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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...]
Merry Christmas to all our faithful readers, members, lurkers and writers! On this day, the day of our Lord's birth, we here at the Preachers Institute want to wish you all a very merry, safe, and spiritually fruitful Nativity celebration, and to assure you all of our prayers, particularly on this festive Holy day. This is a great feast, the feast of the Incarnation - the central theological doctrine of the Christian faith. If the Eternal, … [Read more...]
Congratulations to our Bloggers who signed up for the 30 (40) Days of Blogging. Today is the 40th day! Your marathon journey has come to an end! Axios! I want to thank everyone for participating. I've been reading your blogs, and I must say, I'm impressed with your work and the incredible labor that went into it. We will repeat this exercise next year, starting (once again) on Nov. 15th. In the meantime, I want to especially congratulation some … [Read more...]
Apart from the many helps for a Christmas sermon, the Preachers Institute would like to offer you one more article to spice up a Nativity service for those who attend your worship. There's nothing better than when 'the lights go on' for our listeners, and they see or hear something perhaps they've never understood, or perceived before. Add these Scripture verses to your Christmas sermons, and offer a brief explanation of these points. If your … [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 Eternal City from … [Read more...]
by St. Gregory Nazianzus "The Theologian" Our father among the saints Gregory the Theologian, also known as Gregory of Nazianzus (though that name more appropriately refers to his father) and Gregory the Younger, was a great Father and Teacher of the Church. He was a close friend of St. Basil the Great. He was one of the great Cappodocean Fathers, and is one of only three saints given the title "Theologian" in all of Orthodox hagiography and … [Read more...]
by St. Peter Chrysologus Our father among the saints, Peter Chrysologus (Golden Words) was known for having a great deal of energy in setting out to improve the Church. Among his many great works, he is noted for the reformation of what he perceived as laxity in the Roman See. Paganism was still prominent in the empires of his time and he is credited for completely eradicating it during his lifetime. Apparently, he had many charities and, of … [Read more...]
Given to the People in the Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the day of the Nativity of Our Lord. Our father among the saints Gregory I, also known as Gregory the Dialogist, was the Pope of Rome from September 3, 590, until his death on March 12, 604. He is certainly one of the most notable figures in Ecclesiastical History. He has exercised in many respects a momentous influence on the doctrine, the organization, and the discipline of 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 the Eternal City from … [Read more...]
by St. Isaac the Syrian Our venerable father among the saints Isaac of Syria, also known as Isaac of Nineveh, is a 7th century saint known for his strict asceticism and ascetic writings. St. Isaac is fully accepted as a saint in the Orthodox Church, though during his lifetime, he was canonically a member of the Church of the East, a church that has been associated with the Nestorian heresy, although that charge is widely doubted today. His … [Read more...]
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