‘Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt’

It was February, 1988. Quite cold in Karyes [the capital of the Holy Mountain]. It’s at quite a high elevation and it’s damp which makes things more difficult. But the weather was dry that day. There was a bit of a breeze and if you were warmly dressed it was quite enjoyable. It was late afternoon and the sun had just dropped behind the hill. I was walking along a path with Father Païsios, and on the way we met up with Fr. Kallinikos from the Skete of Koutloumousi.

We arrived at the little wooden bridge. There were walnut tress all around, with just bare branches.

‘Who’s gone and brought mandarins?’, asked Father Païsios in surprise.

Much further on, about sixty meters away, there was the gate to his yard and something showing at the bottom, which might have been orange in colour. From that distance it wasn’t possible to say more.

We soon arrived and, indeed, we saw a big plastic bag, orange in colour, full of mandarins. How on earth had he seen them? How did he know they were mandarins and not oranges? Given that the bag was orange it could have contained anything, apples, for example.

‘I really like mandarins’, he said, pretending to be greedy. ‘I’ll keep three for myself… No, better make it five… No, now I’ve got the chance I’ll take seven’, he said with a big smile and stopped at seven.

‘Take the rest across to Elder Iosif, Father Kallinikos’.

Father Kallinikos took his blessing and left. Fr. Païsios and I went into his little house. We sat in a cell and he asked me to read some manuscript texts of his.

About twenty minutes had passed when somebody knocked at the gate, wanting to see him.

‘Should I answer the door, Elder?’, I asked.

‘Better not. If they’re curious, they’ll leave. If they really need to see me, they won’t’.

We continued reading, and in a few minutes the knock came again.

‘Now what do we do, Elder?’

Instead of curtains, there was a piece of sheet over his window.

‘Take a peek, without them seeing you and tell me how many there are’.

‘I can’t tell, because I can’t see them’

‘Can’t you even add up? What were you doing all those years in America?. We’ll wait and they’ll knock again.

Sure enough, after a while they knocked again.

‘Now I’ll see if I can count them. I may not have finished Primary School, but I’ll see what I can do’.

He got up and opened the door.

‘What’s the matter, lads? Look at the time. What have you come for?’

‘Father we want to see you for a little. Can we?’

‘Certainly, you can see me, but what will we find to offer you? How many are you? Let me count. Seven. Let’s see what there is in the shop at this time of day’.

He went inside and returned with the seven mandarins.

I was absolutely amazed at the man. How did he know how many mandarins to keep? Did he know in advance? Had God shown him, without him realizing?

‘Where are you from?’, he asked with interest.

‘We’re from Athens. And Bruce and John are from America’.

‘From America? If we give them just a mandarin each they’ll make us a laughing-stock. Let’s see if there’s anything American in the supermarket’.

He went back inside and returned with a packet of American biscuits and a tin of Planters nuts. They were amazed and impressed.

‘Father’, asked one of them, ‘what does the talanto symbolize that they strike in monasteries?’

I don’t know what it symbolizes and it’s not important. What matters isn’t striking the talanto in a monastery but to multiply the talent· God’s given you. Listen. Because of the time, you have to leave. I’ve got only one thing to say to you. The problem with Americans is that, in English, ‘I’ is always written with a capital letter, whereas here in Greece we sometimes write ‘εγώ’ with a small ‘ε’.

They laughed at his joke and the Americans asked: ‘What does that mean? What should we do?’

‘Get rid of ‘I’ from your vocabulary. Egotism’s our great enemy. All of us, without exception, have to fight against it’.

There’s a courtesy about sanctity, a delicacy, a graciousness. He didn’t say anything  wise or theological, nor did he make any impressive revelations. But he filled their hearts. He knew that they would come, but he hid that from them. He gave his visitors a treat each, he was unlike anyone else in his behaviour, edifying in his speech and relaxing in his presence. Without trying to persuade anybody about anything, he convinced everybody about the most important things. With him, you were illumined, you found joy and rest. You felt like Mary at the feet of Christ. Like the apostles on Mount Tabor at the Transfiguration, you wanted never to leave.

