proof that they see before them not a ghost, but their true Teacher, truly risen from the dead. Then in Galilee, by the Sea of Tiberias, the Risen Lord miraculously prepares a whole meal for His disciples, exhausted by the all-night vigil, vainly fishing for fish, and at this meal He three times amicably torments Peter's love with the question: "Do you love Me?"

The Seventh Day of Pascha: Teaching 11 (What is the Meaning of the Artos?)

Paschal Artos, between services during Bright Week, in front of opened Royal Doors.

 

The Seventh Day of Pascha:
Teaching 11

(What is the Meaning of the Artos?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Among the many significant sacred rites with which the bright and luminous celebration of the Resurrection of Christ is accompanied, we also see that on the first day of the Lord's Resurrection, specially prepared bread, called Artos in Greek, is placed in the churches, sanctified by prayer and sprinkling with holy water. During the entire solemn week, this sanctified bread remains in the midst of the assembly of believers in the church. Finally, at the end of the bright days of the feast, after a second blessing, it is broken and given to the believers.*

What does such an institution mean? This, brethren, is done in remembrance of many very important events from the last days of the Risen Lord's stay on earth - it is done so that the desired image of the Risen One would be imprinted more vividly and deeply in our souls and hearts, according to the apostolic commandment: "Remember the Lord Jesus Christ, who rose from the dead" (2 Tim. 2:8).

April: Day 26: Saint Stephen, Bishop of Perm

April: Day 26:
Saint Stephen, Bishop of Perm
 
(How Christians Can Participate in the Spread of the Christian Faith Among Pagans)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Stephen, the enlightener of the pagans in Perm, whose memory is celebrated today, lived in the second half of the 14th century. As a young clerk of the Ustyug Cathedral, by the grace of God he conceived the desire to devote his life to the enlightenment of the Zyryans, the wild sons of the northern forests. In the Rostov Theophany Monastery, under the guidance of Arseny, the Rostov bishop and former prince, he studied the dogmas of faith from Slavic books: “Desiring greater understanding,” says his biographer Epiphanius, “he also studied Greek literature.” The Zyryan language was familiar to him even in his homeland in Ustyug; and now he studied it in order to be able to translate ecclesiastical books into it. What needed to be translated for the first acquaintance of the Zyryans with the faith, Stephen translated from Slavic with the help of the Greek language. Having thus prepared himself for the title of preacher of the faith, he asked for a blessing for his work from the then overseer of the Moscow Metropolis, Gerasim, Bishop of Kolomna; and the Grand Duke secured him with his charter. With these aids he arrived at the mouth of the Vychegda River to the rude but simple-minded people, and began to preach the true God.

Homily on Bright Friday, When We Honor the Theotokos of the Life-Giving Spring (St. Innocent of Kherson)

Homily on Bright Friday, When We Honor the Theotokos of the Life-Giving Spring

 

By Saint Innocent, Archbishop of Kherson and Tauride

Christ is Risen!

This week, brethren, is in itself very abundant in streams of grace flowing from the tomb of Christ, therefore the Church invites us daily to a new delight, exclaiming: "Come, let us drink a new drink!" But behold, at the end of the bright days, when one should expect a decrease in the streams of grace, a new, life-giving source of mercy and generosity is revealed from the person of the Mother of the Risen Lord. Truly, amidst so many celebrations in honor of the Son, there ought to be a celebration in honor of His Mother, who, at Golgotha, just like the Son, had her own "sword" pass through her heart (Luke 2:35), as Symeon foresaw.  The triumph of the Son is all for our good, and the triumph of the Mother is all for us and our salvation. This feast is called the Life-Giving Spring because the Most Holy Virgin once gave to a spring near Constantinople the power to heal all kinds of illnesses and to pour out life and consolation for all who suffer.

The Sixth Day of Pascha: Teaching 10 (Approaching the Theotokos of the Life-Giving Spring)

 

The Sixth Day of Pascha:
Teaching 10

Commemoration of the Theotokos of the Life-Giving Spring

(With Which Prayers, When and How Should One Approach the Theotokos?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Today is the celebration in honor of the icon of the Life-Giving Spring. Let us set forth the history of the present feast of the Life-Giving Spring and draw from it lessons of edification that we can learn.

