Tag: Christianity

Hieromonk Ignaty (Shestakov)   

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit!

Today we are commemorating in a special way the Holy Week in Hymns. Great and Holy Thursday. The Last Supper (with audio)This kind of Liturgy is reserved for the major feasts of the Lord, but on Holy Thursday we are additionally reminded of Judas’ betrayal at the Last Supper in the upper room, as he dipped his bread into the wine and gave his Master a kiss. This is to instruct us that we must flee Judas’s example and cleanse our conscience through the sacrament of confession before daring to receive Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

“>Last Supper of Christ—an event in which millions of Christians have participated for two millennia. The sacrament of Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ is the core, the greatest and most important sacrament in the life of every Christian; and participation in it is a distinctive feature of Orthodox Christianity, of the people who truly understand why the Lord established His Church.

A priest has recently told me how he went on a mission to the Special Military Operation zone and was practically on the front line. During the day, he went around the combat formation, which was scattered through forests, fields, and various hiding places. First he needed to speak to soldiers. He would ask, “Are there any Christians among you?” When they answered him, “Yes, yes, there are Christians among us”, a conversation would begin. But it should be taken into account that, like the majority of citizens of our country, these people, though baptized Orthodox, have a very vague idea about the fundamentals of their faith.

He would start a conversation with the soldiers and ask them: “You call yourself Orthodox Christians, but what is the essence of this faith?” They would start talking, and as a result a kind of confession of the faith would take place. This is what the apostle Peter instructs us to do: We must always be ready to make a confession of our faith (cf. 1 Pet. 3:15). For instance, the soldiers said that Christianity is, “thou shalt not commit adultery, shalt not kill, and shalt not lie.” And he told them that all this was important, but the most important thing was that in the Orthodox Church we have Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ. And this makes true disciples of God different from others—they possess the most priceless gift, the richness of Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ and union with God. And this sacrament is what the Lord exhorted us to do. He said that he who does not eat the Flesh and drink the Blood of the Son of Man will not have life in himself (cf. Jn. 6:35). This is the source of life for us.

    

They would listen to him attentively, and within an hour a real transformation would take place in their minds—they learned what every Orthodox Christian should know, and they received Communion.

Unfortunately, there are many people among us who identify themselves as Christians but who have no idea what Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ is, or have a distorted understanding of it.

On this day a large number of people come to church, more than on other days, because the grace of God sobers up us Christians, and we long for this Source of eternal life. But it is imperative that we preach this and speak about these things to all our neighbors without being afraid or ashamed, because it is of paramount importance for us, for the future of our country, our Church, our people, and the whole world.

    

Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His Blood, ye have no life in you (Jn. 6:53). Therefore, the devil found it essential to destroy as many churches as possible and prevent a large number of people from partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ. He rejoices when you do not partake of the Body and Blood of Christ, but the saints of God grieve together with Christ and the Apostles.

The Body and Blood of Christ are the source of life for us. And let us never reject this source out of laziness, negligence, cowardice, or weakness. And most importantly, let us teach everyone we love this simple and vital truth. Amen.

Photo: jerusalem-patriarchate.info     

On this day, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem performed the Rite of the Washing of Feet by the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. A large platform was installed in the middle of the square, covered with carpets and decorated with flowers. A priest was reading the Gospel in Greek from an elevated balcony, while what happened at the Last Supper was being re-enacted on the platform. The Patriarch removed his vestments, leaving only his sticharion.   

He riseth from supper, and laid aside His garments; and took a towel, and girded Himself. After that He poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded (Jn. 13:4–5).

His Beatitude Theophilos took the Holy Scriptures and read the passage where the Lord washed His disciples’ feet. And he proceeded to wash the bishops’ feet.

I involuntarily recalled our trip to Jerusalem in September. Then we visited the upper room (the Cenacle), where the Holy and Great Thursday. The Last Supper and the Prayer about the CupBrothers and sisters, let us penetrate into the mysteries of love revealed by Christ at this Supper.

“>Last Supper once took place, during which the Savior had the most amazing conversation with His disciples.

    

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another (Jn. 13:34-35).

A small group headed by a priest was reading the text of the Holy Scriptures in one of the Slavic languages. We were standing quietly side by side, perfectly understanding what the Lord was speaking about. Snow-white pigeons were strolling across the floor all over the upper room, including in the niches.

Returning from my memories to what was going on in reality, I saw the following scene: having girded himself, the Patriarch was washing the feet of twelve priests, symbolizing Christ and the twelve disciples, one of whom had to—act the part—of Each One of Us is Potentially a JudasIn this passage of Scripture, we read how, as our Lord prepared for His Passion, a woman came and anointed Him with very precious ointment; and it is very touching how our Lord accepted such love from simple people. But at the same time Judas—one of the twelve who were with Him—looked at this act, and something in his heart changed.

“>Judas. It is always decided by drawing lots. We were told that the priests who play this role do not conceal their tears.