Original text selection in cooperation with www.agiazoni.gr

Source: http://pemptousia.com/2016/09/let-your-speech-always-be-gracious-seasoned-with-salt/

Q&A Forum: MIND, HEART and SOUL

The Fellowship of Orthodox Christian University Students of UNSW invites you to a Q&A forum on:

MIND, HEART and SOUL

Wednesday 31st August

6:30 – 7:00pm – refreshments will be served

7:00 – 8:30pm – short presentation by 3 speakers then an opportunity to ask questions

The forum will be held in the LG03 lecture theatre, Wallace Wurth Building, UNSW (corner of High St and Botany St, Randwick) https://goo.gl/maps/t3KVD713VrL2

Speakers:

•Dr John Psarommatis on ‘What is the soul?’

–Family Doctor

–President of the Greek Orthodox Christian Society

–Lay preacher of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia

•Fr/Dr George Liangas on ‘Keeping our mind in good health’

–Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist

–Parish Priest at St Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church, Burwood

•Ms Metaxia Kokkinos on ‘Mindfulness: an Orthodox perspective’

–Provisional psychologist

–PhD Candidate (Clinical Psychology)

The Dormition of the Theotokos

After the Lord’s Ascension, the Mother of God remained under the care of the Apostle John the Theologian, and when he was absent, she lived in the house of his parents, near the Mount of Olives. For all the Apostles and all the faithful, she was a consolation and edification. Talking with them, the Mother of God told them of the wondrous events of the Annunciation, the conception without seed, and her birth of Christ without corruption, His childhood and earthly life. Like the Apostles, she instructed and strengthened others in the Christian Faith by her very presence, words, and prayers. The Apostles’ reverence for the Most Holy Virgin was extraordinary. Upon receiving the Holy Spirit on the remarkable day of Pentecost, they remained in Jerusalem for about ten years, serving for the salvation of the Jews and wishing to see and hear her divine words as often as possible. Many of the newly-enlightened in the faith even came from distant lands to Jerusalem in order to see and hear the Most Pure Theotokos.

