Icons and the Feast of Orthodoxy (Photios Kontoglou)

"Christ the Merciful" in egg tempera (1965) by Photios Kontoglou

Icons and the Feast of Orthodoxy 

By Photios Kontoglou

The Sunday before last was the first Sunday of Great Lent, on which the Church celebrates the Feast of Orthodoxy in remembrance of the Restoration of the Holy Icons. From the very first years of Christianity, Christians venerated the icons. But in time certain irreverent people appeared, the so-called heretics, who wished to give a new interpretation to many matters of religion, different from what the Apostles and the Holy Fathers had established. Thus there arose certain innovators who taught that Christians ought not to venerate the icons, because this was supposedly idolatry. These innovators were called Icon-fighters and Iconoclasts, and they caused great turmoil in the Byzantine state because they managed to win over many powerful figures of authority to their side.

The most demonic iconoclast was Theophilos, the son of Emperor Michael the Stammerer — he who, according to the well-known story, did not marry Kassiani but Theodora. During his reign many holy fathers were tortured and persecuted because they venerated the icons and taught the people to venerate them. After his death, Empress Theodora issued a decree that those who had been imprisoned and exiled for the veneration of the icons should be released. The iconoclast patriarch John was deposed, and Methodios — who had suffered greatly for the icons, even being shut up alive in a tomb — ascended the patriarchal throne.

Saint Nicholas Planas in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church

By Fr. George Dorbarakis

Saint Papa-Nicholas Planas is the confirmation of what the Apostle Paul says: “God chose the poor things of the world and the despised, in order to put to shame the strong.” He was thus an instrument of God, through whose simplicity the wisdom of God was richly poured out into the world. He possessed none of the remarkable natural gifts which, many times — if their possessor is not careful — can act as temptations and become an obstacle to the vision of God.

His absolute gift was his simplicity, which meant the manifestation of his humility, and therefore the presence of God’s grace within him. “God gives grace to the humble,” says the word of God, and this humility was possessed by the well-known and beloved Papa-Nicholas. In other words, standing before Saint Nicholas is like standing before God Himself and breathing His atmosphere. The whole course of his life was an astonishing transparency of heaven.

Holy Martyr Hesychios the Senator in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church

By Fr. George Dorbarakis

Saint Hesychios lived during the reign of Emperor Maximian (302) and was first in rank in the palace and in the council of the Senate. Because Maximian ordered that all Christians who were imperial soldiers, if they would not deny Christ, should be stripped of their belts (the sign of their royal dignity) and live as private persons and dishonored men, many Christians, on account of this unlawful decree, chose rather to live without any outward honor than to retain honor and lose their souls. One of these Christians was Saint Hesychios.

When the emperor learned of this, he gave orders that Hesychios too be stripped of his luxurious garments and clothed in a poor cloak without sleeves, woven of wool, and that he live among the women.

After this had been done, the emperor summoned Hesychios and asked him whether he was not ashamed that he had fallen from the honor of the magistracies into this dishonorable way of life, and whether he realized that none of the Christians would be able to restore him to his former honors and powers. The Saint replied that the present honor is temporary, whereas that of Christ is boundless and eternal. Enraged, the emperor ordered that a millstone be fastened around his neck and that he be thrown into the River Orontes (in Syria), in which the Saint received his blessed end.

March: Day 2: Teaching 1: Holy Hieromartyr Theodotos, Bishop of Kyrenia

 

March: Day 2: Teaching 1:
Holy Hieromartyr Theodotos, Bishop of Kyrenia

 
 (An Example of a Godly Life is the Best Sermon)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Theodotos, whose memory is celebrated today, preached the teaching of Christ (at the end of the third and the beginning of the fourth century) on the island of Cyprus, where he was appointed bishop in the city of Kyrenia. By his word and by the example of his own life he powerfully influenced the pagans and converted many of them to Christ.

When, under Licinius, a persecution of Christians broke out, the governor of the city ordered the Christian bishop to be brought to trial. Theodotos himself appeared before him and said:

“Here is the one whom you summon to judgment. I do not hide myself, but have come of my own accord to bear witness to the true God.”

In response to these words the governor ordered Theodotos to be subjected to the most cruel tortures. He was beaten with straps, torn with sharp iron instruments, and laid upon iron heated in the fire. Theodotos endured all these torments with wondrous patience and only prayed to God to strengthen him and all the persecuted Christians.

Prologue in Sermons: March 2

It is a Sin to Judge Others

March 2

(The Teaching of Saint Athanasios, Not to Condemn Everyone Who Sins.)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

We ought not to judge others, first, because the human heart is deep as the sea, and the inner dispositions of the heart are known to God alone; second, because in judging our neighbor we can almost always be mistaken; and finally, third, because over us all there is one true Judge — God — and we ourselves are not judges, but those under judgment.

Saint Athanasios says:*

“Let us reflect, brethren, on the Lord who says: 'Judge not, that you be not judged.' And again the Apostle teaches us, saying: 'Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.' And again: 'Take heed to yourself, lest you also be tempted.'

Many have sinned openly, but secretly repented, and received forgiveness and accepted the Holy Spirit. And many of those whom we consider sinners are righteous before God. We have seen their sins, but we do not know that they have repented.