The Gospel events were unfolding before our very eyes: Judas’ betrayal, the Savior’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, and the arrest of Christ by the Jews. Pilgrims filled the square, the roofs, the domes of neighboring churches, and even the scaffolding. Our group was almost next to the platform. It was a very hot day, but as if specially for us Siberians,¹ while we stoof on the square a small cloud provided shade from the scorching sun.

    

As I looked at what was going on in front of me, I mentally asked myself: Do we learn anything from the Lord? He left His teaching on humility and love not only to His disciples, the Apostles, but also to all of us. Are we able to imitate Our Teacher in anything? Lord, have mercy! Not only to wash someone else’s feet, but also to forgive each other, to make compromises, and not to bear a grudge against anyone. We succeed with difficulty, but sometimes… Yes, we had much to think about that day, although we should keep this in mind all our lives.

In the evening of the same day, we visited the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem. We attended a service at the beautiful grand Holy Trinity Cathedral. The Matins on Great and Holy Friday—the Twelve Passion GospelsWe have the Matins service for Great and Holy Friday on Thursday evening. The main part of the Matins is the twelve Gospels on the Lord’s Passion. For your convenience, these twelve Gospels have been posted here.

“>twelve Gospels on the Lord’s Passion and Crucifixion were read. I caught myself feeling as though I were in Russia. It had been erased from my memory that palm trees stood outside the walls of the cathedral, orange and grapefruit trees were blooming, bananas were ripening, and the multiethnic country of Israel lived its life. Everything was Russian: the church, the icons, the service, the singing, the priests, the people, the reverence, and the very air. In a word, the Orthodoxy itself was Russian.

We went back to our hotel as if on wings. We had just been at home.

Zaporozhye, Zaporozhye Province, Ukraine, April 17, 2025

Photo: Telegram His Eminence Metropolitan Luke of Zaporozhye, one of the most outspoken hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, has condemned the LGBT film festival that will open in Kiev on Holy Friday and called upon other religious leaders to raise their voices.

The Sunny Bunny LGBT Film Festival will be held on Holy Friday, Holy Saturday, Holy Pascha, and throughout Bright Week. According to the organizers, the goal of the festival is to “become a significant representative of the Ukrainian and international LGBT community, play a significant role in political and social representation and catalyze changes towards equality in Ukrainian society,” reports the Union of Orthodox Journalists.

But holy days must not be mocked, Met. Luke writes in his relevant Telegram post.

Our faith calls us to love everyone, he writes, but “love cannot be indifference. True love speaks the truth—with compassion, but also with courage. God loves man but hates sin, so the idea that ‘God loves everyone,’ is inappropriate in such cases.”

He continues:

Holy Friday is the day when the entire Christian world remembers the Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross for the salvation of people from sin. Pascha is a celebration of victory over death, a celebration of light, purity and life. Using these days to promote an ideology that contradicts Christian morality is deeply disrespectful not only to believers, but also to the very spiritual essence of the human person.

“This festival isn’t even a malicious joke—it’s an outright outrage,” His Eminence writes.

Given that this outrage is happening on such holy days, it is only natural to ask where is the voice of Ukraine’s spiritual leaders, Met. Luke laments. Given how important religiosity has always been in Ukraine, the silence from spiritual leaders is deafening, he writes.

“We hear statements on political topics, about the social structure, and others—and this is necessary. But where is the word about moral corruption, which is presented under the guise of ‘art?’ Where is the protection of sacred symbols, where is the guidance to the flock, where is the fatherly voice that can stop madness?”

Unfortunately, he writes, the answer is obvious—these spiritual leaders are “busy supporting legislative initiatives aimed at the legal ‘murder’ of my Mother Church, the UOC, tacit consent to the violent seizure of its churches, the beating of the faithful children of the UOC who defend their churches, and the vociferous declaration of the persecution of the UOC as ‘incredible religious freedom.’”

The Metropolitan concludes:

Why is there no joint voice of Orthodox, Catholics, Greek Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Protestants—the voice of reason, faith and conscience? Why is faith silent when unbelief screams?

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Athens, April 17, 2025

Photo: breitbart.com     

Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens, the primate of the Orthodox Church of Greece, spoke with Breitbart News recently, sharing his thoughts about the re-election of President Trump.

The Greek primate described Trump’s election as positive, praising his economic and cultural vision while urging caution to prevent global conflicts. While commending Trump for “benefiting the world,” the Archbishop advised him to implement changes “slowly and steadily,” remain attentive to average citizens’ needs, and exercise restraint to avoid a potential return to “harsh times.”

“The election of President Trump was a positive development,” the Archbishop said. “I would like to tell him that we need change, such as the reforms he is trying to implement, but reforms that we can and should understand. For example, when the U.S. relationship with China shifts alongside changing economic dynamics, it could lead to opposite effects and escalation or even a war. Europe is preparing for such a negative scenario. The economy is shifting every day. Rising prices are burdening families, and life is becoming harder. My message here is that we must focus our attention on the younger generations.”

