Sayings of the Holy Fathers:

"I once asked a very experienced father how humility is achieved through obedience. This was his answer: "A wisely obedient man, even if he is able to raise the dead, to have the gift of tears, to be free from conflict, will nevertheless judge that this happened through the prayer of his spiritual director; and so he remains a stranger and an alien to empty presumption. For how could he take pride in something that, by his reckoning, is due to the effort not of himself but of his director?"


"An anchorite was living close to a monastery, and let a very austere life. Now it happened that some visitors came to the monastery and constrained him to eat outside the proper time. Afterwards the brothers said to him, 'Abba, were you not grieved by that?' He said to them, 'I am grieved only when I do my own will.' "


A certain man asked the abbot Anthony saying, "What shall I keep that I may please God?" And the old man answering said, "These things that I bid thee, do thou keep. Wherever thou goest, have God ever before thine eyes; in what thou dost, hold by the example of the Holy Scripture: and in whatever place thou dost abide, be not swift to remove from thence. These things keep, and thou shalt be saved."

Daily Reading:

Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.


Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.




For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.


Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come. Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come. And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. They understood not that he spake to them of the Father. Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. As he spake these words, many believed on him.



O Lord, save Thy people/ and bless Thine inheritance./ Grant victory over their enemies to Orthodox Christians,/ and protect Thy people with Thy Cross.

O glorious Eustathius, thou wast hunted from heaven/ and captured by Him Who appeared as a deer./ Together with thy wife and sons thou wast tempted and didst triumph in contests./ Thou dost gladden those who cry:/ Glory to Christ Who glorified thee; glory to Him Who crowned thee;/glory to Him Who proved thee to be a second John.

You fulfilled your lives as martyrs,/ were adorned with the crowns of confession and ascended into heaven./ O wise Michael and brave Theodore,/ pray to Christ our God to have mercy on your fatherland/ and on all Orthodox Christians.

O Christ our God/ Who wast voluntarily lifted up on the Cross,/ grant Thy mercies to Thy new people named after Thee./ Gladden with Thy power Orthodox Christians/ and give them victory over their enemies./ May they have as an ally/ that invincible trophy, Thy weapon of peace.

Thou didst follow Christ's Passion, Eustathius,/ and willingly drank His chalice./ Thou art also fellow-heir to His glory/ and hast received from Him heavenly power.

Despising earthly dominion thou didst abandon fame as transient./ Thou didst enter the contests and proclaim the Trinity before thy tormentors, strong Michael and brave Theodore./ As you stand before the King of Angels pray for your fatherland and Orthodox Christians,/ that we may ever venerate you.

Daily Reading:

This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.


And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be our's. And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.



O Lord, save Thy people/ and bless Thine inheritance./ Grant victory over their enemies to Orthodox Christians,/ and protect Thy people with Thy Cross.

Adorned with the might of the Trinity you cut off the thorns of error,/ blessed Trophimus delight of the Church,/ wise Sabbatius adornment of athletes,/ and Dorymedon glory of the faithful./ We praise you with hymns.

You clung to Christ's love from your youth/ and eagerly kept His laws./ You were enriched with miraculous gifts and now pour forth healings,/ Theodore, David and Constantine./ Pray to Christ our God to save those who venerate you.

O Christ our God/ Who wast voluntarily lifted up on the Cross,/ grant Thy mercies to Thy new people named after Thee./ Gladden with Thy power Orthodox Christians/ and give them victory over their enemies./ May they have as an ally/ that invincible trophy, Thy weapon of peace.

Martyrs Trophimus, Sabbatius and Dorymedon,/ you were a river flowing with the gifts of the Spirit/ and now you water the world with miracles.
While in the flesh you were radiant lamps and lived like the Angels./ By fasting, vigil and faith you grew like the tree in Paradise./ You blossomed forth in prayer through the grace you received./ You have become mighty physicians, healing infirmity of souls./ Glorious wonderworkers Theodore, David and Constantine,/ pray to Christ our God for the forgiveness of those who venerate your relics.

Daily Reading:

     That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.


     And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders, And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things? And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me. And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him? But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed. And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.


O Lord, save Thy people/ and bless Thine inheritance./ Grant victory over their enemies to Orthodox Christians,/ and protect Thy people with Thy Cross.

We have thee as a friend and helper, O gracious advocate Eumenius:/ for thou didst flow with compassion and dost pour healing upon the Church./ Protect those who honour thee.

Guided by the hand of Christ,/ thou didst excel in freedom of purpose, O Martyr Ariadne./ Thou didst defeat the enemy/ and receive a crown woven with the grace of God./ Entreat Him to have mercy on those who call thee blessed.

O Christ our God/ Who wast voluntarily lifted up on the Cross,/ grant Thy mercies to Thy new people named after Thee./ Gladden with Thy power Orthodox Christians/ and give them victory over their enemies./ May they have as an ally/ that invincible trophy, Thy weapon of peace.

