Tag: Christianity

U.S.A., November 21, 2024

Photo: assets.video     

His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada was a guest on the Alex Jones Show on Tuesday, November 19, discussing the growing threat of nuclear war and what we as Christians can do about it.

The discussion centers on the Archbishop’s explanation of the factors leading to the war in Ukraine, with the revolution in Ukraine in 2014 and the violence against the people in the Lugansk and Donetsk Republics. They also discuss the current situation now that the U.S. has permitted Ukraine to use American weapons to attack inside Russia, and President Putin has again threatened a nuclear response.

Most importantly, the hierarch calls on Christians to pray for peace and an end to the war.

Watch the segment below:

Follow OrthoChristian on Twitter, Vkontakte, Telegram, WhatsApp, MeWe, and Gab!

    

Fifteen years ago, the Orthodox Church gained a martyric Heavenly intercessor.

Fr. Daniel Sysoev’s entire life was bound up with his missionary activity and his priestly activity, and the night of November 19, 2009, was no exception. He was still in the Church of the Holy Apostle Thomas in southern Moscow late that night, ministering to those who came to him for consolation and hearing confessions.

In fact, Fr. Daniel was hearing a confession in the altar when a crazed Muslim burst into the church, demanding to see him. Fearless in Christ, Fr. Daniel came out to meet the man, who then shot him right there in the church. The zealous young priest died early the next morning, November 20, becoming a hieromartyr.

Fr. Daniel is remembered for his fervent missionary work through which he brought many people to the Orthodox faith, including pagans, atheists, Protestants, and scores of Muslims. It was his ability to preach Christ to Muslims that led to his martyrdom. Fr. Daniel had received many death threats for his work, and he knew what manner of death awaited him.

Since that night, the story of his life, teachings, and martyrdom has spread throughout the Orthodox Church, far beyond the bounds of his native Russia. Though he has yet to be formally glorified as a saint, popular veneration has produced a number of icons of him, and even an akathist.

As witness to his growing veneration, the akathist presented below was originally written in Romanian, and only then translated into Russian. This English text was translated from the Russian version.

Holy Hieromartyr Daniel, pray to God for us!

***

Kontakion 1

Thou didst follow Christ in all things, O holy Hieromartyr Daniel, spreading His word to all peoples; thou didst preserve pure His teachings, bestowing them upon all; thou wast vouchsafed a martyr’s death, which thou hadst praised, and now, having received rest from God in Paradise for thy labors, cease not to pray for us who sing to thee:

Rejoice, holy Hieromartyr Daniel!

Ikos 1

Thou who didst preach the Gospel of Christ unceasingly in thy life and wast granted the gift of the priesthood, fearing not those who can kill the body, but confessing Christ unto thy death, pray for us who glorify thy confession and sing to thee:

Rejoice, divinely eloquent speaker

Rejoice, tireless preacher

Rejoice, lover of Christ above all else

Rejoice, thou who didst love men and lead them to Christ

Rejoice, laborer against delusions

Rejoice, thou who didst put thy hope in God

Rejoice, destroyer of the works of the enemies of Orthodoxy

Rejoice, servant of Christ like unto the Apostle Thomas

Rejoice, confessor of God like unto the Prophet Daniel

Rejoice, guide of hosts of men to the Church of God

Rejoice, for thou didst find joy in Christ

Rejoice, thou who didst confess Him with thy life

Rejoice, holy Hieromartyr Daniel!

Kontakion 2

From thy very youth thou didst strive for God, seeking the meaning of life in nothing other than His word, hearkening to the Scriptures above all, ever desiring to serve Christ; and Christ didst grant thee the gift of the priesthood, which thou didst covet with thy whole soul, and thou didst prove thyself a good shepherd of thy flock, for whose sake thou didst lay down thy life, glorifying God: Alleluia!