In the middle of the fifth century, in the environs of Constantinople, the capital of the Greek kingdom, there was a beautiful place, shaded by a grove of various trees and watered by a pure and bright spring; but with time it died out and the spring itself closed up. The Greek Emperor Leo the Macedonian, when he was still a simple private man, was walking one day in this place and met a man who was blind from birth. Being compassionate by nature, Leo gave his hand to the blind man and led him; but the blind man, being scorched by the strong heat of the sun, asked for a drink. In vain Leo, having seated the blind man in the shade, looked for water; there was none anywhere. But when he returned tired from his useless search to the blind man, he suddenly heard a wonderful voice from heaven: “Do not be sad, Leo! The water is near you.” Struck by this voice, Leo was confused and saw nothing around him. Then again the gentle voice was heard: “Leo, king! Enter this thick, shady grove, take the water you find there and give it to the thirsty man, and put the mud from the spring on his eyes. Who I am, the long-time inhabitant of this place, you will learn later, and with My help you will not hesitate to build a temple in My name on this place, in which those who come here and call upon My name with faith will receive the fulfillment of their petitions and complete healing from illnesses." The frightened Leo immediately hurried to the indicated place, and first, taking mud from the spring, applied it to the eyes of the blind man, then, taking water from the spring, gave it to the half-dead blind man, who was immediately refreshed. But as soon as he sprinkled water on his own eyes, he suddenly regained his sight and, no longer requiring a guide, went alone into the city, preaching the miracles of the Mother of God.

April: Day 25: Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark

April: Day 25:
Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark
 
(On Why the Path to Heaven is a Sorrowful Path)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Mark the Evangelist and one of the Seventy Apostles is celebrated today. He was a Jew by birth. Saint Peter in one of his epistles (1 Peter 5:3) calls Mark his son, from which we can conclude that Mark was Peter's disciple. He was with him in Rome, and there, twelve years after the Ascension of the Lord, he wrote his Gospel. The Holy Apostle Peter sent Mark to preach in different cities and countries.

Mark's last apostolic labor was in Alexandria, where he suffered a martyr's death. Not far from the seashore he built the first Christian church of that nation. The Egyptians, fearing the increase of Christians, decided to kill the Evangelist. They chose for this villainy the feast of the pagan god Serapis; on that very day, April 25, fell the Resurrection of Christ, and the day before Saint Mark had admonished the people not to participate in the sinful, pagan celebration. The pagans broke into the church during the service, led the Saint out and, tying a rope around his neck, dragged him through the city streets with shouts and blows. The Saint's blood stained the sharp stones of the pavement, but he did not cease to pray and repeat: "I thank You, my Savior, that You have granted me to endure suffering for Your sake." Towards evening the Holy Apostle was put in prison. At night an angel appeared to him and said that his name would be written in the Book of Life with the names of the other Apostles, and his memory would be preserved on earth. The Savior Himself then appeared to Saint Mark and said to him: "Peace be with you, my evangelist!"

April: Day 24: Teaching 2: Venerable Elizabeth the Wonderworker

April: Day 24: Teaching 2:
Venerable Elizabeth the Wonderworker
 
(Against Slander)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Venerable Elizabeth, whose memory is celebrated today, labored in a women's monastery in Constantinople. She was sent there by her parents in her youth, and in her mature years she took a vow of lifelong virginity and began to lead a strict ascetic life of fasting, labor, and prayer. She ate only plants, did not eat bread, did not use oil, and often did not eat food for forty days. In both winter and summer she wore only one garment - a coarse hair shirt; her body was frozen from the cold, but the fire of zeal for her salvation and love for God burned within her with a bright flame. The severity and loftiness of her ascetic life, mixed with humility and kindness, earned her universal love and respect, and she soon became the abbess of the women's Monastery of Saints Kosmas and Damian.