During the persecutions brought by Herod against the young Christian Church (Acts. 12:1–3), the Most Holy Virgin Mary, together with the Apostle John the Theologian, departed in the year 42 for Ephesus, where the lot fell to the Apostle John to preach the Gospel. She was also in Cyprus at the home of St. Lazarus the Four Days Dead, who was acting Bishop there, and on the Holy Mountain of Athos, concerning which, according to St. Stephen the Hagiorite, the Mother of God said prophetically, “This place shall be the portion given me by my Son and God. I will be the Protectress of this place, and an Intercessor for it before God.”
The reverence of the ancient Christians for the Mother of God was so great that they preserved everything about her life that they could note from her words and deeds, and even left us a description of her appearance.
According to tradition based upon the words of the Holy Hieromartyr Dionysius the Aeropagite (†December 20, 107), St. Ambrose of Milan wrote in his work On Virginity about the Mother of God, “She was a virgin not only in body but also in mind, who stained the sincerity of its disposition by no guile, who was humble in heart, grave in speech, prudent in mind, sparing of words, studious in reading, resting her hope not on uncertain riches, but on the prayer of the poor, intent on work, modest in discourse; wont to seek not man but God as the judge of her thoughts, to injure no one, to have goodwill towards all, to rise up before her elders, not to envy her equals, to avoid boastfulness, to follow reason, to love virtue. When did she pain her parents even by a look? When did she disagree with her neighbours? When did she despise the lowly? When did she avoid the needy? Being wont only to go to such gatherings of men as mercy would not blush at, nor modesty pass by. There was nothing gloomy in her eyes, nothing forward in her words, nothing unseemly in her acts, there was not a silly movement, nor unrestrained step, nor was her voice petulant, that the very appearance of her outward being might be the image of her soul, the representation of what is approved."
According to a tradition preserved by the historian Nicephorus Callistos (fourteenth century), the Mother of God “was of medium height, or as some say, slightly taller than medium height; her hair was golden-like; her eyes quick, and olive colored; her eyebrows were arched and not too black, her nose elongated, her lips blossom-like, and filled with sweet speech; her face was neither round nor sharp, but slightly elongated; her fingers and toes long… She preserved good decency in her conversation with others, not laughing, never upset, and especially never angry; she was absolutely artless, simple; she never thought of herself in the least, and was far from comfort seeking, distinguishing herself by her total humility. As for the clothing she wore, she was content with their natural color, which her sacred head covering still shows. To say it briefly, she manifested especial grace in her every deed.”
The circumstances surrounding the Dormition of the Mother of God are well known in the Orthodox Church from the time of the Apostles. St. Dionysius the Aeropagite wrote in the first century about her Dormition. In the second century, the story of the Most Holy Virgin’s bodily translation into heaven is found in the works of Meliton, Bishop of Sardica. In the fourth century, St. Epiphanius of Cyprus refers to the tradition of the Dormition of the Mother of God. In the fifth century, St. Juvenal, Patriarch of Jerusalem said to the holy right-believing Greek Queen Pulcheria, “Although there is nothing written in Holy Scripture about the circumstances surrounding her (the Theotokos’s) death, we nevertheless know about them from ancient and most reliable tradition.” This tradition was collected and set forth in detail in the ecclesiastical history of Nicephorus Callistos from the fourth century.
Her days and nights were spent in prayer. Often the Most Holy Theotokos came to the Holy Sepulcher of the Lord, censed it around, and bent her knee in prayer. More than once did the enemies of the Savior attempt to prevent her from visiting this holy place, and asked the high priests to set a guard over the Lord’s Sepulcher. But the Holy Virgin, seen by no one, continued to pray before it. On one of these visitations to Golgotha, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her and told her that she would soon be moving on from this life to the heavenly life, eternal and blessed. The Angel gave her a palm branch as a token of this promise. The Mother of God returned to Bethlehem with this heavenly tidings, along with three virgins who served her (Sepphora, Evigea, and Zoila). Then she called for the righteous Joseph of Arimathea and the disciples of the Lord, to whom she announced her nearing Dormition. The Most Holy Virgin also prayed that the Lord would send her the Apostle John, and the Holy Spirit took him up from Ephesus, placing him next to where the Mother of God lay. After praying, the Most Holy Virgin burned incense, and St. John heard a voice from Heaven that concluded her prayer with the word, “Amen”. The Mother of God said that this voice indicated that the Apostles and Holy Bodiless Powers would soon arrive. Countless Apostles flew in, says St. John Damascene, like clouds and eagles, in order to serve the Mother of God. Seeing each other, the Apostles rejoiced, but asked each other in their perplexity why the Lord had thus gathered them into one place. St. John the Theologian greeted them with tears of joy, saying that the time has come for the Mother of God to depart to the Lord. Going in to the Mother of God, they saw her seated magnificently on her couch, filled with spiritual joy. The Apostles greeted her, and then told her about their miraculous transport from the places of their ministry. The Most Holy Virgin glorified God that He had heard her prayer and fulfilled the desire of her heart, and began to discuss her coming end. During this discussion, the Apostle Paul appeared with his disciples: Dionysius the Aeropagite, the wondrous Hierotheus, the divine Timothy, and others of the seventy Apostles. The Holy Spirit had gathered them all together, so that they would be vouchsafed the blessing of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, and arrange her burial in all magnificence. She called each one to herself by name, blessed them, and praised their faith and labors in preaching Christ’s Gospels. She wished for each of them eternal blessedness, and prayed with them for the peace and well-being of the whole world.