Abp. Ieronymos also said Trump is helping steer the world away from the immoral LGBT agenda:

“In Greece same-sex marriage hasn’t been accepted by a large portion of society,” Ieronymos II said. Recall that Greek politicians became the first from an Orthodox state to legalize gay marriage Greece becomes first Orthodox country to legalize gay marriageGreek Parliament voted late last night, despite the fierce and persistent resistance from the Church and society, to legalize gay marriage and adoption by gay couples.

“>last February.

“We believe in human freedom, but that doesn’t mean extreme actions and demonstrations or activism that largely provokes people. We can’t and we shouldn’t force politicians to vote for something they fundamentally disagree with. All of this has shocked the average citizen in the previous years,” Abp. Ieronymos said.

“Then Trump’s victory came and the President made it clear that there are only two genders and we noticed that many global leaders and EU leaders started to repeat the same argument.”

Further, the Orthodox hierarch cautions the U.S. President to do everything methodically:

In many ways, I commend him and I believe he is benefiting the world. But he also needs sometimes to show a little restraint. People are afraid that if things go wrong, we might return to harsh times. President Trump needs to be aware of the needs of the average person and he plays well this role. But also, I want to remind him that the Church is a force that always can offer support and strength to the people. I’ve always admired our ancestors who used to say that if we want to move fast, we must move forward slowly and steadily. I’ve been following President Trump closely, he’s very active. We do need many changes, but not rushed ones. Step by step I believe he can contribute positively to the world.

Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America also praised President Trump “You remind me of Emperor Constantine,” Archbishop Elpidophoros tells President Trump (+VIDEO)The Archbishop was welcomed to the White House by the head of state yesterday for an event marking the 204th anniversary of Greek Independence Day—a celebration the White House has held every year since 1987.

“>last month, saying he reminded him of St. Constantine the Great.

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April 17, 2025

Gathering food donations at the ROCOR cathedral in London. Photo: orthodox-europe.org   

As we move towards Holy Pascha, Orthodox Churches across Europe are intensifying their philanthropic activities to help the needy during this sacred season. These charitable initiatives reflect the heightened emphasis on almsgiving and compassion that characterizes the Orthodox Lenten journey toward Pascha.

Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric

The Eleusa Foundation of the Strumica Diocese distributed humanitarian food packages to over 200 families. This extensive campaign, supported by numerous local businesses and prepared in just one day by dedicated volunteers, reached families in need throughout seven municipalities including Strumica, Berovo, and Pehchevo. The Foundation emphasized that its mission depends on community compassion and business social responsibility.

Ukrainian Orthodox Church

Volunteers from the Chernivtsi-Bukovina Diocese delivered 11 tons of humanitarian aid to the Holy Dormition-Svyatogorsk Lavra on April 15. The collection effort included donations from Bukovina residents, other Ukrainian regions, and believers from Belgium, Germany, and Poland. The aid contained 24,000 eggs, baking ingredients, food supplies, cleaning products, hygiene items, rain gear, and special Pascha packages for children, with volunteers also delivering supplies to the Holy Protection Convent in Lyman and the St. John of Shanghai Skete in Adamovka.

Russian Orthodox Church

Volunteers from the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Service have repaired 427 homes of elderly and disabled people in war zones including Mariupol, Donetsk, and other cities. The project involved 1,624 volunteers from across Russia, including professionals from various fields, international participants, and volunteers ranging from 10 to 85 years old. Volunteers perform various repairs without requiring special skills, with the Synodal Department providing free meals, accommodation, and transportation from Moscow.

Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia

Over the weekend of Palm Sunday, the Diocese of Great Britain and Western Europe’s London Cathedral foodbank carried forward its operations and distributed boxes of food to those in need.

Romanian Orthodox Church

Romanian Orthodox faithful from Spain and Portugal are supporting disadvantaged children in the Alba Iulia Archdiocese through a new collaboration agreement. The first installment of $5,060 (€4,700) has already been transferred to the Filantropia Ortodoxă Alba Iulia association, which will provide school scholarships, supplies, clothing, warm meals, and medical and psychological support to children in need.

The Social Mission Diaconia of the Metropolis of Bessarabia (Moldova) collected 93.7 tons of food for the Table of Joy program on Sunday. This year, a record amount of food products—189,350 pounds—was donated to support elderly people living in solitude and poverty. The collected food will be used to prepare hot meals for beneficiaries of social canteens and parish centers within the Metropolis of Bessarabia, as well as Pascha food packages. The campaign involved 1,200 volunteers.

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Robert Leinweber. Peter’s denial. Photo: wikipedia.org     

And they that had laid hold on Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. But Peter followed Him afar off unto the high priest’s palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end. Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put Him to death; But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. And the high priest arose, and said unto Him, Answerest Thou nothing? what is it which these witness against Thee? But Jesus held His peace, And the high priest answered and said unto Him, I adjure thee by the living God, that Thou tell us whether Thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard His blasphemy. What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death. Then did they spit in His face, and buffeted Him; and others smote Him with the palms of their hands, Saying, Prophesy unto us, Thou Christ, Who is he that smote Thee? Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech betrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny Me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly (Matt. 26:57–75).

