What is the firmament? What does scripture mean by “waters above the heavens”? St. John expounds upon the Scriptural testimony and raises our minds and hearts both to God’s creation and God Himself. 0:00 Introduction1:26 Scripture: Genesis 1:6-8 and Psalm 148:4-62:33 Commentary on Psalm 148:43:00 Commentary on Genesis 1 (Homily 4)18:16 Commentary o…

A reading of Chapter Four from "Noetic Prayer as the Basis of Mission and the Struggle Against Heresy" by Archimandrite Ephraim TriandaphillopoulosIn six short chapters Fr. Ephraim, like a spiritual doctor and specialist in spiritual diseases, dissects the disease of heresy and its cause, offering both as method of cure and cure itself the medicine…

The story of how Gerondissa Makrina become a beacon of Orthodox life in Greece under the guidance of St. Joseph the Hesychast. Gerondissa's nuns later helped start many monasteries in America and Canada under the leadership of Geronda Ephraim of Arizona.Text is from "My Elder Joseph the Hesychast" by Elder Ephraim of Arizona, p. 574-580-BUY "My Eld…

The Christian soul loves the Mother of God and that love is exemplified and ignited listening to these reflections from St. Silouan the Athonite.This text is found in "Saint Silouan the Athonite" by St. Sophrony the Athonite, pp. 390-393-BUY "Saint Silouan the Athonite" by St. Sophrony here: https://churchsupplies.jordanville.org/products/saint-sil…

"I'm bored!" we hear people say, maybe even we ourselves have said this. St. Theophan the Recluse offers practical advice to overcome boredom and the feeling of being all alone. -BUY the book which includes this text: "The Spiritual Life and How to Be Attuned to It":https://stpaisiusgiftshop.com/new-products/the-spiritual-life-new-edition/-LISTEN t…

Elder Ephraim reflects on the great love of God for man and how critical humility is to remain in communion with God and His grace.Excerpt "Counsels from the Holy Mountain: Selected from the Letters and Homilies of Geronda Ephraim of Arizona", p. 379-384-BUY "Counsels from the Holy Mountain": https://stanthonysmonastery.org/products/counsels-from-t…

"What is the hallmark of a priest? To gather prosphora? To perform nice services? To preach sweetly and 'usefully' from the ambo and make a few young ladies tear up emotionally from his contemplative thoughts? What is the hallmark of a priest and bishop in these difficult years?..."A reading from "The Christian in the End Times", 2nd edition, pp. 3…

The miraculous sign of St. Euphemia at the 4th Fourth Ecumenical in Chalcedon proved the truth of the Orthodox confession of two natures in Christ, united and yet distinct. This text includes a brief Life of St. Euphemia, the events of the 4th Ecumenical Council, including those preceding it, and the miracle of St. Euphemia. St. Euphemia's miracle …

Why does God allow the righteous to suffer? What spiritual laws are at work when we are prideful and when we fall? How does God help both the humble and the proud to walk the narrow path of salvation? St. Paisios the Athonite answers these questions and more. -BUY St. Paisios' book, "Elder Hadji-Georgis the Athonite":https://www.athoniteusa.com/pro…

St. Theophan's answer to arguably the most fundamental question for each man: How can I save my soul? "What does one say to the person who asks: 'How can I save my soul?' This: Repent, and being strengthened by the power of grace in the Holy Mysteries, walk in the path of God's commandments, under the direction which the Holy Church gives you throu…

A word for us all from one the greatest Russian saints of recent times. "The sons of the world consider distraction to be something innocent, but the holy fathers recognize it to be the origin of all evils."-LISTEN to other recordings of St. Ignatius Brianchaninov---My Cross and the Cross of Christhttps://youtu.be/RDmmWFqGGYA---Exhortation on the P…

Elder Athanasios Mitilinaios, in his examination of the Book of Revelation, sees "the depths of Satan" (Rev. 2:24) applying to today's satanic, neo-gnosticism: Freemasonry. Spreading its wicked tentacles throughout society, often in ways unknown the average person, Freemasonry is a powerful force that all Christians must not underestimate. Elder At…