The third hour came, when the Dormition of the Mother of God should occur. Many candles were burning. The holy Apostles with hymns surrounded the magnificently adorned bier on which the Most Holy Virgin Theotokos rested. She prayed in expectation of her departure and the arrival of her beloved Son and Lord. Suddenly, there was a flash of unspeakable Light of Divine glory, before which the light of the burning candles paled. Those who saw it were in fear. The ceiling of the room as if disappeared in rays of incomprehensible Light, and the King of Glory Himself, Christ, descended, surrounded by a multitude of Angels, Archangels, and other Heavenly Powers, with the righteous souls of the forefathers and prophets, who had once foretold the coming of a Most Pure Virgin. Seeing her Son, the Mother of God exclaimed “My soul hath magnified the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior, for He hath looked upon the lowliness of His handmaiden”; and, rising from her couch to meet her Lord, she bowed to Him. The Lord called her to the habitations of Eternal Life. Without the least bodily suffering, as if in a pleasant dream, the Most Holy Virgin gave her soul into the hands of her Son and God.
Then began joyous angelic singing. Accompanying the pure soul of the Bride of God with reverent fear as the Queen of Heaven, the Angels cried out, “Rejoice, O blessed one, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women! The Queen and Handmaiden of God has come; receive her ye gates, and fittingly raise the Ever Virgin Mother of the Light; through her has the race of men been saved. We cannot look upon her, nor are we able to render unto her the honor that is meet. The heavenly gates were uplifted to meet the soul of the Most Holy Mother of God, and the Cherubim and Seraphim glorified her with rejoicing. The grace-filled face of the Mother of God shone with the divine glory of virginity, and a fragrance poured from her body.
Wondrous was the life of the Most Pure Virgin, wondrous also was her falling asleep, as the Holy Church chants: “The God of the universe hath shown on thee, O Queen, wonders surpassing the laws of nature. In giving birth, He hast preserved thy virginity, and in the grave, he preserved thy body incorrupt.” Venerating thy most pure body with fear and reverence, the Apostles received from it sanctification and were filled with grace and spiritual joy. To the greater glorification of the Most Holy Theotokos, the omnipotent power of God healed the sick who touched her bier with faith and love. Having wept over their separation from the Mother of God on earth, the Apostles set about burying her most pure body. The holy Apostles Peter, Paul, and James, with others of the twelve Apostles, carried on their shoulders the bier that held the body of the Most Pure Virgin. St. John the Theologian walked at the fore carrying the heavenly, radiant palm branch, and the other saints and a multitude of the faithful walked alongside the bier with candles and lamps, singing sacred hymns. This solemn procession began at Mt. Zion and went through all of Jerusalem to Gethsemane.
At the first movement, a wide and luminous circle of cloud appeared suddenly over the most pure body of the Mother of God like a wreath, and a host of angels joined together with the host of Apostles. The singing of the heavenly powers could be heard glorifying the Mother of God, and this singing was repeated by earthly voices. This circle of heavenly chanters and luminosity moved along in the air, accompanying the procession to the very place of burial. The unbelieving people of Jerusalem, stunned by the extraordinary magnificence of the burial procession and enraged at the honor rendered to the Mother of Jesus, sent word about it to the high priests and scribes. Enflamed with envy and vengefulness for everything that reminded them of Christ, they sent their servants to disperse the procession, and to burn the body of the Mother of God. The angry crowd and soldiers headed wrathfully toward the Christians, but the cloud-like wreath that followed in the air above the procession lowered down to the earth and as if guarded them like a wall. Their pursuers heard steps and singing, but could not see any of those processing. Many of them were struck with blindness. The Jewish priest Aphthoniah, out of his envy and hatred for the Mother of Jesus of Nazareth, wanted to overturn the bier on which lay the body of the Most Pure Virgin, but an Angel of God invisibly severed his hands that touched the bier. Seeing such a miracle, Aphthoniah repented and confessed with faith the greatness of the Mother of God. He received healing and joined the host of those accompanying her body, becoming a zealous follower of Christ. When the procession had reached Gethsemane, the final kissing (veneration) of her most pure body began. Only in the evening could the holy Apostles place her in the grave and close the entrance to the cave with a large stone. They did not leave the place of burial for three days, praying and singing psalms continually. By the wise providence of God, the Apostle Thomas was not fated to be present at the burial of the Mother of the Lord. Arriving on the third day in Gethsemane, he fell down before the burial cave with bitter tears and loudly expressed his regret that he had not been worthy to receive a final blessing from the Mother of God, or to bid her farewell. The Apostles out of heartfelt pity for him decided to open the cave and give him the consolation of reverencing the holy remains of the Ever Virgin. But when they opened the grave, they found there only her winding sheets, and were thus convinced that the body of the Most Holy Virgin had been miraculously taken up into heaven.
On the evening of that same day, when the Apostles had gathered in the house to strengthen themselves with food, the Mother of God herself appeared to them and said, “Rejoice! I am with you always.” This so gladdened the Apostles and all who were with them that they raised a portion of the bread that was always presented at table in remembrance of the Savior (“the Lord’s Portion”) and exclaimed, “Most Holy Theotokos, come to our aid”.