The divine service for this night is deeply touching. The Gospel readings of this service are highly edifying. Let us extract from them at least one piece of edification from the story of Peter’s renunciation.

Peter, the preeminent Apostle, renounced his Teacher and Lord, renounced the One for Whom, as he said not long prior, he was ready to go to death (Lk. 22:33); and he renounced Him, afraid of being accused by a handmaid of belonging to the disciples of Christ, as though it were some criminal or shameful thing. But as great as was the fall of the preeminent Apostle, so sincere and great was his repentance. He immediately realized the sinfulness of his deed and went out and wept bitterly. He spent the rest of his life washing away his sin with tears of repentance. There’s a tradition that after that, the holy Apostle Peter woke up every night at the cock’s crow and wept, recalling his sin; such weeping caused his eyes to always be pained.

But do we not, beloved, sometimes renounce our Lord in an even more cowardly manner? Moreover, do we not renounce Him when no danger threatens us, unlike Peter? Do we not renounce Him every year, every day, sometimes for the most insignificant reasons? Peter renounced Christ and then bitterly mourned his renunciation. But we renounce Him and don’t feel bad about it. At Baptism, a cross was placed upon every one of us as a sign of our faith in Him Who was crucified for us on the Cross and as a witness to our readiness to follow Him, bearing our cross of sorrows, sufferings, and hardships. Is this sign intact? Do we always wear our cross? To the contrary, have not many Christians cast off this sign of salvation as a sign of supposed superstition, out of cowardice or even simply out of carelessness?

According to the custom inherited from the Fathers and adopted by the Apostles, good Christians pray before taking any food, asking for God’s blessing, and after taking food they thank God for the gifts of His grace. Is this done at our meals? Does anyone pray before taking food? I won’t answer this question—let each one’s conscience speak. Let it convict the guilty of the sin of apostasy from the ancient customs of faith. Those who eat without prayer do so either out of carelessness or cowardice, fearing that the sons of this evil world will call them either hypocrite or backwards for fulfilling the Church’s customs in this way. Our age, rushing forward headlong, strives away from, not towards Christ. Therefore those who remain with Christ seem to lag behind this age. Is it not because of such cowardly shame that many in our modern society don’t go to God’s churches, are absent from church services, while not only are none of them not ashamed to go to theaters, circuses, and other amusing spectacles, but consider staying at home, as a deviation from the customs of this age, a sign of backwardness?

Many of us read lots of books, many of which are devoid of content, and sometimes so immoral that good parents don’t give them to their children to read. And these books are laid out in prominent places, on our tables, in our living rooms. But you won’t find there the holiest of books—the Gospel—or any other book of a spiritual or moral character. Why? Because the master of the house is afraid that someone will see the Gospel or a similar book and say to him: “And you are with Jesus, for your conversation with this book betrays you!” (Mt. 26:73). But if we listen to the content of our conversations in our families, in our circle of friends, or in public gatherings, we’ll see the same emptiness, vanity, and the same cowardice regarding matters of faith. Sometimes they discuss the most mundane, the most trivial subjects with all seriousness; but let someone try to start a conversation about matters of faith, morality, or the upbringing of children, or mention the name of Christ, and there immediately follows either an ambiguous silence or sneering glances at the man who started such a conversation.

Is it not cowardice that also keeps a certain class of people from fulfilling the most sacred duty of Confession and Communion of the Holy Mysteries? And among those who fulfill this duty, there are many who, through their manner of fasting and preparation for Communion, seem to want to show that they’re fulfilling this as a difficult and unpleasant obligation; therefore, during this time they appear gloomy, indifferent to all Church matters, always late and approaching the most holy Sacrament without preparation, without proper reverence. This goes beyond denial of Christ; it is a mockery of Him.

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak, the Lord tells the Apostles (Mt. 26:41). And we too, brethren, must pray that we might not fall into adversity. Peter fell, but repented and washed away his fall with tears: And he went out, and wept bitterly. But we sin and don’t grieve. “What’s this?” some will say. “The times have changed: Now there is freedom for everyone in everything.” Pitiful freedom! It leads to bitter slavery—slavery to sin and the prince of this world. Others say: “This happened before and passed—it will pass now, too.” We mustn’t speak like this. We can say about the past that it has passed, but as for the future, we can’t guarantee that it will pass. Those who add sin to sin forget that by repeating sins like this they are weaving a rope that will be the instrument of their suicide, as it was for the ill-fated Judas. The more often we repeat a sin, the more difficult it is to repent. Aren’t those who commit suicide of all kinds people like this? And don’t such people typically die without repentance? Let us pray: “Our Father!… Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

Bucharest, April 18, 2025

basilica.ro     

The Darvari Skete in Buachrest has received a fragment of the relics of St. Matrona of Moscow, which were placed for veneration following Bridegroom Matins on Holy Tuesday.

According to the abbot, Archimandrite Arsenie (Irimiea), who has a personal connection to St. Matrona, the saint chose the Darvari Skete herself. “A Russian metropolitan, hearing of our devotion to St. Matrona and seeing a photograph of the chapel of the healing saints which included a large canopy with the icon of the saint, was very impressed and offered to give us a fragment of her holy relics,” he told the Basilica News Agency.