April: Day 24: Teaching 1: Holy Martyr Savvas the General and His Companions

 

April: Day 24: Teaching 1:
Holy Martyr Savvas the General and His Companions
 
(On the Reasons That Motivate Us To Love Our Neighbors)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Martyr Savvas, whose memory is celebrated today, was a Goth by birth, and was a Stratelates, or Military General, under the Roman Emperor Aurelian in the 3rd century. Having accepted the true faith and becoming a zealous servant of Christ, he "visited Christians imprisoned in prison, helped them with alms, and exhorted them to patience and steadfastness." Aurelian, having learned that Savvas was a Christian, summoned him to trial. Savvas boldly confessed his faith and, having removed the insignia of his military rank, threw them down and declared that he was ready to suffer for the name of Christ. He was subjected to terrible tortures: they beat him cruelly, scorched his wounds with fire, and lowered him into a cauldron of boiling resin. But the Lord guarded and protected His faithful servant. Strengthened by power from above, Savvas bravely endured the suffering and emerged unharmed from the boiling resin. Seeing this miracle, seventy soldiers believed and began to loudly confess Jesus Christ. By order of the emperor, they were executed and joyfully accepted death for their faith.

The Fifth Day of Pascha: Teaching 9 (The Origin and Meaning of the Custom of Giving Each Other Red Eggs on Pascha)

The Fifth Day of Pascha:
Teaching 9

(The Origin and Meaning of the Custom of Giving Each Other Red Eggs on Pascha)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. As you know, during the Paschal celebrations, Orthodox Christians use red eggs. During the days of Pascha, no meal is complete without these eggs, neither for the rich nor for the poor. We give each other these eggs with joyful greetings and kisses. And not only we, the Orthodox Russians, have this custom, but all Christians, throughout the Christian world. When did this custom appear among Christians and what is the significance of this custom?

II. It is known that, out of a feeling of heartfelt love, people who sympathize with each other are ready to share, in case of need, their last piece of bread; out of the same love, they are also glad at any time to share with each other, now this, now that, to express their mutual good feelings, especially in the event of some solemn events in the life of one or another of those close to their hearts. This is the beginning of our mutual gifts to each other on the days of our family holidays, on the occasion, for example, of births, name days, weddings, etc. On the day of one’s angel, or on the birthdays of children, parents usually bestow upon them various gifts; in turn, in such instances, children also strive, in some way, to express their love towards their parents. – It is still quite common for relatives and acquaintances to visit their loved ones during holidays with some kind of gift, most often with bread and salt. This custom must have existed among all peoples in ancient times; at least, such a custom existed in the East in deep antiquity, even in pre-Christian times. Among the Jews, as well as among pagans, it was customary in ancient times to approach important figures only with gifts: the wealthy would come bearing more valuable offerings, while the poor would bring, at the very least, some fruits or an egg. And in the Holy Gospel it is said that the Magi appeared to the newborn King of the Jews with gifts - gold, myrrh and frankincense. Following this custom, as the most ancient tradition says, Mary Magdalene, when she appeared with a sermon about Christ to the Roman Caesar Tiberius, presented him with a red egg as a gift. And due to the poverty of the zealous preacher of the Christian faith, and due to her Christian wisdom, this was the most suitable gift for Caesar. The red egg, according to the same tradition, gave the Equal to the Apostles Mary Magdalene the opportunity to clearly explain those holy truths that she had to proclaim to Caesar, namely, the truth of the Resurrection of Christ and our general resurrection. In one of the most ancient books, preserved by the Greeks, from whom, as is known, we received the Christian faith, and along with it the custom of eating red eggs on the days of Pascha, it is written that they had such a custom in the monasteries: “On the day of Pascha, the abbot, having read the prayer for the blessing of eggs and cheese, kisses the brethren and distributes the eggs to them, saying: 'Christ is risen!' Thus we received from the Holy Fathers, who preserved this custom from the very times of the Apostles, for the Holy Equal to the Apostles Mary Magdalene was the first to show believers an example of this joyful gift.”

Eldress Galaktia Remembers the Miraculous Appearance of Saint George During the German Occupation

 

Below Eldress Galaktia recalls the miraculous appearance of Saint George the Great Martyr to her during the German Occupation:

"During the German occupation, my father was a hostage of the Germans along with other select residents of Pompia.* They were not supposed to go far from the village and every Saturday at noon they would have to present themselves at the commandant’s office. It was where the police were, next to the old church of Saint George. That is where the large church is built today. When they were late returning, my mother would send me anxiously: 'Go, my child, and see from outside why they are late.' I would go and kneel at Saint George’s. With tears I would beg him for my beloved father and all the others. Once, a discreet touch on the head startled me. I raised my eyes and saw with astonishment a young soldier in ancient uniform. He smiled at me and said: 'Do not be afraid. Pompia and your father are in my hands.' Then he disappeared. It was Saint George! I never spoke of it. I speak of it now for his glory.”