Source: http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/48309.htm

Crucified to Self

I am crucified with Christ

In our life, every undertaking, every action, every thought, must be a reflection of Christ in our life. The Lord will grant us the strength and ability to accomplish good works and attain holiness, if we cooperate with His grace. Prayer alone is not enough if we do not reflect moral improvement. Change must take place in our heart if we are to win the battle against the ego, and this requires much work on our part.
Central to living in all holiness of life is the acquisition of a humble and contrite heart. Humility does not come without contrition, and both are obtained with much suffering and trial. Spiritual reading, together with prayer, are necessary components of this journey to God, but must be accompanied by spiritual direction, confession, and the acceptance of correction.
If we are so proud and puffed up that we swiftly take on the role of defense attorney when confronted with correction or the critique of another, we will simply fall further under the control of the ego, and humility will remain alien to our makeup. Often the critical observations of others, which we’d like to fend off, can become a tool for regeneration, for such corrections, even if offered by someone with ill intent, can be occasions for tremendous spiritual progress.
I am reminded of my late spiritual father, Archimandrite Dimitry of Santa Rosa. He was slandered by a local priest in a very public setting. When informed, the Elder Dimitry stood up from his desk, walked across the room, and began winding a wall clock. Asked why he seemingly cared little that he’d been so falsely and viciously slandered, his only response was to say, “Many sins have been forgiven because of this.”
Making spiritual progress is never easy and must be accompanied by much effort on our part. It can come only through humility, which means that we can expect to be humiliated. If we do not flee from suffering and humiliation, but learn to accept it for our salvation, holiness can be ours, and our life will truly reflect the words of St. Paul, who said, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20).”
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Source: http://blogs.ancientfaith.com/morningoffering/2016/07/crucified-to-self/

Orthodox Christianity is an Integral Religion for Today and the Future

Orthodox Christianity integrates all forms of knowing. It has no conflict with scientific knowledge, it honors our emotions, it encourages intellectual understanding, and recognizes spiritual experience. It is historical and not based on mythical stories. It has a "yoga" or "way of life" that guides a follower to grow in their ways of knowing, seeking to live in dynamic presence of God. It recognizes the interior as well as the exterior reality of all things. It has a Tradition that is over 2000 years old. Yet it embraces the nature of our current world and the freedoms it espouses. It teaches universal values and  does not reject persons with differing values. It provides a shelter for those who seek to find peace and harmony in divine love. It provides a hospital for wounded souls. It's aim is integration of body, mind, soul, and Spirit without degrading the reality or importance of any of these dimensions. This is called Theosis, a union with God that does not require the loss of our individuality or personality.

We live in a historical time of transition. In ancient times there was no differentiation of the individual, society or community, and Spirit. Man was not free but constrained by mythical and pagan beliefs enforced by society, often under severe threat of punishment or even death. But our minds were opened to power of science, our hearts were freed for self expression, and we learned the importance of developing our intellect. Unfortunately we lost the power of Spirit in this transition as the power of intellect and power of scientific discoveries began to overpower and limit our full reality. Only what was observable in physical terms our demos treatable by clear logic became acceptable truth. This has led to much dysfunction and a loss of many universal values of Goodness.

Throughout this long historical period Orthodox Church survived with its holistic and integral world view. It is now is a position to lead mankind to a greater level of development where we retain our individuality, our freedom, but find peace and harmony though a realization of Spirit.

