about St. Seraphim of Sarov

 GENERAL RE-SHARING What was just shared with me, -VERY interesting information about St. Seraphim of Sarov and spiritual life in Russia & Ukraine just before and as the communists took full destructive control, etc.  

  Time:  Tue, 17 Jan 2023 

From: THANKS TO THE SENDER OF THIS!

Sent: Monday, January 16, 2023 8:01 PM

Subject: St. Seraphim of Sarov

Greetings with the Feast of Theophany!

Some historical photos of the days in Sarov & Diveevo before the monasteries were closed.

Prov. 23:23  † Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

   

Begin Forwarded Message:

    From: Steven Allen <frstevenallen@gmail.com>

    Date: 17 January 2023 at 2:28:48 pm GMT+11

    To: "St. Irene Group" <st-irene-chrysovalantou-mission@googlegroups.com>

    Subject: [st-irene-chrysovalantou-mission] St. Seraphim of Sarov

    Reply-To: frstevenallen@gmail.com

    Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. Irene, 

      On Sunday, along with the Forefeast of the Theophany and the memory of St. Silvester, Pope of Rome, we commemorated a great saint of recent times, St. Seraphim of Sarov.   Here is a link to a recording of a sermon about the saint which I delivered yesterday: 

  

AUDIO

https://www.spreaker.com/user/youngfaithradio/sermon-23-0115

      Holy Father Seraphim, pray to God for us!  

  with love in Christ, 

    Fr. Steven 

PHOTOS

 https://orthochristian.com/127083.html 

-- 

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Malin, Ukraine Church Restoration Update

ROCOR: Pictorial & Fund-raising History of repairs to severely war-damaged Church of The Protection of The Mother of God, in Malin, Ukraine  

  Time:  Sat, 14 Jan 2023 

24 photos 

 INSIDE and OUTSIDE 

http://internetsobor.org/index.php/novosti/rptsz/rptsz-vosstanovlenie-pokrovskogo-khrama-v-maline

Restoration of the Protection/Pokrov Church of The Mother of God, in Malin, Ukraine (update)

Author: Metropolitan Agafangel. Publication date:January 14, 2023. Category: ROCOR .

• January 7, 2023. By the Nativity of Christ, the dome space of the Intercession Church in Malin was repaired.

• 29 September. In the Church of the Intercession in the city of Malin, the external repair of the walls damaged by fragments from the explosion of a Russian rocket has been completed. The heating system in the temple has also been repaired.

     The diocesan administration of the Odessa diocese transferred funds for these works from its bank account to the company-contractor of works:

09/01/22 advance payment for facade repair UAH 19,052 = $516.31

09/29/22 final payment for the work performed to repair the facade of the temple UAH 70,424.80 = $1,908.53

09/29/22 repair of heating of the temple premises 6 967.66 UAH =  $ 188.82

Total: 96,444.46 UAH = $2,613.66

Earlier, UAH 463,629 = $14,099.28 were transferred to the contractor for the repair of the temple  

Total : $14,099.28  + $2,613.66 = $16,712.04 (excluding bank fees for currency sales and banking transactions with other banks).

     This does not include funds donated directly to the parish and the rector of the temple, Fr. George Storozhitsky.

• 24 September. In the Church of the Intercession in the city of Malin, the external repair of the walls, damaged by fragments from the explosion of a Russian rocket, is almost completed. The eastern wall from the side of the altar remained. The work is complicated by daily rains.

• 14 September. In the Church of the Intercession in the city of Malin, the external repair of walls damaged by fragments from the explosion of a Russian rocket continues. The work is made more difficult by constant rain.

• 5 September. In the Church of the Intercession in the city of Malin, scaffolding was installed for the external repair of walls damaged by shrapnel from a Russian rocket explosion.

• August 23. In the Intercession Church in Malin, the chimney for the boiler was replaced and a window was installed in the sacristy.

• 21 August. For the repair of the central dome and the drainage system of the ROCOR Church of the Intercession in Malin, $1,510 were transferred to the account of a construction company. In total, the diocesan administration transferred $14,099.28 + $1,510 =  $15,609.28 for the repair of the Intercession Church

•  18 August. The repair of the main dome of the Church of the Intercession in Malin has been completed. We will try to overlay it with gold-plated sheets. Now the drainage system is being put in order.