Bishop (then Hieromonk) Luke gives a firsthand account of the Glorification (Canonization) services of St. John Maximovitch of Shanghai & San Francisco (+1966). Holy Hierarch John, pray to God for us!Photo in thumbnail is from the 1994 Glorification services at Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco.-READ: the text of this recording from Orthodox L…

These prayers come from the excellent book "On the Upbringing of Children" by Bishop Irenaius, published by St. Xenia Press 0:00 Intro 0:06 A Prayer of Parents for their Children 1:53 A Prayer of Children for their Parents 2:17 Another Prayer of Children for their Parents 3:33 A Prayer of Spouses for Each Other -BUY "On the Upbringing of Children" …

In addition to St. Justin Popovic's piercing theological clarity, this text offers us three significant examples: 1) The Serbian Hierarchs humbly asked a priest for his thoughts before making their decision 2) This priest, St. Justin, responded boldly and clearly 3) The Serbian Hierarchs followed his advice. All this is regarding a most tempting an…

Listen to St. Nektarios praise these holy mothers who raised some of the greatest saints the earth has ever seen. He describes how these holy women planted Christ in their sons' hearts and cultivated the grace to maturity. How critical the role of the mother is in raising children and how firm the foundation she can lay down in the hearts and minds…

On occasion, I depart from my standard approach and record texts by those still alive in this world. Generally, I stick to texts from those who finished their race and are widely embraced as being victorious in Christ. This text from Fr. Zacharias, the disciple of St. Sophrony of Essex, is truly life-changing and worthy of your heart’s attention. A…

Our holy father Paisios the Athonite exposes the plans of the enemy and calls those who love the Truth, Christ Himself, to be aware and resist. Repent, receive the Mysteries, prayer fervently, since, as St. Paisios says, "Perhaps you, too, will live to see many of the signs written in the Book of Revelation."This text is found in “Spiritual Counsel…

You may never hear more inspiring, humbling, and challenging words on illness, its purpose, and the best way we can face it. This excerpt from "Wounded by Love" exhibits his insatiable love for Christ, his wounded yet healed heart. St. Porphyrios knew about suffering with illness both by personal experience and his many years as a hospital chaplain…

The Church worldwide loves St. John of Kronstadt… but do we love him for plainly speaking the truth? I can only imagine if parish priests today gave a homily like this. Most would get a lot of complaints from their parishioners, maybe even yelled at during coffee hour, and the bishops might hear of it, too. God grant us humility to accept the bitte…

St. Nikolai Velimirović offers comments on the seven phrases Christ spoke on the Cross, helping us go deeper in our understanding and love for Christ.-READ the text here:https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2019/04/the-seven-phrases-christ-spoke-on-cross.html-FIND an Orthodox parish and monastery near you: https://orthodoxyinamerica.org/______St. Nikol…

St. Ephraim offers a dynamic commentary on this famous story (Matthew 26:6-13) that the Orthodox Church reads each year on Holy Wednesday. Presenting detailed conversations between the sinful woman, the devil, Simon the Pharisee, and Christ, this homily is faithful to Scripture yet expands our understanding and experience of this most instructive e…

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, one of the most beloved Russian saints of the past few centuries, exhibits his apostolic love and zeal in these brief exhortations. Always remember the sufferings, the love of Christ Jesus. 0:00 Beginning 0:11 Remembrance of the Divine Passion 3:16 Imitation of the Life of ChristText is from "Journey to Heaven", p. 99-103. To…

This short excerpt from Elder George's treatise discusses the characteristics of experiences of theosis, union with God, the true purpose of each and every human being. Elder George (Kapsanis), former Abbot of the St. Gregorios Monastery on Mount Athos who reposed in the Lord on Pentecost 2014, presents the Orthodox understanding of Theosis and the…