The Orthodox Church teaches that our world is the Creation of God and maintained by Spirit. When the time was right He sent His Son, Jesus, to show us this integral way of life. Jesus is not a mythical figure but his life has been recorded by four different witnesses to His life and time. His life is also validated by both Roman and Jewish historians, as well as recent archeological findings. Unfortunately many of the lessons He taught us have been misinterpreted by many who accept His realty leaving some with a flattened view of His lessons. The Orthodox Church never lost the integral nature of His life. It was defended by Seven Ecumenical Councils with the last one being held 1200 years ago. While for about 1000 years there was only one Church, today you can find more than a thousand versions. But the Orthodox Churh has stayed true to the origin teachings about the nature of Chrust and what He had to teach.

Jesus was both fully man and fully God and he taught us how to become like Himself. He struggled to convince people of His time that there is a greater realm than the physical. They wanted a powerful king but He was king of a greater realm. It was through His cruel and painful unjust death, followed by His resurrection witnessed by many, His teaching of disciples that followed and His empowerment of them by the Spirit that He still lives among us in the Orthodox Church.

He established a sacramental Church filled with the work of the Holy Spirit where peoples of all nations could be healed, nurtured by the Spirit, and lifted in their ways of knowing to experience the dynamic presence of God in their lives. He did not give them a book but a "way of life", a set of practices and disciplines along with sacraments where the Holy Spirit is fully engaged in a way that we are renewed.

To learn more about this integral way of life Jesus gave to us you will find Ten Points that will serve as a beginning guide to this way of life. The way begins with a belief, an acceptance of the realty of Jesus as a historical person as presented in the four Gospels and his dual nature as both God and man as defended by the Ecumenical Councils. With this belief the Ten Points will guide you along an ever growing path. The Spirit is enlivened in you, and you can develop a life grounded in an experienced knowledge of the mystical energies of God.

Source: http://orthodoxwayoflife.blogspot.com.au/2016/06/orthodox-christianity-is-integral.html

My encounter with Saint Paisios

Archpriest Panayiotis Papageorgiou, Ph.D.

I consider it a great blessing that I was able to be in the presence of this humble giant of our Faith. This was a defining moment for me as I was searching for ways to anchor my faith in Christ. Elder Paisios stood as a beacon, as a light of Christ’s love, His humility and sacrifice.
Elder Paisios was gifted with the spiritual gift of discernment and was able to read the souls of those he encountered. He showed great compassion for the people who came to him from all over Greece and eventually from around the world. People unloaded their problems at his feet. He would pray, guide and comfort them and they would walk away filled with joy and enlightened by his words.

Elder Paisios lived on earth, but for him heaven was always open. The difference between the two was just a door, which some times opened into Heaven so that he might partake of the divine grace and sometimes it opened into this world so that he might be visited by Christ and the Saints. In one occasion, when he answered the door to his cell, the Theotokos walked in, followed by St. John the Evangelist and St. Efthimia. St. Efthimia stayed with the elder for hours describing to him her martyrdom and helping him resolve the issues he was praying about.
The elder prayed for specific groups of people at certain times. Through his prayers miracles would happen and people would come back to tell him about them. In one case, during the time that he was praying for travelers, a 9-year old boy was crossing the street in southern Greece unaware of a huge truck coming his way. Right before the moment of impact the boy was picked up by “this priest” who rushed to his aid, and suddenly thrown over to the other side of the street, thus saving his life. After landing on his feet, the child looked around, but the priest had disappeared. The father of the child embarked on a search to find the priest who saved his son’s life, wishing to thank him. The search finally led them both to the cell of elder Paisios on Mount Athos. When the child saw the saint, he cried out, “daddy, this is the priest that saved my life”. They explained the event to the elder and he was able to ascertain that indeed he was praying at that time for travelers, but he was never there personally in the flesh! The Holy Spirit had acted on his behalf to save that child, revealing also the holiness of the saint and how God’s grace is poured out through his intercessions.
In another case, a young man, who professed to be an atheist, but was filled with curiosity about spiritual things, visited the saint at his cell on Mount Athos and confessed to him his concern about his father who was dying of cancer. The elder said, “I will come to visit him”. The young man was surprised to hear that, but said nothing. He returned home and went to spend time with his father at the hospital. His father was now in a coma and his death was imminent. That night he stayed by his side and fell asleep in the hospital room. In the middle of the night the young man woke up to the voice of his father calling him. His father was asking to see a priest for confession. He explained that a monk had come to him and told him that he was dying and he needed to have Confession. The description of the monk fit the profile of elder Paisios (although the elder never left the Holy Mountain). The young man brought in a priest who offered his father Confession and Holy Communion. His father passed away that day, cleansed through the Holy Sacraments.
I had the blessing to meet and converse with saint Paisios in 1986 during my first visit to Mount Athos. He was in his “outdoor guest-room” sitting in the shade on tree stumps with his visitors, discussing questions about the Antichrist and the end-times. One of the guests, a young priest, was asking with anxiety about the mark of the beast (the 666) and wondering what Christians could do if this was forced upon them. The elder, calmly but sternly responded: “Father, even if they would mark our body with the 666, can they touch our heart? If we give our heart to Christ, no one can do us any harm spiritually, even if they were to put the mark of the beast on our bodies”.