•  16 August. The restoration of the main dome of the Church of the Intercession in the city of Malin continues, three sections remain to be restored. Rectangular windows are also being installed.

•  12 August. Starting today, the restoration of the main dome of the temple has begun in the Intercession Church of Malin. The wooden frame will be restored and covered with preserved galvanized iron. If we manage to raise money, we will add the completion of arched windows and overlay the central dome with sheets of stainless steel with a gold coating. For those who want to help, the ways to transfer funds are indicated  here.

•  8 August. In the Intercession Church of Malin, the replacement of the destroyed windows continues. Unfortunately, arched windows are very expensive, while we are installing rectangular ones.

•  30 July. Thank God, the restoration of the roof of the temple is over! The cover on the entrance gate has also been repaired.

     What remains is the repair of domes, the restoration of all windows, the repair and painting of the outer walls of the temple. Funds raised are not enough to complete the work. We ask, if possible, to donate to the needs of our Church. Details are listed here

     The bank account of the Odessa Diocese, as well as the bank card of the Ruling Bishop and the Diocesan Treasurer, received donations from our parishioners for the repair of the Pokrovsky Church in the city of Malin, Ukraine, which was damaged by the explosion. These funds were transferred for the renovation of the temple in the following order:

22.0310 transferred to Malin to a bank card 5000 UAH = $170.94

03/22/30 transferred to Malin to a bank card 7500 UAH = $256.41

04/22/18 transferred to Malin to a bank card for parishioners whose houses were damaged by a missile strike UAH 6,829 = $233.47

05/22/13 advance payment for the replacement of the roof of the temple UAH 169,800 = $5,805.19

07/22/12 sheets with gold coating (20 pieces) UAH 16,600 = $567.52

07/22/27 for the manufacture of metal-plastic windows (9 pcs) with installation UAH 71,800 = $1,967.12

08/22/28 final payment for the manufacture of the roof of the temple UAH 186,100 = $5,098.63

Total: UAH 463,629 = $14,099.28 (excluding bank commission for the sale of currency and banking transactions with other banks).

     This does not include funds donated directly to the parish and the rector of the temple, Fr. George Storozhitsky.

• July 20. The roof over the side entrance has been restored.

• July 19. The window above the side entrance to the temple has been restored.

• the 14 th of July. In the Church of the Intercession, at the windows in which the frame has been preserved, the film is changed to glass. While glass was installed in one window, it cost UAH 4,000 ($137). The replacement of the roof of the temple is coming to an end.

• 27th of June. The repair of the roof of the Intercession Church continues. In two weeks, it is planned to complete the replacement of the entire roof.

     The windows in which the frames survived were temporarily decided to be glazed with one row of glass, the windows where the frames were destroyed should be completely replaced before the onset of cold weather.

• 14 June. In response to a request from the Odessa Diocese of ROCOR to the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine regarding the actions of Mayor Malin, who exerted administrative pressure and forced our ROCOR parish to transfer to the OCU, a response was received, the essence of which is that the actions of A. Sitaylo should be dealt with by the police. We also contacted the police, we hope to get an answer from there as well.

• 14 June. An answer came from the Malinsky mayor to a request for help in restoring the Church of the Intercession destroyed as a result of a missile strike by the Russian Federation. The answer, in fact, means a refusal to help, since the reference to the fact that this repair does not provide funds in the budget is an excuse, since the budget provides funds for the repair and improvement of the city's infrastructure. Also at the disposal of the city authorities there are many ways to help without attracting budgetary funds.

• 14 June. Part of the new roof is already visible from the street. At this point, the rain no longer flows into the temple.

• 13 June. Work continues to restore the completely destroyed roof of the Intercession Church. After laying the waterproofing, they began to lay the corrugated board.

• the 9th of June. Building structures are being erected around  the temple. Eight windows in the dome drum have already been installed.