Homily for the First Sunday of the Holy and Great Fast - The Sunday of Orthodoxy (St. Cleopa of Sihastria)

Homily for the First Sunday of the Holy and Great Fast 

(The Sunday of Orthodoxy)

On the Veneration of the Holy icons

By St. Cleopa of Sihastria

“And you shall make two cherubim of beaten gold, and you shall place them on the two ends of the mercy seat. There I will make Myself known to you, and I will speak with you from between the two cherubim.” (Exodus 25:18–22)

Beloved faithful,

Today the Orthodox Church of Christ celebrates a great apostolic and synodal institution — namely, the veneration of the holy icons. This was established by the decision of the Holy and Great Seventh Ecumenical Synod held at Nicaea in the year 787, in which participated three hundred sixty-seven Holy Fathers and one hundred thirty-six archimandrites and abbots of monasteries.

The Synod was presided over, on behalf of the Orthodox Church of the East, by Saint Tarasios, Patriarch of Constantinople. Representing the Western Church was Peter, Archbishop of Rome, accompanied by Peter, presbyter and abbot of the Monastery of Saint Savvas in Rome, as representatives of Pope Adrian.

All these Holy Fathers decreed the veneration of the Holy Icons and pronounced anathema upon all the heretical icon-fighters, from whom many saints suffered severe persecutions and death for nearly two centuries — from Leo the Isaurian, the first opponent of the holy icons, until Theophilos, the last.

After the death of Theophilos, through the zeal of Empress Theodora and the Holy Fathers, the true faith and the veneration of the Holy Icons were restored, just as they had existed in the time of the Savior and of the Holy Apostles. For Jesus Christ Himself, by a miracle not made by hands, imprinted the image of His face upon a cloth and sent it to Abgar, king of Edessa (Combatting Sects, Chișinău, 1929, pp. 510–532).

Venerable Martyr Eudokia the Samaritan in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church

By Fr. George Dorbarakis

Saint Eudokia was from Heliopolis of the province of Lebanon in Phoenicia, during the reign of Trajan. At first she lived a dissolute life, attracting many lovers by her beauty and amassing great wealth. Later, however, she came to Christ when she heard a certain monk named Germanos, who preached words of piety and repentance.

She was then baptized by Bishop Theodotos, having been persuaded through divine revelations. For it seemed to her that she had ascended into heaven, as though she had gone out of herself and was being guided by an angel, and that the angels rejoiced over her return; while at the same time a certain dark and terrifying figure roared and cried out that he was being wronged if she were taken away from him.

Eudokia therefore distributed her wealth, gave it to the poor, and entered a monastery. There she lived the ascetic life in a manner pleasing to God, until her former lovers denounced her and brought her before Aurelian, who had then ascended the imperial throne. But when she worked a miracle and raised to life the emperor’s son who had died, she also led the emperor himself to faith in Christ.

After several years she was tried by Diogenes, governor of Heliopolis; yet, having again performed miracles, she was released. Finally, Vincent, who succeeded Diogenes, issued an order, and she was beheaded.

Prologue in Sermons: March 1

Admonition of the Lover of Money

March 1

(Account concerning John, Bishop of Jerusalem, how Epiphanios by wisdom took silver from him and distributed it as alms to the poor and needy.)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

A lover of money is the same as an idolater, for in both his mind and his heart there is nothing but money, and money becomes his idol. Therefore the Apostle also calls love of money idolatry, saying that covetousness is idolatry (Col. 3:5). This sin is one of the grave sins, and for it the Lord strictly punishes and brings lovers of money to their senses.

Once a certain deacon from Jerusalem came to Saint Epiphanios, Archbishop of Cyprus, and told him about John, Bishop of Jerusalem — that, out of love of money, he stored up wealth and gave no alms to the poor. Hearing this, Epiphanios sent John a letter exhorting him to show mercy to the poor; but John paid no attention to the message.

Discourse on the Miracle of the Holy Great Martyr Theodore on the First Saturday of the Holy Fast (Archbishop Nektarios of Constantinople)

Introduction from Migne in P.G. 39, 1821-1840

Nektarios, by origin a Cilician and by birthplace a native of Tarsus, was by profession a layman and held the rank of senator and praetor of Constantinople (a).

When, in the year 381, the see of Constantinople became vacant through the resignation of Gregory of Nazianzus, Nektarios, being about to return to his homeland, went to Diodorus of Tarsus — who at that time was among the one hundred and fifty Fathers assembled at Constantinople for the appointment of a bishop — in order that, if Diodorus wished to send any letters to his own people, he might entrust them to him for delivery.

Diodorus, whether moved by divine inspiration upon observing the man’s venerable gray hair and outstanding character, or — as Socrates relates — prompted by the circumstances, received him, once he had been brought forward by the people and demanded for the highest priesthood, and successfully labored for his appointment to the see of Constantinople.

At that time Nektarios had not yet even been baptized. He was therefore immediately washed in the divine font, duly initiated into the sacred mysteries, and appointed bishop. This distinguished man held that dignity until about the year 398 (b).