Ikos 2

Thy mind wast protected in thy youth, O holy one, untouched by the malicious teachings of the godless communists, and thou didst ceaselessly serve among the people, spreading the word of God and helping all, on the streets, in schools and churches, longing for the salvation of thy brethren; therefore, those whom thou didst bring to Christ now sing to thee:

Rejoice, thou who didst find joy in Christ

Rejoice, light of Christ not hidden under a bushel

Rejoice, true citizen of Heaven

Rejoice, preacher unto the farthest ends of the Earth

Rejoice, thou who dost call children to Christ

Rejoice, tireless worker among men

Rejoice, thou who didst not turn away sinners, after the example of the Savior

Rejoice, for thy love for men has shown forth fruit

Rejoice, thou who didst walk before the face of God

Rejoice, thou whom God has shown the way

Rejoice, thou who didst not stray from His path

Rejoice, for thy love was recompensed with Divine grace

Rejoice, holy Hieromartyr Daniel!

Kontakion 3

Following St. Basil the Great, thou didst understand, O Hieromartyr Daniel, that true philosophy is the remembrance of death; and with this thought, seeking a good end before Christ, and teaching children to be mindful of death and the Judgment of God even in their youth, thou didst ever sing: Alleluia!

Ikos 3

Thou wast a good teacher, O holy one, lovingly preaching the Gospel of Christ to children and all those deprived of the Word of God, in word and in letter, helping many turn back from every heresy and schism to the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church; and thanking God for thy labors, we Christians sing to thee, O Hieromartyr:

Rejoice, good shepherd

Rejoice, O teacher

Rejoice, preacher of the Truth

Rejoice, gatherer of men in Christ

Rejoice, fighter against heresies

Rejoice, thou who didst guide the lost to the Church

Rejoice, destroyer of false philosophies

Rejoice, gatherer of treasure in Heaven

Rejoice, follower of Christ on earth

Rejoice, in the sweet love of Christ

Rejoice, true offering to men

Rejoice, tireless spiritual seeker

Rejoice, holy Hieromartyr Daniel!

Kontakion 4

Thou didst understand, O holy one, that the Church of Christ is renewed through the preaching to heathen nations, and with love and the living word breathed by God, thou didst preach among those deprived of Truth, leading many to renewal through the washing of Baptism; together with those enlightened by thee, we sing to God: Alleluia!

Ikos 4

Thou didst tirelessly oppose the evil teaching of the false prophet Muhammed, O holy father, and the pagan delusion of the Buddhists, and didst support those who had slipped into the demonic snare of occultism, loving all the brethren in Christ and desiring that all might come to true knowledge; wherefore thou art now everywhere hymned:

Rejoice, preacher to many nations

Rejoice, propagator of the Gospel of Christ

Rejoice, thou who didst serve for the Tatars in their native tongue

Rejoice, converter of hosts of Kyrgyzi

Rejoice, bearer of the word of God in Central Asia

Rejoice, thou who didst turn to the people of the Caucasus with love

Rejoice, thou who didst bring Wahhabi fanatics to Christ

Rejoice, thou who didst overcome mullahs

Rejoice, generous benefactor of Africa

Rejoice, zealous striver for Thailand

Rejoice, thou who didst save many from the worship of Satan

Rejoice, baptizer of many unbelievers

Rejoice, holy Hieromartyr Daniel!

Kontakion 5

Thou didst serve Christ with thy whole soul, and didst not bow under thy bodily infirmities, O holy one; and taking no account of thy sufferings, thou didst always serve with love, united with others in the name of the Savior, Whom thou didst ever bear in they soul, chanting to Him: Alleluia!

Ikos 5

With spiritual love in thy soul, O holy Fr. Daniel, thou didst erect a church to the holy Apostle Thomas in Moscow, and there thou not only didst celebrate the Divine services, but also didst conduct catechetical talks; and thou didst take care for those crushed by misfortunes and spiritual suffering directing them towards Christ, Who dost grant comfort to all those who labor and are burdened, wherefore we sing to thee:

Rejoice, builder of a church to the holy Apostle Thomas

Rejoice, designer of the cathedral of the holy Prophet Daniel

Rejoice, beloved of the people of Moscow

Rejoice, thou who couldst ever be found among them

Rejoice, firm support for the wayward

Rejoice, helper of the poor

Rejoice, caretaker of thy family

Rejoice, thou who didst raise thy children in a Christian manner

Rejoice, interpreter of the Holy Scriptures

Rejoice, thou who didst lead the sorceress to repentance

Rejoice, thou who didst reveal Christ to the young Buddhist

Rejoice, loving embrace of all

Rejoice, holy Hieromartyr Daniel!