The Cave of Saint George in Kainourgio of Fthiotida

Along the Athens-Lamia National Road, in the charming village of Kainourgio, located in Fthiotida of Central Greece, deep in the mountains, on a small expanse of land cleared of beech trees and weeds, is the Chapel of Saint George.

Behind the lower chapel, almost hidden from the eyes of the world, there is a serpentine path which begins towards the mountain, leading to the sacred cave where the "finding of Ai-Giorgis" took place, namely the finding of the icon of Saint George.

Until 1901, the year the Chapel of Saint George was built, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the small cave. Only the priest and the chanter could fit inside, while the faithful would listen gathered outside.

 

April: Day 23: Teaching 1: Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious

April: Day 23: Teaching 1:
Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious
 
(Lessons From His Life)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Today we celebrate in honor the memory of the Holy Glorious Great Martyr and George the Victorious. Who was Saint George? Why in the Eastern Orthodox Church, especially in Holy Rus', was the custom of specially honoring this Holy Great Martyr established?

He was a Roman warrior of the end of the 3rd century, beautiful in soul and body. He was rich and noble, belonging to the highest circle. His internal and external virtues, especially the extraordinary affection of the Roman Emperor Diocletian for him, quickly not only led him up all the steps of military and state honors of the first ranks, but also placed him outside the ranks - above all, since the Emperor Diocletian intended to make him his co-ruler, and in the event of his death, his successor.

The Fourth Day of Pascha: Teaching 8 (About the All-Illuminating Light With Which the Resurrection of Christ Illumines Us)

The Fourth Day of Pascha:
Teaching 8

(About the All-Illuminating Light With Which the Resurrection of Christ Illumines Us)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. With the Resurrection of Christ, both heaven and earth, as well as the underworld, have been filled with light.

a) The heavens themselves were illuminated with a new light; for the highest mystery of God's love was revealed to the holy angels, which did not spare His beloved and only-begotten Son for the salvation of fallen humanity - when the King and Lord of the cherubim and seraphim Himself became incarnate and became human for our salvation, accepted the most cruel sufferings and torments, the cross and death.

b) Even the underworld itself was filled with light when the Conqueror of death and hades appeared there with the light-bearing banner of the Resurrection, when the devil himself saw in Jesus the true Son of God, when all his captives were illuminated by the light of the coming of Christ, resounded with the preaching of the Kingdom of God from the lips of the King of this kingdom Himself, broke the captivity of darkness and error with which the devil had bound them, and emerged from hades as a triumphant host with a song of victory in the wake of their victorious Leader.

c) But the light of the Resurrection of Christ has shone, my brethren, especially on our earth and for us humans.

Homily on Holy Pascha - 1894 (St. John of Kronstadt)

Homily on the Most Joyful Day of Pascha and in Memory of the Birthday of His Majesty, the Most Pious Sovereign Emperor Alexander Nikolaevich, Autocrat of All Russia

By St. John of Kronstadt

(Delivered on April 29, 1894)

"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth" (Col. 3:1–2).

Christ is Risen!

The joy of the resurrection of Christ has today joined with the joy of commemorating the birthday of our Most Pious Sovereign, Emperor Alexander Nikolaevich. However, the cause of both joys is the same risen Christ: for it is the same Christ who has now risen from the dead and has made us all glad with His resurrection, who once granted us at this time our Tsar, so that we, the people of God, might walk piously and peacefully towards the Heavenly Kingdom under His rule along the path of God's commandments. We thank You, O Christ God, who has made us glad with the joy of Your resurrection and bestowed upon the Russian Orthodox state a Tsar after Your own heart.

The Third Day of Pascha: Teaching 7 (On the Meaning of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ)

The Third Day of Pascha:
Teaching 7

(On the Meaning of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

Christ is Risen!

I. “The Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ,” says Saint Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow, “serves as:

a) proof of the Divinity of Jesus Christ,

b) the beginning of our resurrection.

II. The confirmation of faith in the Resurrection of Christ is a matter of great importance for Christianity and for the Christian.

a) The main strength of Christianity is to recognize the Lord Jesus as the Savior of the world that has sinned against God and is condemned to death by God. And in order to recognize this powerful quality in Him with full hope, we need complete assurance that He is the only begotten Son of God and the true God, because it has been well said, although not by good people: "Who can forgive sins but God alone" (Luke 5:21)? Only the mercy of God the Son can provide worthy satisfaction to the offended majesty and justice of God the Father; only God can return life to those condemned to death by God.

