Synaxarion For The Sunday Of Cheesefare
SUNDAY of CHEESEFARE On the same day, we commemorate the banishment of Adam, the First-formed man, from the Paradise of delight. Verses Let the world lament bitterly with our first ancestors,for it fell together with those who fell by a sweet repast. Synaxarion Our Holy Fathers appointed this commemoration before the Holy Fast, as if […]
Catechetical Encyclical on the Opening of Great Lent 2017
Catechetical Encyclical on the Opening of Great Lent 2017 by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
Catechetical Homily at the Opening of Holy and Great Lent
Our Lord Jesus Christ grafts us into His body, inviting us to become saints, “just as He is holy.” (1 Peter 1.16) Our Creator wants us to be in communion with Him in order to taste His grace, which is to participate in His sanctity.
A Guide to the Season of the Triodion
There is more to Lent than fasting, and there is more to fasting than food. This principle lies at the heart of the Lenten Triodion, the main hymnbook of Orthodox Lent.
Synaxarion for the First Sunday of the Great Lent
By Nikephoros Kallistos Xanthopoulos FIRST SUNDAY of LENT On the same day, the First Sunday of the Fast, we commemorate the restoration of the Holy and Precious Icons, which was brought about by the ever-memorable Emperors of Constantinople, Michael and his mother Theodora, during the Patriarchate of the Holy Confessor Methodios. Verses I rejoice, on […]
Saint Dorotheos of Gaza: On Holy Lenten Fast
In the Law, God laid down that the sons of Israel should each year give tithes of all they possessed, and if they did so they were blessed in all their works. The holy Apostles, knowing this to be for the help and advancement of our souls, resolved to fulfil it in a better […]
The Lenten Prayer of Saint Ephraim explained
A SPIRITUAL CHECKLIST Orthodox Christians recite a prayer during Great Lent that is described by Fr. Alexander Schmemann as a “check list” for our spiritual lives. This prayer, given by St. Ephraim the Syrian in the fourth century, is commonly called the “Lenten Prayer:” O Lord and Master of my life! Take from me the […]
The journey of Great Lent
When a man leaves on a journey, he must know where he is going. Thus with Lent. Above all, Lent is a spiritual journey and its destination is Easter, “the Feast of Feasts.” It is the preparation for the “fulfillment of Pascha, the true Revelation.” We must begin, therefore, by trying to understand this connection […]
Clean Monday and the First Week of the Holy and Great Lent
With Clean Monday begins Great Lent in the Orthodox Church and marks the end of feasting. Clean Monday is called as such because Christians are called to cleanse themselves spiritually and bodily. It is also a day of strict fasting with no work. The holy fast has a duration of 40 days in imitation of […]
Catechetical Homily for Holy and Great Lent 2012 (in Chinese)
親愛的主內弟兄姊妹 最近,我們觀察也擔憂,很多挑戰不斷的湧起.這個世界忍受著痛苦等待著救助.事實上,我們正處於試煉中.有些人聲稱這是金融風暴;有些人則指為政治危機.因此目前我們最關注的是,關於靈性的墮落.尋找生存之道.有很多解決的策略被提出我們也都聽聞.但,問題依然存在,人們感受到孤獨即被遺棄.他們最深處的本性已被忽略.留給他們的只有疑惑鬱悶和消沉的憂鬱. 不論以什麼方向及層面提出來的解決方案，雖有各種不同的答案與應對,但終究不能解救人類。因為從一開始他們就是腐敗和死亡的俘虜。教會是神—人天主,唯有祂才能釋放我們的靈魂,當我們進入教會,我們進入天堂和地球之間的和解，神聖安慰的氛圍。我們靈性是平靜的,我們發現天國的美和靈性的成熟,神聖的馨香能達到世界的兩端。教會知道我們所受的苦,因他訴說真理,督促我們要面對現實;認清我們只不過是塵土. 聖徒安德烈在教會法規提到悔改的眼淚及悲傷的哀悼,是我們疼痛的傷口. 然而，接著就是我們安歇的靈魂,健康的身體.因造物主及救世主,透過祂廣大的憐憫,他將我們放置在不朽和死亡中間,祂沒有將我們遺棄.祂降世來拯救我們,藉著十字架,他消滅死亡.祂賜予我們不朽的身體. 從此,我們被植入基督,為何我們還害怕徒勞呢?為何我們不奔向祂呢? 教堂既不居住也不遺棄我們沉淪腐敗下去。知道我們內心深層的傾向，成為我們的晚餐和救恩。我們需要營養。然而，“人不能單靠麵包生活。”我們也需要靈性的理解; 但是，我們不是無軀體的。在教會中，我們發現豐富的生命和相信作為一個神–人的平衡。若遠離神，我們將被扭曲和腐敗。不論物資多麼豐裕，神的榮耀將被糟蹋，誹謗誘惑和黑暗混亂將會猖獗橫行。 人類以崇敬過生活並感激所有領受的事情，所有的東西都成聖。雖是微小卻被賜福;腐敗被不朽的榮耀包護住。人類享受來自上帝的禮物是短暫的，在此時此地現在和未來的生活承諾了滋養。不僅問題解決了，甚至痛苦和苦難轉化成生命的力量，因著榮耀神。這些事發生觸碰了我們的靈魂，當我們找到和平和救恩承諾所有皆歸於基督我們的上帝，那麼我們的心被照亮。我們認清自己和整個世界。我們的信心建立在全能的獨一者。在這其中更能強化信心。然後，通過一種無形的光照，持守並在真理中飢餓渴者昇華轉變。 全世界需要藉著造物主的救恩。全世界需要信仰和聖徒共融的存在。讓我們稱謝耶和華我們的神，因祂的恩典，以及目前的大齋期。 看哪，這是值得迎接的時刻，看哪，這是悔改的時刻。 我們經由大齋戒的旅程獻上懺悔，就可達到我們救主耶穌基督復活無限的喜悅,所有榮耀的歸屬，榮耀和崇拜直到世世代代.阿門。