Kontakion 6

Falsehoods may penetrate even into the Church in times of confusion from false doctrines, but thou, O holy one, didst zealously withstand all dogmatic errors, and shining with the grace of God, didst remove the delusions of many and didst preach the true Christ, singing: Alleluia!

Ikos 6

Being not deceived by the delusions that shook the Church, O holy one, and with unshakeable faith in the Gospel truth, thou didst show them forth as nothing; and as thou didst look to none but Christ and didst protect thy flock from false prophets and ravenous wolves, we sing to thee:

Rejoice, faithful shepherd

Rejoice, thou who didst hope in God

Rejoice, thou who didst not yield to deception

Rejoice, thou who didst forsake false humility

Rejoice, thou who didst put to shame the fear of the end times

Rejoice, rejecter of ecumenistic delusions

Rejoice, exposer of evolution as blasphemy against God

Rejoice, fighter against numerology

Rejoice, preacher of frequent Communion

Rejoice, worshiper of Christ in spirit and in truth

Rejoice, thou who didst show forth Christian courage

Rejoice, true inspiration for many

Rejoice, holy Hieromartyr Daniel!

Kontakion 7

“In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world,” saith Christ the Savior, and thou, Hieromartyr Daniel, following this word, didst not capitulate before the face of threats and pains and tribulations, but didst boldly wage battle against temptations, seeking assistance from God, the Theotokos, and the saints, and didst joyously glorify God: Alleluia!

Ikos 7

Thou didst bear the cross of sickness and pain, O holy one, allowing none to see how thou didst suffer, ever seeking joy and strength in Christ; and thou didst wage incessant warfare with the attacks of invisible enemies, knowing that man is not alone, but with God, and that only by His grace can he repel the enemy. As thou didst overcome temptations with the help of Christ and the prayers of the Theotokos, we sing to thee:

Rejoice, thou who didst hope in Christ

Rejoice, thou who didst take shelter under the veil of the Mother of God

Rejoice, thou who didst bridle the tempter by true humility

Rejoice, thou who didst not renounce the sufferings of the cross

Rejoice, thou whose pains were known by few

Rejoice, thou who didst sacrifice worldly peace

Rejoice, thou who didst thereby attain to Divine peace

Rejoice, thou who didst not retreat before deadly threats Rejoice, thou whom no false slanders could bring down

Rejoice, thou who didst convert the indifference of men to zeal

Rejoice, thou who didst patiently endure attacks of malevolence

Rejoice, thou who didst endure all things with joy in God

Rejoice, holy Hieromartyr Daniel!

Kontakion 8

Having been called by God to be honored with a martyr’s death, thou didst come out to thy murderer with openness and love, knowing that thy true home and treasure awaited thee in Heaven, which thou didst ceaselessly seek and desire all thy life, until the hour of thy death praising Christ: Alleluia!

Ikos 8

He who didst come to take thy earthly life, Hieromartyr Daniel, didst find thee vigilant and praying in the altar, and having passed into eternal life among those crowned by Christ, thou dost ever pray with the flock of the martyrs, glorifying God and invoking His gifts upon men, therefore we sing to thee:

Rejoice, thou who didst accept death for the sake of Christ

Rejoice, thou who didst not turn away from the malefactor’s bullets

Rejoice, conqueror of the enemy of salvation

Rejoice, fearless confessor

Rejoice, selfless lover of Christ

Rejoice, thou who didst confess Him by thy death

Rejoice, thou who dost now glorify Him in the Church Triumphant

Rejoice, true citizen of Heaven

Rejoice, thou who didst receive a crown from the hand of the Savior

Rejoice, thou who didst strengthen the Church by thy sacrifice

Rejoice, thou who dost repose in the immortal Light

Rejoice, shining star among the Righteous

Rejoice, holy Hieromartyr Daniel!