April: Day 22: Teaching 1: Venerable Theodore the Sykeote

April: Day 22: Teaching 1:
Venerable Theodore the Sykeote
 
(On the Need and Benefit for Children of a Good Example from Parents and Elders in the Home of Relatives)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Today glorified in ecclesiastical hymns and readings, Venerable Theodore the Sykeote was born in the sixth century to pious parents. When he was six years old, his mother wanted to enroll him in the military and began to prepare military things for him: a gold belt and precious clothes. But in a dream, the Holy Great Martyr George appeared to her and said to her: "Do not labor in vain, because the Heavenly King requires your son for Himself." Waking up, the mother began to cry, thinking that her son would soon die. Meanwhile, the youth grew and became stronger. At the age of eight, he was sent to school, where he did well. Remarkably, he never quarreled with others, but always tried to reconcile those who quarreled.

Homily on Holy Pascha - 1902 (St. John of Kronstadt)

Homily on Holy Pascha

By St. John of Kronstadt

(Delivered on April 14, 1902)

Christ is Risen!

I greet you, dear brothers and sisters, on the bright feast of the Resurrection of Christ from the dead! Rejoice, and I will say again: rejoice.

For greater joy, let us listen to the Angel of the Lord, who appeared to the Myrrhbearing women at the tomb of the Savior in a form shining like lightning, and proclaimed to them the good news of the Resurrection of Christ. When they were trembling from his intensely shining appearance, he encouraged them and said: 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.' So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, 'Rejoice!' So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, 'Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me...'  Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age'” (Matthew 28:5–10, 16–20). Here is the end of the story of the Evangelist Matthew about the resurrection and appearance of the Lord.

The Second Day of Pascha: Teaching 6 (And We Will Rise Again!)

 

The Second Day of Pascha:
Teaching 6

(And We Will Rise Again!)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Jesus Christ is risen! We too will rise, my friends! Have you ever thought about these most joyful words, about this greatest action of God's omnipotence over us? We will rise... There will be a time when our bodies, these very mortal bodies, hidden in the graves, decayed into dust, turned into earth, by the action of the almighty Word of God, will again be transformed from the graves and again united with our souls, separated for a time, for eternal life... We were created for life! We want to live; and we will live in these same bodies of ours, only transformed; we will live forever, forever... What joy, what consolation in these words for us mortals! Why should we, after this, fear death? Why become despondent and despairing at the death of those dear to our hearts?

The Second Day of Pascha: Teaching 5 (How Should Pascha Be Celebrated?)

 

The Second Day of Pascha:
Teaching 5

(How Should Pascha Be Celebrated?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

Christ is Risen!

I. How should we best celebrate Pascha? We should celebrate Pascha in such a way that by this celebration we please the Risen Lord.

Celebrate it not with the old leaven, as the Apostle Paul teaches, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth: for Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us (1 Cor. 5:7, 8).

II. In giving advice on how Christians should celebrate their Pascha, the Apostle had in mind the Jewish Passover. The Lord commanded the Jews, during the celebration of their Passover, to beware of all leavened things (Exodus 12:15); and the Apostle advises Christians to observe unleavened bread. The Jew was careful of material leaven, but the Christian must be careful of spiritual leaven – malice and wickedness. The Jew ate unleavened bread during the Passover, which was only a symbol of purity, but the Christian must have the very purity of the spirit.

April: Day 21: Holy Hieromartyr Januarius the Bishop and Those With Him

April: Day 21:
Holy Hieromartyr Januarius the Bishop and Those With Him
 
(On Spiritual Blindness)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Januarius, who is celebrated today, was a Bishop in the Campanian region of Italy, and was tortured for the faith of Christ during the persecution under Diocletian. Among other things, they threw him into a red-hot furnace, but he came out of it unharmed. The next day they brought him out to be devoured by wild beasts along with other Christians. But even in this, Januarius and his companions remained untouched: the beasts fell meekly at the feet of the Bishop, to the general amazement of the crowd of people.