This short excerpt from Elder George's treatise explains the qualifications for attaining the true purpose of each and every human being: union with God, or Theosis. Elder George (Kapsanis), former Abbot of the St. Gregorios Monastery on Mount Athos who reposed in the Lord on Pentecost 2014, presents the Orthodox understanding of Theosis and the es…

St. Luke teaches: "With this deep and fiery repentance the force that prevented her from entering the church receded and she finally entered. There she fell before the life-giving Cross of the Lord and did not get up until the end of the service. Tears flowed from her eyes, from the eyes that once seduced men and are now cleansed with wholehearted …

In this letter, Fr. Seraphim expresses his reaction to unhealthy approaches to Blessed Augustine, the great bishop and Church father of Africa, and shares a more personal side of his own experience with Augustine and his works: "I feel in Augustine the love of Christ."In Fr. Seraphim Rose’s time, as well as today in 2024, many diverse and strongly …

St. Seraphim of Sofia discusses an important aspect of the Ecumenical Movement in the 20th century: Freemasonry. Presenting to the Moscow Pan-Orthodox Congress of 1948, which included representatives from nearly all autocephalous Orthodox churches, St. Seraphim highlights the well-known Freemason, John Raleigh Mott, the main promoter of "unity" amo…

Elder Epiphanios Theodoropoulos (+1989) was a celibate priest who lived his whole life in the world. “He didn’t retreat to Mt. Athos which he loved dearly, but lived in the city of Athens...." Absorb the wisdom of this faithful priest of our times. 0:00 Beginning0:07 Fasting and Dieting2:21 Fasting and Name Days3:02 Fasting and Hospitality-READ the…

Every year during the first Sunday of Great Lent, the Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, the questions arise: "Why are we anathematizing people? Is the Church really sending them to hell? What is an anathema?" In his homily on the Sunday of Orthodoxy, St. Theophan the Recluse provides as answer to such questions, raising our theologoical conscienc…

Elder Ephraim encourages a brother struggling with lust and self-abuse (masturbation), inspiring him never to despair and always to repent and trust in God’s infinite mercy. Such temptations are allowed by God to humble and strengthen our will, and such patient endurance wins divine crowns.A letter from Athos, June 30, 1958 from "Counsels from the …

Our Lord said, "But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment (Matt. 12:36)."Abbess Thaisia, a spiritual daughter of St. John of Krodstadt, served as abbess of a convent in Leushino, Russia. Her autobiography and letters have served as an inspiration to countless souls and are …

St. Herman, who traveled from his monastery in Valaam to share the gospel of Christ with the native Alaskans, established the light of Orthodoxy in the hearts of countless souls and forever changed North America. This reading shows forth some of his most inspiring and well-known teachings, vital for everyone, especially Americans.0:00 Beginning0:16…

The towering figure of St. Nektarios offers a speech at the opening of a gymnasium in 1893, showing forth the purpose of a fit physique and the relationship between soul and body. St. Nektarios published this speech in 1894.Reading from "For Mind and Heart: St. Nektarios as Teacher" by Newrome Press, pp. 45-52.-BUY "For Mind and Heart: St. Nektario…

"Let the children be conscious that they are members of Christ's family. Let the children come to love church!"With an inspiring message for parents, Fr. Michael Pomazansky exhorts us to help our children not just come to church but to learn to love church. Addressing practical aspects and the important matter of compulsion, this short article offe…

St. Herman, who traveled from his monastery in Valaam to share the gospel of Christ with the native Alaskans, established the light of Orthodoxy in the hearts of countless souls and forever changed North America. This reading shows forth some of his most inspiring and well-known teachings, vital for everyone, especially Americans0:00 Beginning0:13 …

How do we prepare for Holy Communion and the Divine Liturgy? How should we spend the night before? How much do we desire to acquire and preserve the grace of God in our souls and bodies? Archbishop Averky and St. John Maximovitch embodied the holy tradition of the ancient fathers in the 20th century, expressing the wisdom of Christ applied to our o…