• June 3rd. Eight windows were made and brought to be placed under the central dome of the Church of the Intercession in Malin, to replace those destroyed by the explosion of a Russian rocket, and work began on their installation. From today, after the purchase of building materials, the main restoration work begins.

Video Sermon in Russian

  1/15/2023: Video short sermon (in Russian) : Metropolitan Agafangel;: "Theophany/GOD'S APPEARANCE, is preceded by repentance"  

  Time:  Sun, 15 Jan 2023  

Warning: Our ROCOR INTERNETSOBOR.ORG site [seems] to be under current heavy attack, and it is only reachable, off and on.

Retired Reader Daniel Everiss in Oregon

Metropolitan Agafangel: Theophany is preceded by repentance

https://youtu.be/IgFDLr56vV4

Author: Metropolitan Agafangel. Publication date:January 15, 2023. Category: Author's column .

God, before His appearance-(His THEOPHANY or  Epiphany) expects us to repent of sins. Sermon by Metropolitan Agafangel on the Week before Epiphany/Theophany. Archangel Michael's Church, Odessa, Ukraine -January 15, 2023.

"ANATHEMA OF THE KREMLIN POWER"

1/11/2023: A VERY IMPORTANT SHARING, IN ENGLISH & RUSSIAN: ROCOR Metropolitan Agafangel (Pashkovsky): "ANATHEMA OF THE KREMLIN POWER" 

  Time:  Wed, 11 Jan 2023

 

CHRIST  IS  BORN!   GLORIFY  HIM!  

And Greetings With The New Year!

May Almighty God allow us all to survive, bodies and souls,  

this difficult new year!

“Hear us, O God Our Saviour! And save us who sing unto Thee, ALLELUIA!”

 
Metropolitan Agafangel: Anathema of the Kremlin power

Author: Metropolitan Agafangel. Publication date:January 11, 2023. Category: Author's column .

We know from history that the satanic Soviet authorities sometimes succeeded in giving themselves an attractive appearance and thereby tempting many people, even those who sincerely believe in God.

Deception has always been there - starting from the first Soviet decrees.  In the church plan, the Soviet authorities at first, for the sake of a split in the Church, organized the Renovationist Church, which supported the "revolution" and tried to carry out reforms that would destroy Orthodoxy.  Then she managed to organize the Soviet "canonical" pseudo-church, persuading Metropolitan Sergius Stragorodsky and similar hierarchs who were unstable in faith to betray Christ.

A kind of pinnacle of deception of believers was the use of a wave of victory in 1945.  At that time, the Stalinist authorities announced a new approach to religion in the USSR, and using victory in the war, by opening churches, with the help of international agitation of Soviet barkers in cassocks and white hoods, and also using direct bribery of the Eastern Patriarchs by the Kremlin, the Stalinist Moscow Patriarchate succeeded to join many bishops who were abroad and even from the catacombs.  But, as we know, this turned out to be a trap, and a little later, the Soviet government revealed its guise by mass Khrushchev's persecution of religion.

* * *

Now we see another round of Soviet deception.  In view of the crisis and the decline of the communist ideology, the post-Soviet Kremlin pseudo-Orthodoxy was finally formatted by the Soviet authorities.  The Moscow Patriarchate, if earlier it was only under the control of the KGB-FSB, now it itself, as Patriarch Kirill of the MP put it, has become a co-worker of the current government, that is, it itself has entered power in the Kremlin.  And now she is not just justifying the war and the murders of Orthodox people in Ukraine, she herself is an accomplice in this war, she is among those who unleashed and is waging this war .

It is impossible to serve God and the devil at the same time, as the Gospel emphasizes: "No one can serve two masters (...) You cannot serve God and mammon" (Mt 6.24, see Lk 16.13).   The Kremlin Church — the Moscow Patriarchate — having not repented of serving the theomachists (and through them to the devil himself), contrary to the words of Christ, makes an attempt to continue serving the devil in combination with serving God (!).

* * *

Now many in the Russian Federation, and, unfortunately, not only in the Russian Federation, have allowed themselves to be deceived by deciding that the Orthodox demagogy that comes from the Kremlin is the essence of the current government.  But this is not the essence — without repentance, the essence, as it was, remains the same — serving the devil, and Orthodox demagoguery is just sheep's clothing to cover up the true essence.