Kontakion 9

Thy martyrdom is confirmed, O holy one, by thine own executioners, for they testify of thee as an enemy of their false teaching, and confess that thou wast killed for thy zeal, with which thou didst fight against the Muslims’ deceit by preaching Christ, fearlessly chanting to him: Alleluia!

Ikos 9

God hast lovingly showed men the honor which He vouchsafed thee, O Hieromartyr, and thy sacrifice for Him Who didst sacrifice Himself on the Cross, for at thy burial thy hands were as though alive, clenching the holy cross, and thy blood, poured out upon thy pectoral cross, remained red; therefore, those who rejoice in their new defender in Heaven sing to thee:

Rejoice, thou who hast shown thyself a true friend of God

Rejoice, thou who didst make the good seed to bear fruit

Rejoice, thou who hast attained unto eternal blessedness

Rejoice, thou who dost ever pray for mankind

Rejoice, those whom thou hast brought to Christ do sing to thee

Rejoice, Alexander of Chechnya doth cry to thee

Rejoice, the woman who contemplated suicide doth sing to thee

Rejoice, the Orthodox Tatars and Kyrgyz do proclaim to thee

Rejoice, faithful servant of Christ

Rejoice, thou who didst multiply thy talents

Rejoice, thou who didst strengthen the weak in Christ

Rejoice, thou who, being with Christ, didst not fear the powerful

Rejoice, holy Hieromartyr Daniel!

Kontakion 10

Through you, O holy one, all who seek to be baptized or return to Orthodoxy do receive help, for having found boldness before the face of God through thy holy life and martyric end for spreading the Gospel thou dost offer up God-pleasing prayer, chanting: Alleluia!

Ikos 10

Thy help has been revealed, O Hieromartyr Daniel, for even after thy death thou hast led hosts of men to the true faith, again conquering the false teachings of pagans, atheists, and heretics by thy martyrdom; but those grateful ones who didst come to know Christ with thy help now sing to thee:

Rejoice, loving friend of those in need

Rejoice, unwavering support of Orthodox missionaries

Rejoice, gentle guide of the lost

Rejoice, thou who dost lay waste to demonic despair

Rejoice, enlightener of those who seek to know the dogmas of Orthodoxy

Rejoice, for through thy writings seekers are enlightened

Rejoice, for the example of thy martyrdom doth strengthen the weak

Rejoice, thou who dost come to the aid of all through thy prayers

Rejoice, speedy intercessor before God

Rejoice, fragrant flower of Russia

Rejoice, pride of the Tatar people

Rejoice, precious gem of the Church universal

Rejoice, holy Hieromartyr Daniel!

Kontakion 11

Wondrous is God in His saints, through whom He doth grant aid to mankind at all times; in like manner, through the holy martyr Daniel Sysoev was God’s mercy revealed to us who are oppressed by a multitude of sins, for through His prophet God didst say: “I desire not the death of the wicked, but that he should turn from his ways and live.” And grateful for this inestimable gift, we sing to God: Alleluia!

Ikos 11

Laboring together with Thee, O Lord, Thy saints are deified and testify of the boundless riches of Thy love for mankind to the world. In like manner, the Hieromartyr Daniel didst receive Thy grace, and not being careless with it, didst labor to bring Thee, O Lord, to men and to lead them to Thee; and glorifying Thee, we sing to him who wast sanctified in Thee:

Rejoice, rightly glorifying martyr

Rejoice, adornment of priests

Rejoice, thou who art wise in Christ

Rejoice, for thy zeal awaited not old age

Rejoice, thou who didst lay down thy life for Christ

Rejoice, for thou hast taken up abode in the eternal Light

Rejoice, thou who dost ever share joy in the Lord

Rejoice, thou through whom Orthodoxy is strengthened

Rejoice, thou through whom wicked teachings are brought to ruin

Rejoice, victor by the grace of God

Rejoice, light of Orthodox preaching

Rejoice, exemplar of the fullness of spiritual riches in Christ

Rejoice, holy Hieromartyr Daniel!