Timothy, the governor of Campania, who had given these Christians over to torture, was not, however, moved by such a miracle of God's preservation; in his spiritual blindness, he attributed this miracle to magic. And so, as if in punishment for his spiritual blindness, which came from insensibility, he at that time also became blind in his physical eyes. But this did not awaken in him either a clear thought or a healthy feeling. Then the Lord, who always seeks only the salvation of sinners, deigned to act upon him with mercy. He gave the good-natured martyr Januarius the power to heal his blind persecutor. But the joy of healing did not soften or touch the hardened heart of the pagan, while at that very time up to five thousand pagans, who had witnessed the miracles, were converted to faith in the true God. And yet, the more the grace of the Lord abounded, the more the ruler became angry and put to death all those enlightened by the truth. All the confessors, together with Bishop Januarius, were, by order of Timothy, taken outside the city and executed by the sword. Their holy remains were taken by the inhabitants of various places; the body of Saint Januarius was transferred to Naples, where to this day it pours out its miraculous help and protection.

Paschal Pastoral Encyclical 2025 (Metr. Hierotheos of Nafpaktos)

 

Paschal Pastoral Encyclical 2025

 
Beloved children in the Lord,

The Resurrection of Christ that we celebrate these days is a great event in both history and the life of the Church. We celebrate the event of the Resurrection by holding lighted candles with which we illuminate the darkness of the environment and chant the triumphant hymn: “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and to those in the tombs bestowing life.”

However, the Resurrection of Christ is not disconnected from His Cross, since both, the Cross and the Resurrection, are interrelated in the life of Christ and in the life of Christians. We see this most clearly in the Mystery of Baptism, by which we become members of the Body of Christ.

Moreover, the day of Pascha has been associated since ancient times with the Baptism of the Catechumens. The Catechumens were prepared for about three years, with catechism and exorcisms, and these were done more intensively during Great Lent, and then group baptisms were held on Great Saturday. Thus, the new members of the Church entered the church with lighted candles and all the faithful joyfully chanted: “All who have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ: Alleluia.” Baptism is a person’s participation in the Cross and Resurrection of Christ experientially and truly. It is not an external event, but rather a person’s participation in the Cross and Resurrection of Christ. It was preceded during the period of Catechism by the crucifixion of the catechumens’ passions and followed by the life in Christ, and this along with Baptism are characterized as Pascha. This is analyzed more thoroughly and theologically by the Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Romans, which is read as a reading during the Mystery of Baptism.

The First Day of Pascha: Teaching 4 (Explanation of the Origin of the Paschal Greeting)

The First Day of Pascha:
Teaching 4

A Homily for Vespers on the First Day of Pascha

(Explanation of the Origin of the Paschal Greeting)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

Christ is risen! – Truly He is risen!

I. Thus, brethren, briefly but joyfully do we greet one another today. We cannot think of a better greeting.

II. a) Do you wish, brethren, to know where our present joyful greeting comes from?

The custom of Christians to greet each other in this way, or simply to exchanging Christ's greetings, is an ancient custom, dating back to the Apostles.

The first half of the greeting: "Christ is risen!" appeared almost in the very first minutes after the resurrection of Christ, and was heard from the lips of an angel. The angel who appeared at the tomb of the risen Christ was the first to greet the Myrrhbearing women with the bright resurrection of Christ, the first, so to speak, to exchange the greeting of Christ with the Myrrhbearing women. The angel, turning his speech to the women, narrates the Evangelist Matthew (28:5, 6), said: "Do not be afraid; for I know that ye seek Jesus which was crucified. He is not here: he is risen." The angel of the Lord, having greeted the Holy Myrrhbearing women with the joy of the resurrection of Christ, commanded them to take this greeting immediately to the disciples of Christ: "Go quickly," he said to them, "tell his disciples that He (Christ) is risen from the dead" (Matt. 8:7). And the Holy Myrrhbearers, according to the story of the Evangelist Luke, returned from the tomb, announced all this to the eleven and to all the others. Thus this joyful news, this joyful greeting: "Christ is risen!" flew from mouth to mouth, carried through eighteen centuries, was heard in the most numerous nations of the globe and is now pronounced by our lips with the greatest joy.