Radiant with divine Light, blessed Hierarch Eumenius,/ thou dost illumine those who hymn thy glorious passing./ For thou dost pray unceasingly for us all.

Thou didst love Christ the Rock of Life/ and stand steadfastly before the enemy./ A rock which divided and received thee united thee to thy Bridegroom./ O martyr Ariadne,/ entreat Him to forgive our offences.

Saints Faith, Hope, and Charity and their Mother Sophia

The story of a second-century Roman mother who sacrificed herself and her three children in the name of Jesus Christ is not the often repeated family tale, principally because it is anything but a bedtime story, which for sheer horror is unsurpassed even in the imaginations of today's writers of grisly screen scenarios. It would be far better to tell of the family delights and Christian fidelity and to mention in passing that they were put to death for their faith, but the stark truth has to be faced to underscore the depth of belief in the Saviour. The spiritual attainment of this alone is positive proof that Christianity transcends every aspect of human life to focus on the eternity of the soul.

The mother of this rare family bore the classical Greek name of Sophia, her three daughters bear the familiar Anglicised names of Faith (Pisti), Hope (Elpitha), and Charity (Agapi). This quartet of frail females stood up to the brutal might of Rome at a time when a mere whisper of dissent could mean death to a Roman citizen, Christian or pagan. Sophia was a widow under whose loving care her three daughters acquired a poise and Christian virtue looked upon with respect by the village which they left for the more rewarding city life of Rome, the Eternal City.

Sophia and her three lovely little girls milled about unobtrusively in the teeming city, but in the Christian community that gathered in candlelight in the catacombs to worship the Messiah, they became highly respected figures, the children all the more so because of their display of deep devotion to the Saviour and to their mother. In the dark recesses of the subterranean shelters, the family drew themselves closer to God and to their fellow man emerging into the light to convert others, who preceived the glow of happiness which was not to be found in the pagan temples nor in the company of those who shared their spiritual darkness. Fate decreed that this blessed family would be called upon to assert their faith in an incredibly monstrous test of Christian endurance.

The Emperor Hadrian did not share the majority view that Christianity was a harmless form of worship practised by patriotic Romans, but looked upon them as enemies of the state whose Kingdom of Heaven sought to displace his authority. He instituted a sweeping wave of persecution with an army of operatives infiltrating all sections of the city, spinning a giant web which caught up with Sophia and her children. Not even the most hardened pagans anticipated that three girls, aged twelve, ten and nine respectively, would be punished for what could be construed as the offense of the mother.

The magistrate Antiochos on the other hand saw in the arrest of the entire family an opportunity to wrest from the mother a disavowal of Christ rather than allow her flesh and blood to be punished. Sophia and her three daughters appeared as a group before the judgment of the pagan court which offered to release the entire family providing that the mother would deny the Saviour and raise her children as pagans. All three daughters looked up to their mother to assure her that they would remain as steadfast Christians with her and that she should feel no guilt should they be put to death.

The agonised Sophia was torn between the love for her children and the love for Jesus Christ. She turned to the court to plead that her children be released, and they could inflict their tortures upon her. In a chorus of small voices that would have melted the hardest of hearts, the youngsters cried out to their mother that they would rather join her in death to be reunited in the Kingdom of God than to remain behind without her. Sophia's glance at the magistrate told her the next move was his.

Incredibly the magistrate was unmoved and ordered the first of the girls, Faith, to be put to torture before the eyes of her mother. When this failed to bring the mother to pleas for mercy but instead the praises of the Lord, Faith was put to the sword. Hope followed her sister in death, as did her sister Charity, three innocents whose horrified mother was dragged to the side of their bodies, over which she continued to pray as she herself also died for the Lord. The commemoration of these sweet saints on September 17th has an added solemnity when their complete story is unfolded.

from Orthodox Saints, v. 2
by Fr George Poulos, Holy Cross Orthodox Press

Daily Reading:

     Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.


     For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.


O Lord, save Thy people/ and bless Thine inheritance./ Grant Victory over their enemies to Orthodox Christians,/ and protect Thy people with Thy Cross.

Thou didst blossom in the courts of the Lord/ as a fruitful olive tree,/ O holy Martyr Sophia;/ in thy contest thou didst offer to Christ/ the sweet fruit of thy womb,/ Love, Hope and Faith./ With them, intercede for us all.

Thou didst win the crown of martyrdom,/ O noble Socrates and Stephen,/ when thou, following in the footsteps of both our nation's Patron and our protomartyr,/ didst resist the edict of the God-hating Diocletian./ Pray to God that we also may be given strength to be faithful, even unto death,/ that we too may inherit eternal life.

O Christ our God/ Who wast voluntarily lifted up on the Cross,/ grant Thy mercies to Thy new people named after Thee./ Gladden with Thy power Orthodox Christians/ and give them victory over their enemies./ May they have as an ally/ that invincible trophy, Thy weapon of peace.

