“The sun hid its rays, the moon and stars were turned to blood, the mountains were afraid, the hills trembled, when Paradise was shut. Adam departed, beating his hands upon his face and saying: ‘I am fallen: merciful Lord, have mercy on me.” -Vesper service of Forgiveness Sunday As we begin our jo
At the end of Homily Two of his Ascetical Homilies, St. Isaac the Syrian offers what I consider a unique list of the passions and a description of their effects. In them we are able to easily see how prevalent they are in many situations and relationships and through their presence or absence we are able to gauge in how many parts of the "world" (the passions as an aggregate) we are alive and in how many we are dead. They are a very practical guide and offer a good means of personal examination. Although all are worthy of thorough consideration. I shall give a few attention here. "Human glory, which is the cause of resentment": as we cling to an exalted image of ourselves, anyone or anything that diminishes that image in our eyes or the eyes of others becomes the focus of resentment. When we are made fun of even in jest our egos become inflamed and others become the object of our ire or fierce silence. "The wielding of power": This of course can be the search for and use of material and physical power, but more frequently it is used as a means of seeking a position of emotional power within relationships. We seek to keep the upper hand so as to control or manipulate the actions or feelings of another. Finally, "fear for the body": the modern age has made us obsessed with diet and exercise and personal health. For this reason we often eschew asceticism for fear that we will diminish our capacities in some fashion and not operate at optimal levels. We pamper ourselves in a cowardly fashion, having more concern for the body than the soul. We resist being humbled in mind and body through fasting and vigils, even though these are the very means necessary for overcoming the passions. The passions are portions of the course of the world's onward flow; and where the passions cease, there the world's onward flow stands still. These are the passions: love of wealth; gathering objects of any kind; bodily pleasure, from which comes the passion of carnal intercourse; love of esteem, from which springs envy; the wielding of power; pride in the trappings of authority; stateliness and pomposity; human glory, which is the cause of resentment; fear for the body. Wherever these have halted in their course, there, in part, to the extent that the passions are inactive, the world fails from its constitution and remains inactive. Thus it was with each of the saints, that while they lived, they were dead. For living in the body, they lived not according to the flesh. Examine in which of these passions you are alive, and then you will know in how many parts you are alive to the world, and in how many you are dead. St. Isaac the Syrian
There’s theory and then there’s practice. The one flows from the other and back again, unceasingly. Their interdependence is indissoluble. Likewise, there’s “inner” drawing and then there’s “exte…
It’s said that history repeats itself, and these images on Imgur show that. Called “Accidental Renaissance”, the pictures show what a crazy year 2016 was from Hillary’s Heartbreak, to Vladimir Putin looking at the corpse of murdered ambassador, Andrey Karlov.
September 1 marks the beginning of the ecclesiastical year. And it was on this day in 1989 that His All-Holiness, the late Ecumenical Patriarch Demetrios I, issued a message on the…
"Do not pry into the mystery, but humbly accept what God has revealed." -St. John Chrysostom-
"Do not pry into the mystery, but humbly accept what God has revealed." -St. John Chrysostom-
Icon Gestures: What Do They Mean?. Find out about it in our monastery blog. We have been writing about Christianity, church history, church products and crafts, the lives of the great ascetics, etc.
Explore Olaer / Elmer Anthony's 5841 photos on Flickr!
In Basel, a major double exhibition celebrating the 80th birthday of Georg Baselitz and the career spanning sixty years of an artist who, by inverting his figures, has shown the gradual decline of European man from the post-war to today.
Select from both options (size and case) to see the price of the icon. A hand-painted icon of Saint Patrick. Commemorated on March 17 (30). Materials This icon is painted using the following materials: Tempera paints Lime, alder, or pine board Gesso Colored wax Gold leaf Linseed oil Hide glue Varnishes (mordant, kauri gum, acryl-styrolic) Size St Patrick Orthodox icon is available in several sizes: 7.5×10 cm (without a hand-carved rectangular central panel, shoulder-long) 11×14.5 cm (shoulder-long) 14.5x19.5 cm 16.5×21.5 cm 19×25 cm 23.5×31 cm 27×35 cm 30×41 cm 40×52 cm Decorations This icon has a hand-carved rectangular central panel. Various shades of gold are used to decorate some parts of this icon. This icon can be additionally adorned with wrought silver, a metal or textile oklad, precious and semiprecious gemstones. We recommend placing this icon in an opening or a non-opening icon case. Price & Deadlines The cost of this icon and the time it will take to make it are negotiable, depending on its size and the complexity of its design. Once it is ready, the icon of Saint Patrick will be consecrated in St Elisabeth Convent.
Λόγοι πνευματικοί
jungfrukallan: “ Sophia (Σοφíα, Greek for “wisdom”) is a central idea in Hellenistic philosophy and religion, Platonism, Gnosticism, Orthodox Christianity, Esoteric Christianity, as well as Christian...
What Is Wrong with the Modern Depiction of Hell?. Find out about it in our monastery blog. We have been writing about Christianity, church history, church products and crafts, the lives of the great ascetics, etc.
The Coptic tradition of iconography is one of which we know very little about in the West. So many of the ancient monuments were destroyed or came to disrepair as Copts in Egypt were subject to Isl…
Icon Gestures: What Do They Mean?. Find out about it in our monastery blog. We have been writing about Christianity, church history, church products and crafts, the lives of the great ascetics, etc.
This Homiliary was created in Gondar, Ethiopia during a period of artistic flowering in the late seventeenth century. The Imperial court and its accompanying aristocracy took up permanent residence in Gondar at this time, and the taste of these wealthy patrons for paintings and extensive image cycles is exemplified by this richly illuminated manuscript. The text, a Homiliary focused on the miracles of the Archangel Michael, combines liturgical readings with forty-nine brightly colored renderings of God, St. Michael, and the miracles related in the text. Sections of the manuscript would have been read aloud on monthly feast days of the Archangel, and the images would have punctuated the readings. The artists were likely trained as painters, rather than solely manuscript illuminators, and their art can therefore be linked stylistically to contemporary mural painting. The Archangel appearing to Prophet Daniel, helping Peter to come out of imprisonment and rescuing Lot's family from the brim fire. To explore fully digitized manuscripts with a virtual page-turning application, please visit Walters Ex Libris.
Parable of the Day: How We Deny God’s Help. Find out about it in our monastery blog. We have been writing about Christianity, church history, church products and crafts, the lives of the great ascetics, etc.
Валерия Полещикова :: альбом «Храмы» в социальной сети о фотографии ФотоКто
How Icons Are Born in the Icon-painting Studio of St. Elisabeth Convent. Find out about it in our monastery blog. We have been writing about Christianity, church history, church products and crafts, the lives of the great ascetics, etc.
După toate minunile acestea, pe care oameni vedeau că le face părintele Arsenie cu harul lui Dumnezeu, era firesc să fie cinstit ca un sfânt, precum și era. Și totuși acestea l-au adus pe părintele într-o situație dificilă, silindu-l să intre într-o altă nevoință, mai mare, ca să-și ascundă...
Elena Murariu’s exhibition “Martyrs”, as well as the album published on this occasion, bring to our attention the story of Romanian martyrs who prayed for their country and for the whole worl…
Hand-painted Orthodox icon of Theotokos Sweet Loving. We take time and carefully photograph each icon. Please check out all the photos. Dimensions: 30cm x 20cm x 2cm (11.81″ x 7.9″ x 0.79″) Materials: tempera, gold leaf, solid wood panel Techniques: egg tempera, gilding, handmade decorations