Now deception reigns all over the world, in particular, in the Russian Federation and Ukraine.  In fact, in Ukraine there were not so many nationalists that they gained a preponderance in society — before the start of the war, even in the Ukrainian West, nationalists in elections received a maximum of about 2 percent of the vote.  Ukrainian nationalism today is a political order to divide people as much as possible.  As well as the destructive self-destruction of culture, which is happening in Ukraine.  The Kremlin and the Moscow Patriarchate, allegedly acting on behalf of the entire Russian people, are among the organizers and executors of this diabolical plan, moreover, at the very edge of destruction, working most of all for the sake of dividing peoples.  Thanks to joint efforts, and especially the war unleashed by the Kremlin, the gulf between Russians and Ukrainians in Ukraine has widened a lot.

The fact remains that the Kremlin and the Moscow Patriarchate have unleashed a bloody large-scale war with Ukraine and are killing hundreds of thousands of its citizens, as well as sacrificing their own.  People who historically professed Orthodoxy came with weapons to kill other people who historically professed Orthodoxy in the same way.

* * *

To succumb in one's heart to the deceit of the Kremlin authorities, even to the slightest degree to take its side, is not worthy of the followers of Christ — members of His Church.  Therefore, I call on all our faithful brothers and sisters not to waver and be steadfast in the Commandments of Christ!

* * *

Modern ideologists of the war directly fall under the anathema of the Holy Patriarch Tikhon, which he issued to the God-fighting communists who were in the Kremlin then and continue to be in it until today (there have been no elections in the Russian Federation since the Bolshevik coup, power there is constantly transferred to the spiritual successors of the lawless) :

“Forgotten and trampled on are the commandments of Christ about love for one’s neighbors: daily news reaches us of terrible and brutal beatings of innocent people and even on the sickbed of people lying on the bed, guilty only of honestly fulfilling their duty to their homeland, that all forces and all this is done not only under the cover of night darkness, but also openly in daylight, with hitherto unheard-of audacity and merciless cruelty, without any trial and with the violation of every right and legitimacy, is being done in our days in almost all the cities and villages of our homeland: both in the capitals and on the outskirts.

All this fills our hearts with deep painful sorrow and forces us to turn to such monsters of the human race with a formidable word of rebuke and rebuke according to the covenant of St. Apostle: "Reprove those who sin before everyone, so that others also may fear" (1 Tim 5:20).

Come to your senses, madmen, stop your massacres.  After all, what you are doing is not only a cruel deed, it is truly a satanic deed, for which you are subject to the fire of Gehenna in the future life — the afterlife and the terrible curse of posterity in the present life-earthly.

By the authority given to us by God, we forbid you to approach the Mysteries of Christ, we anathematize you, if only you still bear Christian names and although you belong to the Orthodox Church by birth.

We also conjure all of you, faithful children of the Orthodox Church of Christ, not to enter into any kind of communion with such monsters of the human race: "cast out the perverted one from among you" (1 Corinthians 5.13).

Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. January 19th 1918."

* * *

Do not be deceived brothers and do not take the side of darkness - before you is a direct denunciation of the last legitimate Holy Orthodox Patriarch on our earth of the entire dynasty of theomachic Kremlin authorities, all their followers and minions, who rolled down before the eyes of the whole world from a pedestal, which they themselves raised to heaven, to the very depths of hell.

Which is attested and sealed by the anathema of Patriarch Tikhon.

+ Metropolitan Agafangel

.

http://internetsobor.org/index.php/stati/avtorskaya-kolonka/mitropolit-agafangel-anafema-kremljovskoj-vlasti

Комментарии   

# RE: Митрополит Агафангел: Анафема кремлёвской власти — Протодиакон Герман 11.01.2023 21:12

Everything is unconditionally true and one can only agree that the Soviet-Bolshevik government with its criminal ramifications has not disappeared at all, and for a whole century it has only been passed from hand to hand, albeit in a "diluted form", no longer having that true of a satanic character that raged in the terrible Lenin-Stalin times. 