Faith, Hope and Love, holy branches of noble Sophia,/ by grace made Greek wisdom foolishness./ They have contested and won the Victory/ and have been crowned by Christ the Master of all.

Daily Reading:

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.


And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve. And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it. And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine. And when even was come, he went out of the city. And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
O Lord, save Thy people/ and bless Thine inheritance./ Grant victory over their enemies to Orthodox Christians,/ and protect Thy people with Thy Cross.
In love thy contest was radiant/ and thou didst run to the fragrance of Christ./ O virtuous Virgin-Martyr,/ thou hast entered the bridal chamber/ and dost send healing into the world./ Save those who cry to thee: Rejoice,O holy Euphemia.

Having been instructed and blessed by saints, O holy Father Ninian,/ thou didst return to Northern Britian to preach Christ to thine own people./ Following thine example, O Apostle of the Picts, Light of those in the darkness of paganism,/ True shepherd of the sheep, Teacher of the Orthodox Faith and Founder of Candida Casa,/ pray that we will tirelessly labour for Christ among our fellow countrymen, that our souls may be saved.
O Christ our God/ Who wast voluntarily lifted up on the Cross,/ grant Thy mercies to Thy new people named after Thee./ Gladden with Thy power Orthodox Christians/ and give them victory over their enemies./ May they have as an ally/ that invincible trophy, Thy weapon of peace.
Thou didst win thy martyr's contest/ and dost now sanctify us with streams of miracles, O holy Euphemia./ We honour thy repose and stand before thy relics/ to be delivered from our souls' diseases/ and obtain the grace of miracles.

Daily Reading:

     And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.


     And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.


O Lord, save Thy people/ and bless Thine inheritance./ Grant victory over their enemies to Orthodox Christians,/ and protect Thy people with Thy Cross.

Thou didst defeat error and triumph in martyrdom,/ Nicetas namesake of victory:/ for thou didst conquer the ranks of the enemy/ and end thy contest by fire./ Pray to Christ our God to grant us His great mercy.

O pure and holy Philotheus, thou wast a lover of God,/ and now glorified by the Holy Spirit thou dost work miracles to save from harm all who cry to thee:/ Glory to Him Who has glorified thee; glory to Him Who has made thee wonderful;/ glory to Him Who through thee works healings for all.

Devoting thy life to prayer and fasting, O Father Hernan,/ thou hast bequeathed to us a legacy of Orthodox asceticism./ Pray to Christ our God that we may be granted grace to emulate thy podvig, O Saint,/ and thereby receive the reward of the blessed.

As a bishop thou wast an icon of Christ, O holy Merryn,/ and by thy godly life thou didst win many souls for Him./ Pray for us too that we may be numbered among the elect.

O Christ our God/ Who wast voluntarily lifted up on the Cross,/ grant Thy mercies to Thy new people named after Thee./ Gladden with Thy power Orthodox Christians/ and give them victory over their enemies./ May they have as an ally/ that invincible trophy, Thy weapon of peace.

Thou didst stand firm and defeat delusion and hast received thy Martyr's crown,/ O Nicetas, namesake of victory;/ thou art rejoicing with the Angels./ Together with them pray unceasingly to Christ our God to save our souls.

Sayings of the Holy Fathers:

"God neither caused or created evil and, therefore, those who assert that certain passions come naturally to the soul are quite wrong. What they fail to realize is that we have taken natural attributes of our own and turned them into passions. For instance, the seed which we have for the sake of procreating children is abused by us for the sake of fornication. Nature has provided us with anger as something to be turned against the serpent, but we have used it against our neighbor. We have a natural urge to excel in virtue, but instead we compete in evil. Nature stirs within us the desire for glory, but that glory is of a heavenly kind. It is natural for us to be arrogant - against the demons. Joy is ours by nature, but it should be joy on account of the Lord and for the sake of doing good to our neighbor. Nature has given us resentment, but that ought to be against the enemies of our souls. We have a natural desire for food, but not surely for profligacy."

St. John Climacus



"...alongside...knowledge, there is our capacity to choose. This is the beginning of our salvation; by our free choice we abandon our own wishes and thoughts and do what God wishes and thinks. If we succeed in doing this, there is no object, no activity or place in the whole of creation that can prevent us from becoming what God from the beginning has wished us to be: that is to say, according to His image and likeness, gods by adoption through grace, dispassionate, just, good and wise, whether we are rich or poor, married or unmarried, in authority and free or under obedience and in bondage - in short, whatever our time, place or activity."

St. Peter of Damaskos
"Justice was above the world when the devil offered all the kingdoms of the world and all its glory. He was above the world Who touched nothing concerning the world, Who said: The prince of this world is coming, but in Me he shall find nothing. Learn, therefore, to be above the world even while in this world, and if you bear a body, may your interior wings soar up. He is above the world who bears God in his body."

St. Ambrose of Milan