Kontakion 12

Uniting with God, man doth acquire power to overcome all the evil works of the devil; likewise, O Hieromartyr, with humility, but with boldness and daring, thou didst use the gifts of God, wholly bringing to ruin the machinations of the enemy of salvation, and now the fallen angels fear thee yet more, as thou dost sing to the All-Holy Trinity in the Heavens: Alleluia!

Ikos 12

Thou wast blessed by God, O Hieromartyr Daniel, laboring to bring to the true faith to those who did truly desire such for themselves, purifying the Church from pernicious teachings and futile phenomena; and having crowned this holy labor with the crown of a martyr, thou didst enter into eternal life together with Christ; and we hymn thee with love:

Rejoice, thou who hast boldness before Him Who hast overcome the world

Rejoice, laborer with Christ

Rejoice, for Divine love for man hast enlightened thee

Rejoice, destroyer of devilish deeds

Rejoice, help and correction of Christians

Rejoice, rebuke of evil thoughts and idle talk

Rejoice, thou who didst fill God’s house with hosts of men

Rejoice, pure voice of true theology

Rejoice, thou who didst live among men united to Christ

Rejoice, warrior for the Kingdom of Heaven who didst lay down thy life for Christ

Rejoice, offerer of hymns of glorification before the Lord of all

Rejoice, thou who dost bring us joy and unite us with Christ

Rejoice, holy Hieromartyr Daniel!

Kontakion 13

O holy Hieromartyr Daniel, who didst labor without respite for the sake of the salvation of men, who didst unshakably accept death for Christ, hear now our meager prayer which we offer unto thee, honoring thy martyrdom and glorifying God, Who didst strengthen and receive thee into the Heavenly abodes. By thy fervent prayers to Almighty God, entreat for us the forgiveness of sins and help in overcoming temptations, that we might be strengthened and enlightened to labor for the sake of our salvation and the salvation of men, that having completed our earthly pilgrimage, we might thereby be vouchsafed eternal life in Christ together with thee, that with all the saints and righteous ones we might glorify God unto the ages of ages: Alleluia! (Chanted thrice)

Ikos 1

Thou who didst preach the Gospel of Christ unceasingly in thy life and wast granted the gift of the priesthood, fearing not those who can kill the body, but confessing Christ unto thy death, pray for us who glorify thy confession and sing to thee:

Rejoice, divinely eloquent speaker

Rejoice, tireless preacher

Rejoice, lover of Christ above all else

Rejoice, thou who didst love men and lead them to Christ

Rejoice, laborer against delusions

Rejoice, thou who didst put thy hope in God

Rejoice, destroyer of the works of the enemies of Orthodoxy

Rejoice, servant of Christ like unto the Apostle Thomas

Rejoice, confessor of God like unto the Prophet Daniel

Rejoice, guide of hosts of men to the Church of God

Rejoice, for thou didst find joy in Christ

Rejoice, thou who didst confess Him with thy life

Rejoice, holy Hieromartyr Daniel!

Kontakion 1

Thou didst follow Christ in all things, O holy Hieromartyr Daniel, spreading His word to all peoples; thou didst preserve pure His teachings, bestowing them upon all; thou wast vouchsafed a martyr’s death, which thou hadst praised, and now, having received rest from God in Paradise for thy labors, cease not to pray for us who sing to thee:

Rejoice, holy Hieromartyr Daniel!

The grave of Hieromartyr Daniel Sysoev at Kuntsevo Cemetery in Moscow     

With church bells above her head and gravestones at her feet, Amy Luftig harvests grapes at Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, home to perhaps the oldest-producing vine in California. The unique setting — part vineyard, part shrine — fills the vintner with serenity.