Once again, we can only bow before the confessional message of the holy Patriarch Tikhon, who anathematized these monsters of the human race.  “Come to your senses, madmen, stop your bloody massacres,” committed “with hitherto unheard-of audacity and merciless cruelty,” for which they were subject to the fire of Gehenna.  Let us only recall that these fiery patriarchal words were addressed to those monsters who seized power over the former Russian Empire, in which before that the Russians and Ukrainians, then called Little Russians, cohabited quite comfortably, like siblings.  And, starting from the revolution, fanaticism was committed everywhere, both in the center and on the periphery, and the patriarchal denunciation applied to all criminals who committed diabolical deeds, wherever they were and raged.  We will be told that Ukraine has abandoned communism.  We have already written more than once that this rejection of communism is based on a newly appeared, hitherto unknown, directly hysterical Russophobia. Only. We are not talking about the last months of the fratricidal war, but about that anti-Russian madness that appeared about ten years ago.  Precisely anti-Russian, not anti-Soviet, which we could only applaud.  Let us recall the attempts to ban the Russian language, the demolition of monuments not only to Lenin, but also the countless number of monuments to historical, generally recognized personalities and heroes, if only they were of Great Russian origin, which aggravated their Russophobia, putting Lenin on the same level as Suvorov and Pushkin, thereby testifying to about his complete lack of culture. 

Is it really the recent expulsion of the UOC from the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, in favor of the sham OCU, pursued only concerns about the purity of Orthodoxy?  However, today's Ukrainian authorities hold fast, and will never give up, on the personal decision of Lenin, who created an independent Ukraine with the transfer of primordially Russian lands to it.  It is holier than all holiness.  As for the anathema of St. Patriarch Tikhon and the inhuman savagery being committed, then they can be attributed not only to the Russian side.  We recently learned reliable information about how the Ukrainian military forces have not only been constantly firing at hospitals, schools and civilians for eight years now, not to mention the specific case when recruited fighters — three honored artists of the Donetsk Philharmonic — who were taken prisoner, were returned with gouged eyes, broken legs and cut out genitals.  Atrocities of the same spirit with the satanic sadism of the Bolshevik era, to which our holy New Martyrs were subjected.  Alas, there is nothing new under the sun...  The atrocities covered up by the Ukrainian authorities and definitely falling under the anathema of St. Patriarch Tikhon.  The world went mad.  Lord, save us and our mad world! 

Protode. Hermann

Всё безусловно верно и можно только согласиться с тем, что советско-больше вицкая власть со своими преступными рамификациями ничуть не исчезла, и вот уже целый век только передаётся из рук в руки, хоть и в "разбавленном виде", не имея уже теперь того истинно сатанинского характера, который свирепствовал в жуткие ленино-сталинск ие времена.
Лишний раз можем только преклониться перед исповедническим Посланием святого Патриарха Тихона, анафематствовав шего этих извергов рода человеческого. «Опомнитесь, безумцы, прекратите ваши кровавые расправы», совершаемые «с неслыханною доселе дерзостью и беспощадной жестокостью», за что подлежали они огню геенскому. Напомним только, что эти пламенные патриаршие слова были обращены тем извергам, перехватившим власть над бывшей Российской Империей, в которой до этого вполне уютно сожительствовал и, как родные братья, и Русские и Украинцы, именуемые тогда Малороссами. А, начиная с революции, изуверства совершались повсеместно, и в центре и на периферии, и патриаршее обличение относилось ко всем преступникам, творившим дьявольские деяния, где бы они ни находились и свирепствовали.
Нам скажут, что Украйна отказалась от коммунизма. Мы не раз уже писали, что этот отказ от коммунизма зиждется на новоявленном, неведомом доселе прямо истерическом русофобстве. И только. Не говорим о последних месяцах братоубийственн ой войны, а о том антирусском безумии, появившемся лет десять назад. Именно антирусском, а не антисоветском, которому мы могли бы только аплодировать.
Вспомним попытки запрета русского языка, снос памятников не только Ленину, но и безсметное количество памятников историческим, общепризнанным личностям и героям, если только были великорусского происхождения, чем усугубляли они своё русофобство, ставя на одну доску Ленина с Суворовым и Пушкиным, тем самым свидетельствуя и о своём полном безкултурии. Неужели недавнее выдворение УПЦ из Киево-Печерской Лавры, в пользу бутафорной ПЦУ, преследовало одни лишь заботы о чистоте Православия ?
Однако, сегодняшняя украинская власть крепко держится, и никогда не откажется, от личного решения Ленина, создавшего самостоятельную Украйну с передачей ей исконно русских земель. Это святее всякой святости.
А что касается анафемы св. Патриарха Тихона и творимых безчеловечных изуверств, то они могут быть приписаны не только русской стороне. Недавно узнали достоверные сведения, как украинские военные силы не только постоянно стреляют в течении уже восьми лет по госпиталям, школам и по мирному населению, не говоря о конкретном случае, когда завербованные бойцы - три заслуженных артиста Донецкой филармонии -, взятые в плен, были возвращены с выколотыми глазами, перебитыми ногами и вырезанными половыми органами. Зверства одного духа с сатанинским садизмом большевицкого времени, которому подвергались наши святые Новомученики. Увы, ничего нового под солнцем... Безчинства, покрытые украинскими властями и точно подпадающие под анафему св. Патриарха Тихона.
Мiръ обезумел. Господи, спаси нас и наш обезумевший мiръ !
Протод. Герман