“Thus, we believe that St. Matrona herself chose to come here,” said Fr. Arsenie.

But be careful what you ask her for, because she’s known to answer prayers quickly, says the abbot.

Abbot Arsenie. Photo: basilica.ro     

Fr. Arsenie had his first encounter with St. Matrona while on pilgrimage to the Holy Protection Monastery in Moscow in 2008.

“It wasn’t an ordinary meeting, but a secret, profound, and personal one. I prayed then before her holy relics, and several requests spoken only in my heart, with emotion and trust, were fulfilled almost immediately. For me it was clear: it was a miracle,” he said

Fr. Arsenie received answers about his path in life, about which monastery to choose—“a discrete but powerful sign that St. Matrona had received me and guided me.”

“Years later, when the question of my establishment at the Darvari Skete, in the heart of Bucharest, arose, I was at a crossroads. From readings of the Desert Fathers, the Philokalia, and the Paterikon, I had formed an image of monastic life as a secluded existence, in hesychasm, far from the hustle and bustle of the world. And I had sincere reservations—how can one truly live a monastic life in the center of a city?” said Fr. Arsenie.

“In that period of turmoil, in the silence of my heart, I felt again the presence of St. Matrona. Not through external words, but through an inner certainty, like a whisper of light: ‘I too lived in the middle of the city. If you settle there, I will come with you.’“

“It was a spiritual, secret promise. It gave me courage. And today, looking back, I see clearly that this promise has been fulfilled.”

“This is, I believe, the secret of her grace: sacrificial love for people. St. Matrona never sought peace for herself. Although blind from birth and suffering, she continuously received people, comforted, advised, and carried the burdens of others,” the abbot explained.

“She never retreated for herself, but burned, like a candle, for her neighbor. Her word had power not from book learning, but from a living, working faith, nourished by the presence of Christ. She lived in the city, but with her heart in Heaven.”

“The fact that a small piece of her holy relics is today at the Darvari Skete is a miracle in itself and a great comfort for all of us. It is as if the saint had kept the promise made then, in secret: ‘I will come with you.’ And behold, she has come,” concluded Fr. Arsenie.

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In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (Jn. 3:16). In these words, St. John the Theologian addresses us so that all of us, standing today in front of the Holy Shroud of our Lord, may see Him dead—the One Who gave life to each one of us. The Prophet Isaiah says that Christ was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed (Is. 53:5).

Throughout Holy Week, we have remembered the The Passion of ChristWe know that it was Divine will. But our heart—the human heart—remains as if unsatisfied: could there really not have been a single person with the resolve to say a kind word for the Lord before His judges, or testify in His defense?.. We are shocked by this spectacle of the ingratitude, blindness, madness, and cruelty of Christ’s contemporaries.

“>Passion of the Lord in the final minutes of His life so that our hardened hearts and souls, incapable of loving or of being kind and compassionate, may be softened by this remembrance, and we may hear the Lord’s voice: If ye love Me, keep My commandments (Jn. 14:15).

What does the Lord say as He goes to His voluntary Passion? How does He admonish His disciples, and through them all of us? But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted (Mt. 23:11-12). This means that we can find God only in the depths of humility, of our loving hearts, and ready to serve our neighbors. He who loves his brother loves God, but he who does not love God does not love his brother either (cf. 1 Jn. 4:20).

When a person’s life ends, we try to keep his final words, carefully fulfilling the will a human being has given to his fellow human beings. A hundred times more precious and important is the testament that God left behind in the Holy Scriptures—the living, effective and powerful Word of God that can heal our sinful, sick and self-loving souls.

What are the last words the Lord says on the Cross? At the third hour the Lord was crucified; the Sun was darkened, ashamed of the hard-heartedness and insanity of the creation that crucified its Creator, Who gave it this light, this life, this air, and brought everyone from non-existence into being. The Sun was ashamed, and the Earth shook, unable to bear the Lord’s Cross, and the graves of the saints of God opened, as we read in the Holy Scriptures, and many of them entered Jerusalem. The mighty power of God tore the Temple curtain in two to show that now the way into the Holy of Holies is open to man, and he is reconciled to God. The Apostle Paul tells us: Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father (Gal. 1:4). The people walking away from the Cross beat their breasts and lamented what would happen to them and their children for the shame they had inflicted on an Innocent Man. When they saw what had happened, they realized that the One they had crucified was no ordinary man. Pilate’s sign affixed to the Cross, “King of the Jews”, proves that He is indeed True God and True Man. Standing at the Cross and seeing death and suffering—all that is incomprehensible to us and a truly world-shaking event—the centurion exclaimed: Certainly this was a righteous Man (Lk. 23:47). This is how the one who just a moment before took a spear and pierced the Savior’s side so that Blood and water came out of it, came to believe in Christ, providing the whole world with streams of living water. And we partake of this Blood of the Lord. While performing the proskomedia and preparing everything necessary for the Liturgy, the priest incises the prosphora crosswise, takes a lance, and remembering these events, pierces the prosphora through with the words: “One of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side and immediately there came forth blood and water. And he who saw it bore witness, and his witness is true.” Then he takes the Chalice and pours wine and water into it, which, after the descent of the Holy Spirit during the prayer of the priest and the whole Church, will become the true Blood of our Lord, by consuming of which we partake of Eternal Life.