“The solemnity of the place itself is very touching,” said Luftig, co-owner of Angeleno Wine Company. “It has that really beautiful, very calming environment.”

The harvest was part of a recent winemaking venture between the mission and the three founding wineries of the Los Angeles Vintners Association: Angeleno Wine Company, Byron Blatty Wines, and Cavaletti Vineyards. By producing “Angelica,” a sweet fortified wine once crafted by the Franciscan friars, the partners aim to revive the missionaries’ tradition as well as the local wine industry. On Nov. 3, members from the vintners’ wine clubs arrived with shears, step ladders, and enough energy to reap around 400 pounds of fruit.

“I think it’s pretty great because it’s a vineyard in Los Angeles County,” said wine club member Courtney Estorga. “I actually grew up around this area so this is kind of cool to pick grapes where my cousin got married.”

As volunteers snipped off the small dark grapes, Father Paschal Amagba, CMF, pastor of Mission San Gabriel, came by to thank them for their efforts. Amagba said he sees a glimpse of the divine in the centuries-old plant.

“It is more than a grape, more than a vine, it’s God’s handiwork,” Amagba said. “For me, it is a sign of life and the connectivity of the first people here to all of us here now. … Even when I touch it, I think wow, maybe this small bit was touched by Junípero Serra.”

St. Junípero Serra, a Spanish priest, did in fact bring vine cuttings to California and is credited with the first planting at Mission San Diego de Alcalá. Around 1775, friars under his leadership at Mission San Gabriel planted the still thriving “Mother Vine.” The subsequent grapes were used to make wine for Mass and trade. However, after many profitable years, the missions were secularized, the grapes fell out of favor and the vine was abandoned. 

That changed in 2020, when mission staff wanted to propagate new vines at the front of the property and asked the wine association for help. Upon seeing the grapes, the excited vintners had other ideas. 

“They asked if they could take the grapes and I said ‘yes please’ because they make a mess,” said Terri Huerta, director of Mission Development and Communications. “It has been a great collaboration, really a way to continue the legacy of winemaking that the missions introduced here.

“It’s part of the history, we want to sustain it.”

A recipe found in old mission records guided the vintners in their version of Angelica. No money changes hands between the mission and the vintners. However, Huerta said projects like this allow the church to partner with the community and introduce itself to people who otherwise might never visit. 

When newcomers enter the mission courtyard, they’ll see grapevines running along a pergola then down to the now-labeled and fabled Mother Vine. Those responsible for its planting remain a mystery but they were seemingly knowledgeable. A DNA analysis performed at UC Davis in 2014 revealed the fruit is a cross between the Mission grape from Spain and a wild grape native to this region. The end result: a hardy plant that has withstood a dry climate, earthquakes, and even the 2020 arson fire.

“I’ve seen a lot of old vines before but nothing like that … it’s like a tree trunk, it’s miraculous,” said Jasper Dickson, co-owner and winemaker of Angeleno Wine Company. “There’s some pruning but we let it grow wild, really letting it spread its leaves and its fingers and its arms. That’s really to me the beauty of it.”

Carefully balancing on a ladder, volunteer Jossalyn Emslie cuts off clusters of grapes and plops them into a bucket. She’s got her technique down pat and follows two simple rules; never face the blinding sun or the sharp end of the shears.

“I don’t know if picking grapes is something that’s on people’s bucket lists usually, but once you’ve done it you’re kind of hooked,” Emslie said. “And this vine gives year after year and we can participate in that history.”

Part of the biography is Mission San Gabriel’s success. As a major producer of wine, the “Pride of the Missions” became one of the most wealthy in Alta California. But then the narrative gets complicated. The labor that led to affluence came from Native Americans who lived on mission grounds.

“It would be naive to think there wasn’t a time when [Native Americans] probably came here, decided ‘This isn’t really what I wanted for myself,’ and tried to leave and weren’t allowed to,” Huerta said. “We’re trying to honor their part in Mission San Gabriel by having this garden here and including them in the story which hadn’t been done before.”