# RE: Митрополит Агафангел: Анафема кремлёвской власти — Митрополит Агафангел 12.01.2023 08:38

Ivan Ilyin (and with him Archim. Konstantin / Zaitsev / and St. Philaret / Voznesensky /) considered the most terrible crime of the Soviet government — the creation of a fake Soviet church.  I think that the next huge crime of this government is the shameless appropriation of all past history, religion (in particular, ROCOR) and culture (with which they have always fought).  Now Putin's Soviet government has brazenly and unceremoniously pushed into itself the culture, history and symbols of historical Russia.  Today, this government is trying to strengthen its influence in the world and gain territory by spreading the "Russian world", which includes both the Soviet "spiritual" heritage and the heritage of all Slavic Rus'.  Now Pushkin is with Dostoevsky, and all the best that was on this earth, paradoxically, is part of Putin's army of conquest.  Defending yourself from the "Russian world" with its Lenin-Stalin and the Moscow Patriarchate, you have to defend yourself from Pushkin and Dostoevsky, and many other things, undoubtedly valuable, as a temporary part of Putin's false "Russian world".  But, I think, I’m even sure that when the war is over, everything will fall into place, literally and figuratively.  I am a Russian person, and I do not want to be Soviet. Medal,

Иван Ильин (а с ним архим. Константин /Зайцев/ и свт. Филарет /Вознесенский/) считал самым страшным преступлением советской власти - создание фальшивой советской церкви. Я думаю, что следующим огромным преступлением этой власти является бессовестное присвоение себе всей прошлой истории, религии (в частности, РПЦЗ) и культуры (с которой они всегда воевали). Теперь путинская советская власть нагло и бесцеремонно впихнула в себя культуру, историю и символику исторической России. Сегодня эта власть пытается усилить в мире своё влияние и прирасти территорией путём распространения "русского мира", который включает в себя как советское "духовное" наследие, так и наследие всей славянской Руси. Теперь Пушкин с Достоевским, и всё лучшее, что на этой земле было, как это ни парадоксально, является частью путинской захватнической армии. Защищаясь от "русского мира" с его Лениным-Сталины м и Московской патриархией, приходится защищаться и от Пушкина с Достоевским, и многого другого, безусловно ценного, как временной части фальшивого путинского "русского мира". Но, я думаю, даже уверен, что, когда война окончится, всё станет на свои мести, в прямом и переносном смыслах.
Я русский человек, и не желаю быть советским.
Медаль,

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Nativity in Lyons

 1/9/2023: PLUS-Further updated Nativity Services in our ROCOR: -added: Bp. John in Lyons, France, in our ROCOR St. Nicholas Church  

  Time:  Tue, 10 Jan 2023 

ROCOR: Nativity of Christ Feast - 2022/2023 in Lyon, France

Author: Metropolitan Agafangel. Publication date:January 10, 2023. Category: ROCOR .