The First Day of Pascha: Teaching 3 (On the Appearances of the Risen Lord to the Apostles on the Day of the Resurrection)

The First Day of Pascha:
Teaching 3

A Homily for Vespers on the First Day of Pascha

(On the Appearances of the Risen Lord to the Apostles on the Day of the Resurrection, with Moral and Dogmatic Conclusions)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. On the very day of the Resurrection, in the morning, the risen Lord appeared first to Mary Magdalene, then to the other Myrrhbearers. Around evening of the same day, two of Christ's disciples, Luke and Cleopas, went to the village of Emmaus, which is ten miles from Jerusalem. They walked very sadly. The unexpected death of Jesus Christ killed their hope for better days for the people of Israel. On the way, they talked among themselves about everything that had happened in those days. The main subject of their conversation was Jesus Christ. A Stranger came up to them and asked them: "What are you discussing among yourselves and why are you so sad?" The disciples of Christ were surprised by this question. "Are you really just coming to Jerusalem and do you not know about the things that have happened in these days?" they said to the Traveler who approached. "About what?" their companion asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and before all the people? How the chief priests and rulers delivered Him up to be condemned to death and crucified Him. But we did not expect this from Him, but trusted that it was He who was appointed to deliver us Israelites. And behold, this is the third day since all these things were done. And some women of our company astonished us. They were early in the morning at the tomb and did not find his body, and returned and said that they had seen angels saying that he was alive. And some of our company went to the tomb and found everything just as the women said, but He they did not see.” Then the Traveler who joined them said to them: "In vain do they hesitate: for the sufferings of Christ were foretold by the prophets, and therefore were to befall the Messiah. Ought not Christ to suffer these things and enter into his glory?" He said these things to them and as proof cited all the prophecies about the sufferings of the Messiah, beginning with Moses. The disciples were amazed. Meanwhile, in the conversation, they imperceptibly approached Emmaus. The Stranger pretended that He wanted to go further, but the disciples began to persuade Him to spend the night with them, since evening had come. The Traveler agreed. They entered the house and lay down at the table to strengthen themselves with food. The Traveler took bread, blessed it, broke it and gave it to them. How vividly all this reminded them of their dear Teacher! After all, He did exactly the same before eating. They began to peer into the features of the Stranger - and suddenly they saw Christ before them. But as soon as they recognized Him, He immediately became invisible and disappeared. "Did not our hearts burn within us, while He explained the scriptures to us on the way?" they said to each other and then late in the evening they returned to Jerusalem to the other Apostles and said that Christ was risen. "Truly He has risen," the Apostles told them, "and He appeared to Simon Peter." But how He appeared to Peter, there are no details about that appearance in the Gospel. Having appeared to him separately and before the others, the Lord, of course, uttered to him alone a complete forgiveness for his threefold rejection of the Lord.

The First Day of Pascha: Teaching 2 (Lessons of Edification from the Gospel Story of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ)

 

The First Day of Pascha:
Teaching 2

(Lessons of Edification from the Gospel Story of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Let us talk, beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, about the all-joyful event of the Resurrection of our Lord from the dead.

a) When did the Lord rise? According to the prophecies of the Prophets and the Lord Himself (Matt. 12:40), on the third day, not earlier than the first hours after midnight on the day after the Sabbath.

b) By what power did the Lord rise from the dead? By the glory of the Father (Rom. 6:4) and by His own power, as God (John 10:18).

c) How did the resurrection of the Lord take place and reveal itself? It took place in the deepest mystery, in a sealed tomb. Only a sudden, powerful shaking of the earth could have told one who knew how to understand the voice of nature that the Firstborn of the dead was coming from its heart. After this, an angel came down from heaven to announce to people the resurrection of the Lord. "His appearance was like lightning, his garment white as snow" (Matt. 28:3). “Having rolled away the stone from the tomb, he terrified and thereby removed the guards in order to open free access to the tomb for the Myrrhbearers and the Apostles” (Metropolitan Philaret.).

The First Day of Pascha: Teaching 1 (The Feast of Pascha is a Celebration of Spiritual Joy For All)

The First Day of Pascha:
Teaching 1

(The Feast of Pascha is a Celebration of Spiritual Joy For All)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

Christ is Risen!

I. According to the rubrics of our Church, we must, brethren, read to you the now well-known discourse of our Holy Father John Chrysostom, which we now intend to do. But since this discourse in the Slavonic translation and the brevity of the expression of the thoughts contained in it may not be entirely understandable to many, we consider it useful to offer it in Russian and, moreover, to explain somewhat the thoughts contained in it, for the greater edification of all. We ask for your attention.