As the harvest ended, Luftig appeared with a bottle of Angelica, a depiction of the Mother Vine on the front. The volunteers sipped beneath grape leaves that swayed in the cool breeze, noting the sweet and fruity nature of the wine. The potent drink, fortified with brandy, feels thick and decadent.

The next release of Angelica will be in December. The bulk of the bottles will be distributed to wine club members and the remainder will be sold at the vintners’ respective locations. The mission also receives some wine that is largely used for charity. The vintners say they’ll partner with Huerta on future events and are proud to be a part of the mission’s wine history. 

“Wine is nothing if not a story,” said Dickson. “It’s representative of a place and a culture and a food. It’s so neat to be connected to that and the first wine that was made here.”

Today is one of the most well-known days in the Russian Orthodox calendar, recognized even by those who attend church only sporadically. Officially, it is called the “Synaxis of the Holy Archangel Michael and all the Heavenly HostsAccording to the Holy Scriptures, the angels, human beings, and all nature were created by God. With the words, ”In the beginning God created Heaven and earth” (Gen. 1:1), we have the first indication that God created the spiritual world. Here, in contrast to earth, a substantial world, this world of spirits is called Heaven. The angels were already present during the creation of the starry skies, which is evidenced by the words of God spoken to Job, ”When the stars were created, all My angels sang praises to Me” (Job 38:7).

“>Synaxis of Archangel Michael and All the Bodiless Powers of Heaven: Archangels Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Selaphiel, Jegudiel, Barachiel, and Jeremiel.” The faithful simply call it “Michaelmas.”

The significance of this feast is clear: St. Michael is the “commander-in-chief” (Greek archistrategos) of countless legions of good angels. These angels wage war for the souls of humanity against their fallen counterparts, who become darkened and become demons out of envy and malice. (It is worth noting that such transformations can also happen to people overwhelmed by pride.) Archangel Michael is a valiant warrior, a glorious knight of God, defending His honor and dignity. Indeed, he bears God’s title not only on his shield but even in his very name. The theophoric name “Michael” (Mikha’el in Hebrew) translates as a rhetorical exclamation: “Who is like unto God?!” The answer, of course, is self-evident.

In the Old Testament Book of Daniel, Archangel Michael appears as the prince of God’s chosen people, Israel. He defends them from the “prince” (that is, the rival angel) of the “kingdom of Persia.” In the New Testament Book of Revelation (the Apocalypse), Michael leads the final, eschatological battle against the “dragon” (Satan himself, or the Devil) and his vile minions. This battle has become a favorite subject of Christian iconography, painting, and engraving, immediately calling to mind the expressive imagery of Dürer.

For Christians, however, Michael is not only a warrior but also an angel of mercy, an intercessor for people before God. Together with Archangel Gabriel, he stands by God’s throne. He is a guide for human souls, helping them enter the gates of the Heavenly Jerusalem. According to tradition, he also carried the body of the reposed Virgin Mary to Heaven.

Archangel Michael, St. Andrei Rublev. Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow. In Russia, Michael was considered the patron of princes (military leaders) and, in general, of the arduous path of warfare. Yet this does not mean that the Archangel must always appear warlike. One needs only to look at his image from the Monastery of Sinai. Visitors to the Tretyakov Gallery will never forget Andrei Rublev’s icon, depicting a romantically thoughtful Archangel. Perhaps he reflects sorrowfully on the violence that has engulfed our world.

Michaelmas is an ancient feast, though the exact time of its establishment is unknown. In Constantinople, two churches were dedicated to Archangel Michael. In ancient Menologies, the feast’s name varies: “Synaxis of Archangel Michael,” “Synaxis of Michael and Gabriel,” “Synaxis of the Angels,” “Synaxis of the Archangels”… In the Coptic calendar of the fifteenth century, a feast in honor of Michael and the Bodiless Powers is even observed on the eighth day of every month! The renowned church historian Prof. Vasily Vasilievich Bolotov proved the Egyptian origin of this feast. In this case, it replaced the archaic feast of the Theophany, which was assigned a new date—January 6 (Julian calendar).