The Nativity Divine Liturgy at the Church of St. Nicholas in Lyon, France, was officiated by Bishop John of Melbourne, co-served by Archpriest Christo and Priest George (TOC of Greece), under Protodeacon German. Also helping at the altar were Subdeacons Thomas (TOC Grazia), Zhivko, and the newly appointed Reader Longin.

PHOTOS

try both links

http://internetsobor.org/index.php/novosti/rptsz/2022-2023

http://internetsobor.org/index.php/novosti/rptsz/2022-2024 

The temple was overcrowded, the choir sang wonderfully, there were more than 60 communicants. On Sunday, our Greeks also arrived. After the service in the church garden, they sang carols and drank hot wine, as is customary in the mountains, while skiing. Then a meal and a children's play.

Bishop Athanasius: Nativity Epistle

ROCOR Bishop Athanasius-His Christmas Message 2022/2023-which can be read in English or 

Russian. 

CHRIST  IS  BORN!   GLORIFY  HIM!

Russian and English

http://internetsobor.org/index.php/stati/avtorskaya-kolonka/2022-2024

Author: Metropolitan Agafangel. Publication date:January 08, 2023. Category http://internetsobor.org/index.php/novosti/rptsz/2022-2023: Author's column .

Nativity Message

His Grace Athanasius, Bishop of Vologda and Veliky Ustyug.

Deep night fell on Palestine with a soft veil of darkness. The world fell asleep, tired of the hustle and bustle of the day and the boiling of passions, not knowing about the great blessed event that changed everything in the life of not only the chosen people, but also all the peoples of the Earth, the spiritual state of which is characterized by night darkness, dimly sanctified by the fading lamp of the Jewish faith itself. people - the bearer of the true faith.

The earth plunged into the darkness of the southern night and sleep, and suddenly, in the twinkling of an eye, the vault of heaven was lit up and angelic singing was heard.  The angel proclaimed to the shepherds the joyful news that Heaven bowed to the earth and divine light, the light of the Kingdom of Heaven, the light of Truth, Truth, Love, the light of Reason shone from the cold earthly den, ready to pour out on suffering humanity.

In order to be enlightened by this Divine Light, one must come to the Source of Light - the Divine Infant lying in the manger and worship Him, with the humility and meekness that the born Son of God preaches, swaddled by human hands.

Bow down and comprehend - now the One who is the Source of all blessings and the source of all hardships and misfortunes has incarnated and lies in the manger.  The source of all blessings for those who believe in the Son of God, belongs to His Church, eats food from the manger - Thrones, and with love fulfilling the commandments, worships Him.

A source of grief and misfortune, a source of wars and shedding of blood for those who turned away from Him, and even more so - rebelled against Him.

Faithful children of the True Orthodox Church - this is your holiday, on which I hasten to congratulate you.

Merry Christmas, with the mercy of God, with a good end to the fast!

Sinful + Bishop Athanasius

Nativity photos from our parishes

ROCOR: Nativity of Christ 2022/2023 in a few of our parish churches of our world-wide Church-updated  

  Time:  Sat, 7 Jan 2023 

ROCOR: Nativity of Christ 2022/2023 in different churches of our Church (updated)

PHOTOS

http://internetsobor.org/index.php/novosti/rptsz/2022-2023

Church of the Intercession in Malin, Ukraine. Archpriest George Storozhitsky.

Church of the Tsarevich-Martyr Alexy, Odessa. Priest Roman Rak.

Church of the Intercession in Malin, Ukraine. Archpriest George Storozhitsky.

Author: Metropolitan Agafangel. Publication date:January 07, 2023. Category: ROCOR 

Nativity of Christ in St. Michael's Church in Odessa. 

  Metropolitan Agafangel, 

  Archpriest Vitaly Morozov, 

  Deacon Maxim Sheremet.