Homily on the Burial of Jesus and the Courage of Joseph (Saint Chrysostomos of Smyrna)

The Burial of Jesus and the Courage of Joseph

By the Holy Hieromartyr Chrysostomos, Metropolitan of Smyrna

The death and burial of the Lord are very important events in Christianity; and they are so because they are the basis and foundation of the Resurrection of the Lord, which in turn is the basis and foundation of our entire Faith, for if Christ did not die, our faith is futile and vain (1 Corinthians 15:17).

The hopes of all Christians depend on the event of the Death and the event of the Resurrection of the Lord, both in the present and in eternity.

This is the rock on which Christianity, the foundation of the whole world, rests. The Resurrection and the events that took place on that beautiful morning and after it have been spoken of eloquently, and the discourse today deals with those fearful events that occurred at the burial, from which the reality of the Lord's death is believed, and this is placed above all discussion, truly causing astonishment in our fearful soul.

The Essential Message of the Holy Light of Jerusalem

In 2019 Metropolitan Timotheos of Bostra and Exarch of the Holy Sepulchre in Cyprus was asked by the Cypriot news agency REPORTER to comment on the reactions caused by a book titled “Redemption: About the Holy Light”, in which the author and journalist Dimitris Alikakos cites testimonies through which the theory of the miracle with the Holy Light is allegedly overturned. Among the testimonies is that of the Skeuophylax of the Holy Sepulchre Isidoros, who allegedly confesses that he himself lights the Holy Light with a lighter. Being a part of the Jerusalem Patriarchate, Metropolitan Timotheos offered his own testimony whether or not a hoax is involved. He not only questions the authenticity of the Skeuophylax’s interview, that is, whether what is mentioned in the book was correctly attributed to him, but he is quick to emphasize that miracles do happen and in this case the grace of God is indeed at work.

The following is the April 27th 2019 interview of the Exarch of the Holy Sepulchre with REPORTER:

Question: The Skeuophylax of the Holy Sepulchre claimed that the Holy Light is lit with a lighter. We want your comment?

What the Epitaphios Presents To Us (Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos)

Blessed and chosen and people of the Lord,

Today is a very important day for the Orthodox Church and, in fact, it is the transition between Great Thursday and Pascha Sunday, between the day on which Christ was crucified and died on the Cross and the day of the Resurrection, which we will celebrate the day after tomorrow and celebrate with “Christ is Risen.”

However, today is not simply a day of mourning, but it is also a day of joy, because the human nature of Christ died on the Cross, the soul of Christ was separated from the body, but the soul together with the Divinity descended into Hades and liberated all those who believed in Him; and the Divinity together with the body remained in the tomb and this body was incorruptible. This is what the Epitaphios presents to us when we come to meet the Epitaphios as we do, because the Kouvouklion is not a tomb that contains a dead person, but it contains the God-man Christ, the living Christ. It is very characteristic that, when the Myrrhbearing women went to the tomb to anoint the body of Christ with myrrh, then the angels said: “Why do you seek the living among the dead? For He has risen, He is not here” (Luke 24:5). We do not have a dead God. The “god” of metaphysics, of a certain philosophy in the West, indeed died, that is, the god who died is the god of metaphysics. Our God, on the other hand, is alive.

A First Look at the Holy Light (Holy Fire) of Jerusalem 2025

Today in Jerusalem the Holy Light, known in the West as Holy Fire, once again descended into the Tomb of Christ as Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem knelt in prayer within the Holy Sepulchre. This ceremony has taken place just about every year for hundreds of years on Holy Saturday, shortly after 2:30pm. With 33 candles in each hand he distributed the Holy Light to the many present. Following the Holy Light ceremony, the flame is taken by plane to other Orthodox communities in countries such as Greece, Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, Bulgaria, Georgia and Romania. In Greece the Holy Light is usually received with the welcome of a Head of State.

In pre-COVID years, over 10,000 pilgrims packed the Holy Sepulchre to be witnesses of this miracle. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the ceremony to be closed to the public for the first time since the Black Death in 1349, with only clerics, police, and media present. Last year, only 4200 people were allowed in the church, due to the escalation of the conflict in Gaza and the resulting logistical problems.