Archbishop Theophan of Poltava (+1940) whom we commemorate today (February 6/19) was a spiritual son of St. Theophan the Recluse, spiritual father of Archbishop Averky of Jordanville, and confessor for the Russian Royal Family before their martyric deaths in 1918. In these letters we are given general advice on fighting the passions, prayer, and an…

Anyone inquiring into Orthodoxy will find clarity from Elder Cleopa's detailed exposition of the Scriptures, especially if the ever-virginity of the Virgin Mary is currently a stumbling block to Orthodoxy.Elder Cleopa is one of the most beloved Romanian elders of the 20th century. A confessor of the faith under the Romanian communists, Elder Cleopa…

St. Dorotheos of Gaza (+565), disciple of Sts. Barsanuphius and John, is one of the most revered teachers on spiritual life, speaking from his direct experience with Christ through his ascetic struggle. Here he addresses the fear of God, the three stages of divine fear, and the meaning of the Apostle John's famous words.This is an excerpt from the …

Drawing upon the witness of Christ and many saints, St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite sets forth the standard (akrevia) for the Orthodox Church's weekly fasts on Wednesday and Friday. Even if the ideal is beyond our abilities or beyond what our spiritual father has blessed, we must know the standard and humbly be aware of how we measure up, repenting and…

The story of 30 nuns, imprisoned for Christ, who refused to work for the Soviet regime and the miraculous events surrounding their witness to the truth. Originally published in English in “Russia’s Catacomb Saints” by I. M. Andreyev, Fr. Seraphim Rose, and Fr. Herman Podmoshensky. “We can work, but we do not wish to work for the regime of Antichris…

St. Maximus the Confessor explains one of the more difficult verses in sacred Scripture: "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor 5:21). This is a reading of Question 42 from "On Difficulties in Sacred Scripture: The Responses to Thalassios".-BUY "On Difficulties in Sacred Scrip…

St. Gregory Palamas, in preparation for the feast of Theophany, calls his flock to remember the grace of their baptism and the high calling they have as children of God. He provides a summary of the practical aspects of how a person is baptized, giving spiritual commentary about this apostolic tradition. He then details the example and teachings of…

With pain of heart, we present the teachings of St. Paisios to correct the blasphemies of Archbishop Elpidophorus and guard the faithful against his lies, whose speech was presented by Bishop Athenagoras at the opening of a Hindu temple in New Jersey on October 4, 2023. Archbishop Elpidophoros writes: “This Hindu temple represents a Sacred Space…Ma…

"[Papal infallibility] is the ultimate triumph of humanism..." -St. Justin Popovic St. Justin expresses the ultimate implications of the dogma of papal infallibility. Regardless of how frequent or infrequent papal infallibility is exercised, the embrace of such an ability for a man, even if supposedly given by God, is why St. Justin is righteously …

Foundational to any spiritual life is to have an experienced guide. St. Paisios offers answers to various questions regarding this essential aspect of Orthodox spiritual life: finding an experienced spiritual father and being healed by love and obedience.0:00 Beginning 0:14 The Spiritual Life Requires a Spiritual Guide 2:29 Refer People to a Spirit…

Many Orthodox Christians have had to learn the hard way how to prepare not only to fast, but to feast. A feasting period, like we begin on Pascha and Christmas, requires us to remain watchful and sober if we are to preserve the grace we gained during the fast and avoid falling back into our old sins and bad habits. St. John Chrysostom is well aware…

An examination of an important part of the holy personality of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker of Myra in Lycia, his great love and zeal for Christ and His Church.Archbishop Averky was a righteous shepherd of the 20th century who served as Abbot of the Holy Trinity Monastery and Rector of Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, NY. He was spiritual son…

"Don't be negligent, boys, lest you fall into the hands of thieves," counseled St. Joseph to his brotherhood. This short text is an ever-timely word from a God-bearing elder of our days.The text featured in this recording is from "The Elder Joseph the Hesychast (1897-1959): Struggles - Experiences - Teachings" by Elder Joseph of Vatopedi, p. 195-19…