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By George Mantzarides Professor at the School of Theology, University of Thessaloniki Are you aware that counting 40 days from today, on the 40th day we celebrate the Exaltation of the Holy Cross? It's not a mistake. The Transfiguration of Our Savior has a central place in the Orthodox Church and in Orthodox theology. It is the event that reveals the glory of the Church and of the faithful. It is a witness to the new reality introduced by the … [Read more...]
by St. Anastasius the Sinaite St. Anastasius was a priest and abbot of Mt. Sinai. His zeal for true faith led him to travel through Egypt, Arabia, and Syria to combat the errors of the Acephalites and Eutychians. His writings show not only a thorough command of Holy Scripture and a wide knowledge of the writing of the Church Fathers and other Christian writers, but also classical erudition and a solid grounding in Aristotelian … [Read more...]
by St. Augustine of Hippo Our father among the saints, Augustine is one of the great Church Fathers of the fourth century. He was the eldest son of Saint Monica. At the end of his life (426-428) Augustine revisited his previous works in chronological order and suggested what he would have said differently in a work titled the Retractions, which gives us a remarkable picture of the development of a writer and his final thoughts. The … [Read more...]
by St. Leo the Great Our father among the saints, Leo the Great was the bishop of Rome during difficult times. He was an eminent scholar of Scripture and rhetoric. During an invasion by Attila the Hun, St. Leo met him outside the gates of Rome. After some short words, to everyone’s surprise, Attila turned and left. Three years later, during an invasion by Genseric the Vandal, St. Leo’s intercession again saved … [Read more...]
by St. Leo the Great Our father among the saints, Leo the Great was the bishop of Rome during difficult times. He was an eminent scholar of Scripture and rhetoric. During an invasion by Attila the Hun, St. Leo met him outside the gates of Rome. After some short words, to everyone’s surprise, Attila turned and left. Three years later, during an invasion by Genseric the Vandal, St. Leo’s intercession again saved the … [Read more...]
by the Venerable St. Bede of Jarrow Our father among the saints, the Venerable Bede of Jarrow, (c. 672 - May 25, 735) was a monk at the Northumbrian monastery of Saint Peter at Wearmouth (today part of Sunderland), and of its daughter monastery, Saint Paul's, in modern Jarrow. He is well known as an author and scholar, whose best-known work is Historia ecclesiastica gentis AnglorumThe Ecclesiastical History of the English People), … [Read more...]
by St. Methodius of Olympus Methodius was bishop of Olympus in Lycia who died a martyr around the year 311 A.D. He was a well-educated philosopher and theologian who argued against many of Origen's erroneous views. Like Origen, however, he interpreted Scripture primarily in an allegorical sense. I. Blessed be God; let us proceed, brethren, from wonders to the miracles of the Lord, and as it were, from strength to strength. For just as … [Read more...]
by St. Ephraim the Syrian Our father among the saints, Ephraim was a prolific Syriac language hymn writer and theologian of the 4th century. He is venerated by Christians throughout the world, but especially among Syriac Christians, as a saint. Here Ephraim presents his “counsel of life”, warning against various sins such as greed, pride, fornication, and slander. 1. This is the day that gladdened them, the Prophets, Kings, and … [Read more...]
by St. John of Damascus Our venerable and God-bearing Father John of Damascus was also known as John Damascene, Chrysorrhoas, "streaming with gold," (i.e., the golden speaker). He was born and raised in Damascus, in all probability at the Monastery of Saint Sabbas (Mar Saba), South East of Jerusalem. He is also recognized as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church. Lovers are wont to speak of what they love, and to let their fancy run on it by … [Read more...]
by St. John of Damascus Our venerable and God-bearing Father John of Damascus was also known as John Damascene, Chrysorrhoas, "streaming with gold," (i.e., the golden speaker). He was born and raised in Damascus, in all probability at the Monastery of Saint Sabbas (Mar Saba), South East of Jerusalem. He is also recognized as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church. There is no one in existence who is able to praise worthily the holy death of … [Read more...]
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