Great Lent- A Time of Preparation

Open to me the doors of repentance, O Life-giver.
For my spirit rises early to pray towards Thy holy temple,
bearing the temple of my body all defiled.
But in Thy compassion, purify me by the loving kindness of Thy mercy. Read more »

Sermon on the Day of the Russian New-Martyrs

Saint Tatiana

Saint Tatiana was a Christian martyr in 3rd-century Rome during the reign of Emperor Alexander Severus. She was a deaconess of the early church.

According to legend, she was the daughter of a Roman civil servant who was secretly Christian, and raised his daughter in the faith, and she became a deaconess in the church. This was dangerous, and one day the jurist Ulpian captured Tatiana and attempted to force her to make a sacrifice to Apollo. Read more »

Let’s Be Partakers! When will holy water truly sanctify us?

Archpriest Alexander Lebedev talks about the meaning and significance of the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, how and when the grace-filled power of holy water manifests, and whether it can turn out to be “fruitless”. Read more »

From Defeat to Victory. The Protection of the Mother of God.

The feast of the Protection of the Mother of God is one of the most favorite yet paradoxical feasts for Russians. It is a paradox because, according to one version of history, on this day more than 1000 years ago the ancestors of today’s Russians attacked Constantinople and would have taken it, had not the Mother of God intervened.Priests Artemy Vladimirov and Dimitry Shishkin contemplate this “celebration of defeat”.  Read more »

The help comes throughout the praying

On the 18th of July our small town has liven up significantly. A lot of cars and people came to the local parish of Saint Nickolas to take part in the annual cross procession which goes along the frontier. Read more »

Saints Peter and Fevronia Day

The Day of Saints Peter and Fevronia since the days of Kievan Rus and until 1917, was broad celebrated in Russia because it was believed that the saints Peter and Fevronia are the patrons of marriage and family, as well as the symbols of love and fidelity. On this day it was common to go to church, where people asked for love and family grace.

As tells the Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom (which literary treatment relates to the period of the mid-16th century), Duke Peter was the second son of Duke Yuri Vladimirovich of Murom. He ascended the throne in 1203. Read more »

Saint John (Maximovitch) of Shanghai and San Francisco

Our father among the saints John (Maximovitch), Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco (1896-1966), was a diocesan bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) who served widely from China to France to the United States.

He departed this life on June 19 (O.S.) / July 2 (N.S.), 1966, and was officially glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad on July 2, 1994. His glorification was later recognized for universal veneration by the Patriarchate of Moscow on July 2, 2008. Read more »

The Rule of Fasting in the Orthodox Church

In answer to numerous requests from readers, the rule of fasting is given for each day of the year. Where no indication of fast is given, and during “fast-free weeks,” all foods may be eaten (except during Cheese-fare Week, when meat alone is forbidden every day). Where “fast day” is indicated alone, the fast is a strict one, with no meat, eggs, dairy products, fish, wine or oil to be eaten. Read more »

Blessing from the air

There was a great bustle in the editorial office: the telephone was heated up on the 3rd of June. “What’s happen? The Governor’s helicopter has been circling over the town almost for 20 minutes. Has Vladimir Putin come?    Are there military exercises?” or, what is the worst question, “ Is it an armed attack?” – asked excited Vyazemskii dwellers. Read more »

Thanks to his grandfather for the victory – the final game and the Temple of Blessed Alexander Nevskii

On the 29th of April the final match of laser-tag play took place in Khabarovsk. The game is the second stage of interdistrict patriotic war game “Thanks to his grandfather for the victory.” Several school teams took part in this game. Pupils from Khabarovsk military school of Saint Admiral Ushakov, military class of school № 3 from Bikin, class of MES (Ministry of Emergency Situations) from school 1 from Vyazemskii participated in competitions. Read more »

Milla Jovovich Shares Photos From Daughter’s Russian Orthodox Baptism

You can take the girl out of Russia, but you can’t take the Russia out of the girl.

Milla Jovovich has been giving her Instagram followers an inside look at daughter Dashiel Edan‘s traditional Russian Orthodox baptism ceremony, which took place Friday at the Holy Transfiguration Russian Orthodox church in Los Angeles. Read more »

What is Orthodox Christianity?

On All Saints Sunday

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Today, on this the last day of June, we come to the last service in a cycle of services. That cycle began over 120 days ago at the end of February with the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee. That Sunday preceded the weeks of fasting of Great Lent which led up to the central event of the whole Church Year – the Resurrection of Christ. Read more »

The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God

Rejoice, our beloved Orthodox Russia; Rejoice, for the true Faith is strengthened in thee…
Rejoice, thou who prayest for us; Rejoice, our fervent Intercessor!
Rejoice, O Most Pure, for from Thy icon mercy pours forth upon us.

From the Akathist to the Most Holy Mother of God
in honor of Her Vladimir Icon
Read more »

Welcome to the cross procession

Teaching on the Day of Pentecost

Troparion, tone 8: Blessed art Thou, Christ our God, Who didst make the fishermen wise by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit, and through them didst draw the world into Thy net. Lover of men, glory to Thee.

Koniakion, tone 8: When the Most High came down and confused the tongues, He divided the nations, but when He distributed the tongues of fire, He called all to unity. And with one accord we glorify the All-Holy Spirit. Read more »

The Church’s Prayer for the Dead

The Holy Orthodox Church, like a concerned mother, daily, at every divine service, offers up prayers for all her children who have departed for the land of eternity. Thus, at the midnight service troparia and prayers for the departed are read, and they are commemorated at its concluding ektenia. This is so also at compline. At matins and vespers the departed are remembered by name at the Augmented Ektenia, “Have mercy on us, O God …” Read more »

Ascension of Christ

Jesus did not live with his disciples after his resurrection as he had before his death. Filled with the glory of his divinity, he appeared at different times and places to his people, assuring them that it was he, truly alive in his risen and glorified body.

To them he presented himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). Read more »

Family’s Day

On the 3rd of May our local parish of St. Nikolai celebrated Family’s Day the second time. 9 couples of different generations with their children get together to commemorate their holiday. Besides there were 4 guests who were glad to take part in the entertainment. Each couple brought their traditional dish, smiles and holiday mood.
First the festival was opened with the song about family. The names of saint blessed prince Peter and princess Phevroniya were mentioned in it. As it is known they are family patrons. Read more »