If we read the Holy Scriptures carefully, then in the Gospel of Luke we find the words that Christ said on the Cross: Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do (Lk. 23:34). With these words, the Lord instructs us to pray for our enemies. In the words of St. Ambrose of Milan, we should inscribe on copper the benefactions we receive from others, and on water the evil that others do to us—that we would not remember evil. We should be like the Lord Who forgave those who crucified Him on the Cross. Can we, who receive what we deserve for our sins, spew oaths and curses foolishly when others give us our due—that is, suffering for our sins? On the contrary, let us strive—at first only with words, and later maybe with our hearts—to say: Lord, forgive them; for they know not what they do. This prayer of faith for our enemies does not so much change the hearts of our enemies, or even those who simply don’t understand us, as it does our own hearts. Only when a person, with faithfulness to the will of God, blames himself for his troubles, failures and misfortunes, will his heart allow him to endure all suffering, slander, misunderstanding, and insults peacefully and patiently.

Through these words from the Cross, the Lord teaches all of us forgiveness and long-suffering. The Lord said to the penitent thief from the Cross: Today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise (Lk. 23:43), thus showing that there is no gap between repentance and Paradise. Once a person resolves in his heart to abandon sin and love the truth, God’s truth and His holy commandments, he begins to feel Paradise in his heart.

One day a man was asked: “Where is God: In Heaven or on earth?” And he replied: “When a person lives in God, Heaven comes down to earth.” The Lord showed that repentance is all-powerful, that there is no sin that the Lord cannot forgive, and there is no abyss of fall from which it would be impossible to rise. St. John Chrysostom says that the angels do not fall; people fall and rise. Only the demons never rise after falling. We will not be condemned because we have fallen, but because we have not risen after falling. We must fully understand that God did not come to judge the world, but to save it. There is greater joy in Heaven for one sinner who has repented than for ninety-nine righteous people who do not need to repent. The next words teach us to repent, to condemn ourselves without limits in order to inherit Paradise, eternity, and be with God. Today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise (Lk. 23:43). These words should always live in our memory and help us walk the path of repentance.

When the Lord was nailed to the Cross, He suffered terrible torments, because His Divine nature was inseparable from His human nature. By His human nature, Christ suffered as a real Man. It did not alleviate His suffering at all because His Divine nature is united with His human nature. It was even more painful, because we are unable to stop our suffering by our human nature, but He could have stopped it by His Divine nature. As Christ Himself said, He could have asked His Father to send Him legions of angels in a moment, but He did not do this and suffered on the Cross voluntarily with all His being.

In those final moments, which are hard even to imagine, He turned to His Mother, pointing to His disciple John the Theologian: Woman, behold thy son, and said to His beloved disciple: Behold thy Mother (Jn. 19:26–27). With these words, the Lord showed how great His love was for mankind, for His Mother, for His disciple John the Theologian, and in him for all His disciples. At the final moment of His earthly life, He did not think about Himself, but about those who would be left without Him. He knew that His Mother would grow old and need care, and young John would need good guidance.

This is an inexhaustible lesson for all of us. When everything in our lives is fine, when we enjoy good health, money, and strength, then, in accordance with our Christian duty, we have the desire to help each other. But the Lord teaches us that even when we don’t have anything, when we can no longer truly serve our neighbor, even in those times we must preserve inner care and inner prayer. Don’t think only about your illness and old age, but take care to fulfill the commandment of love to the end—because sympathy and compassion alone can fill you with love.

We must pray to receive such power of love that will remain with us until the very end, even to the point of God-forsakenness, when each one of us will be tested. If the Lord went through this, then we too will inevitably experience these dreadful moments of the final trial, the name of which is death.

Being crucified, by His human nature the God-Man Jesus Christ felt the terrible moments of ordeal and temptation when He thought that God the Father had forsaken Him as a Man. In the final moments of Christ’s Passion, everything is said only about His human nature, as He cried out: My God, My God! Why hast Thou forsaken Me? (Mt. 27:46; Mk. 15:34). These words indicate that He experienced terrible moments of loneliness. This is a reminder to us that we also must face the final struggle of death courageously. We need to prepare for it in advance. The Holy Fathers taught that we must not only live worthily, but more importantly, also die worthily. He who has lived in God, received the Holy Body and Blood of Christ, tried to cleanse his conscience in the sacrament of confession, and cared about union with Christ in this life, will find the only strength to endure this final ordeal in all of this. First of all, we must ensure that the last rites are administered to our loved ones at the end of their earthly lives, remembering that Communion especially gives the grace of the Holy Spirit.

With His fourth word, the Lord teaches us to have courage and to think about death in advance, in order to avoid the death of the soul and be united with God forever.