We lined up, and the elder received us privately to hear our concerns and give us advise. His countenance was radiating peace and joy. His speech was full of love and compassion. This was a remarkable day in my life which gave me reassurance on my path to the holy priesthood and the service of the Lord and His Church.
There are many stories of miracles related to this saint of our times. But the elder left us also with much holy wisdom and a loving approach to the human fallen condition, something that sets him apart in a world of legalism and judgment.

He passed on to the Kingdom of God on July 12, 1994. He died of cancer at the age of 70.

Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain was canonized by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on Tuesday, January 13, 2015.

His memory is celebrated on July 12.
May his intercessions be with us.

Source: http://www.pravmir.com/my-encounter-with-saint-paisios-the-athonite-in-1986/

Same Sex ‘Marriage’ and how it can impact you, your family and children

FUTURE FAMILIES FORUM - All Saints Belmore from Speak Up on Vimeo.

FUTURE FAMILIES FORUM Invites you to an evening of discussion and insight on the topic of “Same Sex ‘Marriage’ and how it can impact you, your family and children”, to be held at the Greek Orthodox Parish and Community of “ALL SAINTS” in Belmore (Corner Isabel and Cecilia Streets, Belmore South, New South Wales,) on Saturday May 21st. Our panel of nationally and internationally renowned experts Dr David Van Gend & Dr Roback Morse will share their thoughts on the topic in what promises to be an interesting and lively discussion. Saturday May 21st at 6:30pm.

Brought to you by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia – Marriage committee. To join or share the event please click here https://www.facebook.com/events/1603344403289888/

Easter Encyclical from Archbishop Stylianos of Australia

+ S T Y L I A N O S

By the grace of God
Archbishop of Australia

To all the Clergy and devout faithful of our Greek Orthodox Archdiocese

Brother Concelebrants and Beloved Children in the Lord,

Christ is Risen!

Having crossed the sea of Holy and Great Lent once again this year, we are all invited, as illumined children of the Church, to receive Christ from the tomb as the Bridegroom.

No matter how great the powers of evil in the world, which darken and tarnish the human person, we are not permitted to show weakness of faith before life itself, since in finality life is redeemed by the Giver of life. The Paschal lamb of God awaits those who have fasted and those who have not, provided that the lethargic receive the Supper as do the pious.

Humanity and the world are the inheritance of God, which the power of death cannot destroy. Whenever we feel that our powers may be failing us in our everyday struggle, we need to remember that beyond all human strength, the power of God remains inexhaustible.

In the language of our ancestors, in the immortal epics of Homer, the words “light” and “human person” are synonymous words. Let us therefore believe, sisters and brothers, in the Light. Let us strive for the Light, so that our works might be accomplished in Light.

Come receive the light from the light which never sets! Peace be with you! Peace be with all!

To Him belong glory and power to the ages of ages. Amen!

With fervent prayers in the Risen Christ,

Archbishop S T Y L I A N O S
Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in Australia