Addressing His Heavenly Father from the Cross, the Lord says: I thirst (Jn. 19:28). And the people around Him believed that He was talking about the thirst of human nature. According to St. Luke the Evangelist, they took a sponge, filled it with vinegar and offered Him to drink; another one says that they offered Him wine mixed with some narcotic substance that can dull and alleviate the suffering of those hanging on the Cross. This is how Roman legionaries showed “humanity” to their victims. Christ only tasted the vinegar-soaked sponge, but did not drink. The people interpreted His thirst as proceeding from human nature—but instead of water, they gave Him vinegar, which burns the mouth. The Lord tasted it, just as Adam once tasted the forbidden fruit. In place of Adam, Our Savior consumed gall with vinegar in order to eliminate the addiction to self-indulgence, sensuality, and everything that a carnal person sets as his goal. The Lord drinks gall with vinegar to eliminate the consequences of what Adam once partook of.

Christ says, I thirst—that is, “I thirst to fulfil the will of God”. When the disciples approached Christ as He was speaking with the Samaritan woman, they wondered if He had any food with Him, but He replied that His food was to fulfil the will of His Heavenly Father. They did not understand what He meant. Thus, His “thirst” was for the salvation of the human race, and for granting it eternal life, which it lost through its forefather Adam.

When Jesus therefore hat received the vinegar, He said, It is finished! (Jn. 19:30). The work of salvation, the redemption of the human race, was accomplished.

After these words, the Lord exclaims: Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit (Lk. 23:46), so that we may know how the life of an Orthodox Christian will end. A pious life in God will end in the soul’s passing into the hands of God, Who Alone will never forsake us. Only His hands can carry a person through the toll-houses and suffering, and it will never be cold, sad or painful on these Hands.

St. John the Theologian says: For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes (Rev. 7:17). The path of man is the cross, at the end of which unspeakable and everlasting joy awaits him. Into Thy hands I commend My spirit. Thus, the goal of our lives should be commending ourselves into God’s hands. The Holy Church reminds us of this every day during services: “Let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.” It reminds us of the purpose of our being—eternal life, joy, Divine Contemplation, and fullness of God’s love. We must strive for this throughout our lives.

People were beating their breasts as they walked away from the Cross, regretting what had happened. Likewise, we should be filled with the same feelings, looking at the Holy Shroud as an image of God’s love for every human being, an image of victory over death, an image of God’s co-crucifixion with this world, but also as hope—for there is no sin that cannot be forgiven by Divine love. The holy martyrs offered their blood at the foot of the Cross; the venerable and pious fathers and mothers offered their ascetic struggles and tears of repentance, the sweat of their labors, in order to express their gratitude to God for His love for us if only to some extent. The Psalmist David exclaims: What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me? (Ps. 115:3).

And what will we, carnal people and lovers of sin, offer at the foot of the Cross? The blood of martyrs? But we weren’t even observe the fast as Orthodox Christians should. Will we offer tears of repentance? But if we ever cry during our lives, it is only over external losses: money, health, or someone’s favor. These are fleshly tears. We rarely weep over the sins we have committed in our lives.

So, let’s try to offer the Lord the feelings of filial love that still probably remains somewhere in the depths of our souls, so that in these last hours before Holy Pascha, with a prayerful sigh and repentance, we can (if only to a small extent) become like the penitent thief who erased his entire sinful life with just one cry: Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom (Lk. 23:42). If we have not been able to bear any fruit during Lent, then at least let us admit it honestly. Let us commend our lives into God’s hands and realize that we are nothing without the grace of God. We will not succeed in anything in our lives until we come to realize that only the Lord can change and “regenerate” us, for He is omnipotent, all-righteous and all-good. But we also need to have burning hearts, desire, a prayerful mood, and most importantly, true love for Him, which is given only through remembering the price He paid to save each one of us—the cost of the Passion that we have been reading about all this week.

St. Gregory the Theologian says that the work of our salvation had to be accomplished by God Himself. Why? He had to become a Man to regain what had been lost in Adam. To offer His arms outstretched on the Cross in place of the hands intemperately stretched out to the tree of knowledge; the tree of the Cross in place of the tree in Paradise; suffering in place of the pleasure for which Adam reached; death for death, and life for life, so that we could gain in Christ what we had lost in Adam. In His human nature He was buried in the tomb—that is, He suffered all the punishment and rose from the tomb so that all mankind would rise from the dead together with Christ. St. Paul tells us: Therefore we are buried with Him by Baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His Resurrection (Rom. 6:4–5). St. Philaret (Drozdov) says that on the Cross we saw the triumph of the love of God for man. The love of God the Father is the crucifying one, the love of God the Son is the crucified one, and the love of God the Holy Spirit is the triumphant one.

Let us pray to our Lord that by the end of this Holy Week, we may have a feeling of gratitude to the Lord for all His love, poured out abundantly for the entire human race. And let us have the determination to “commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God”.

Amen.

April 18, 2025

17th-century Epitaphios, Nizhny Novgorod State Art Museum, Russia. Wikipedia   

On Holy Thursday evening, during the service of Matins for Holy Friday, one of the Church’s most beloved and moving hymns, the 15th Antiphon, is chanted:

Today is suspended on a tree He Who suspended the earth upon the waters.
The King of the angels is decked with a crown of thorns.
He Who wraps the heavens in clouds is wrapped in the purple of mockery.
He Who freed Adam in the Jordan is slapped on the face.
The Bridegroom of the Church is affixed to the Cross with nails.
The Son of the Virgin is pierced by a spear.
We worship Thy passion, O Christ.
We worship Thy passion, O Christ.
We worship Thy passion, O Christ.
Show us also Thy glorious resurrection.

In many churches, this hymn is sung with special reverence. Even in Russian-tradition parishes, it is often chanted in Byzantine style, emphasizing the solemnity of the moment.

On Holy Friday 2009, His Eminence Archbishop Job of Chicago and the Midwest (Orthodox Church in America) of blessed memory offered a very moving Byzantine rendition of the hymn in several languages:

Another beautiful Byzantine version, chanted in Greek, comes from the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and the St. Romanos the Melodist Byzantine Choir:

Yesterday evening, a moving rendition of the Trubachev arrangement of the 15th Antiphon, sung in Church Slavonic, was offered at the Church of the Elevation of the Cross in Hamovniki, Moscow:

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April 18, 2025

patriarchia.ru     

Three Local Churches—Russian, Romanian, and Bulgarian—consecrated Chrism this year—one of the main signs autocephaly.

The Churches began the long process of making Chrism on Holy Monday, with the special mixture of oil and various spices being mixed continually for three days while clergy read the Holy Gospel over it.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and a host of Russian hierarchs and clergy celebrated the Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil the Great with the rite of the consecration of Holy Chrism in Christ the Savior Cathedral yesterday, reports the Russian Orthodox Church.

The rite of consecration was celebrated after the Anaphora. The Patriarch explained:

The gift of the Holy Spirit, received from the Lord, bestowed upon the Holy Apostles, and through them upon their successors, the bishops, and through the bishops upon the priests, is passed on in the Church even to this day, and the visible, physical bearer of this grace is the holy Chrism.

He entreated the people to pray for the whole Church:

I ask you all to pray for our Church, for our people, that faith would never cease in those who receive grace from the Holy Apostles, that our episcopate, our clergy would strictly preserve the Apostolic faith, that no human temptations could provoke schisms and divisions, that the life of the people of God, that is, all of us, would flow in unity, wisdom, spiritual and physical purity, and that everyone, even those who sin, would have the opportunity through repentance, communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, and at Baptism—through Chrismation—to receive the gift of grace, by which our sins are healed.    

The Chrism will be distributed to all dioceses of the Moscow Patriarchate.

In Bucharest, the hierarchs of the Holy Synod, led by His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania, consecrated Chrism for the 23rd time, during the Liturgy at the external altar of the Patriarchal Cathedral, reports the Basilica News Agency.

basilica.ro     

In his homily, Pat. Daniel emphasized that “Both the holy Eucharist and the holy and great Chrism symbolize the sacrificial, humble, and merciful love of Christ.”

He continued:

The holy Eucharist is the mystery of Christ’s sacrificial love, of His death on the Cross and of His Resurrection from the dead on the third day, to overcome the sin of man’s disobedience to God through humble obedience and to give the world eternal Heavenly life through His Resurrection…

The holy and great Chrism began in the very expensive myrrh or nard that Mary, the sister of Lazarus, offered to Jesus, pouring this myrrh on His head and feet as a sign of gratitude for the resurrection of her brother.

But the Lord Jesus Christ says that Mary made this gesture of appreciation for the burial of the Lord Jesus, as a symbol of the appreciation of His sacrificial love. That is why the holy and great Chrism is sanctified on the same day as the Holy Eucharist, on Holy and Great Thursday.

Following the consecration, jars of Chrism were distributed to the bishop. All but 5 diocesan hierarchs were present for the rite.

And in Sofia, His Holiness Patriarch Daniil of Bulgaria led the ninth consecration of Chrism in modern Bulgarian Church history during the St. Basil’s liturgy.

He was joined by a host of hierarchs and clergy, the Bulgarian Church reports. Pat. Daniil read the prayers of consecration before the Lord’s Prayer.

bg-patriarshia.bg     

The Bulgarian primate explained:

In the Church of Christ, the fragrant holy Chrism has rich and deep symbolism. As a mandatory element in the consecration of the holy altar, it’s a sign and symbol of the Lord’s Tomb—that Tomb from which Life Itself shone forth, because death could not hold Him. Holy Chrism is also used in the consecration of the holy antimension, which also symbolizes the laying of the Savior in the Tomb. And according to St. Symeon of Thessaloniki and other fathers and teachers of the Church, the holy Chrism symbolizes the richness of the gifts of the All-Holy Spirit, which God generously pours upon us—those buried in Christ’s death and reborn to a new and eternal life with Christ, in the sacrament of our renewal.

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