I wish all those celebrating their name day to support their Heavenly patron in his noble battle by first overcoming the evil within their own soul!

It somehow seems appropriate that the inauguration of the next U.S. president is coinciding with the Church’s jubilee year, the theme of which is hope.

In the statement announcing the start of the jubilee year (officially on Dec. 24, 2024), Pope Francis described hope this way: “Hope dwells as the desire and expectation of good things to come, despite our not knowing what the future may bring.”

This lack of certainty, the pope went on, “may at times give rise to conflicting feelings, ranging from confident trust to apprehensiveness, from serenity to anxiety, from firm conviction to hesitation and doubt.”

All these feelings are abundantly present after the Nov. 5 election. For all those who voted for the winner, and for all those who opposed him, hope is what unites us both, even if for different reasons.

For Americans who feel financially strapped by the long recovery from the pandemic and the economic disruption it caused, hope is for financial relief.

For those who work on behalf of the unborn, there are a few victories to celebrate, as well as defeats to mourn.

For those among us — parents, spouses, children, and grandchildren — who are related to a person who is undocumented, or who themselves are not citizens, hope is that their lives will not be torn apart with the threat of deportation.

And for everyone who is living under the threat of extraordinary climate upheaval, or who has relatives or friends caught in war zones, there is the hope that next year will not be as bad as this one was.

Ordinary jubilee years take place every 25 years, a tradition in the Church that goes back to the year 1300. There are also extraordinary jubilee years, such as in 2015 when Pope Francis announced its theme as that of mercy, something the world also needs a lot more of.

A jubilee year becomes an opportunity for Catholics to reflect at length on its theme. It was that year that I really fell in love with the Gospel of Luke, which is the Gospel of Mercy. And it was the year when I noticed in a very powerful way how the prayers of the Mass are drenched with references to mercy.

Perhaps my favorite, which I had never paid much attention to before, is the Second Eucharistic Prayer, which we often hear at daily Mass. It has a line that rings with hope in God’s loving kindness:

“Remember also our brothers and sisters who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection and all who have died in your mercy: welcome them into the light of your face.” [emphasis added]

God’s mercy is overflowing and generous. Ours, unfortunately, is not a merciful age, as evidenced by any amount of time spent on social media or watching campaign ads. It all stands in stark relief to Jesus’ discourse on loving our enemies: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36).

If Luke’s is the Gospel of Mercy, perhaps St. Paul is the Apostle of Hope. “Hope does not disappoint,” Paul writes in the Letter to the Romans (5:5). For that half of the country whose candidate lost on Nov. 5, this might seem untrue. But Paul is a realist who also reminds us that “affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope” (Romans 5:3–4).

I’ve been hearing from people deeply disappointed by the election and worried about what will happen in the new year, not necessarily to themselves but to others. Whoever the losing candidate is in any election, there comes a time when disappointed supporters want to say “to heck with it,” and retreat. One friend wrote, “I will now become a survivalist and disengage from all politics.”

“Put not your trust in princes,” said the psalmist (146). Hanging all of our hope on any politician is probably a fool’s bet, but the lash of defeat stings, regardless.

Francis’ dream is that the jubilee year will allow us to discover “signs of hope” that are in fact all about us. “We need to recognize the immense goodness present in our world,” he wrote, “lest we be tempted to think ourselves overwhelmed by evil and violence.”

There are great needs, Francis reminds us. Our world needs to seek peace. It needs to care for our youth, for our families, and for families yet to be. It needs us.

Francis hopes this jubilee year will inspire us to action — to pardon prisoners, forgive debts (especially those of struggling nations), attend to the needs of the sick, the elderly, the disillusioned and, yes, to migrants.

Whoever we voted for, we should not invest too much time in self-pity or celebration. There is work to be done. The needs are great and the workers are always too few. Our hope remains in the Lord who we serve.

Hieromonk Kirill (Popov)     

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

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus! It is hard to imagine what our visible world would become if it was not supported by the spiritual realm. It is scary to imagine what a person would turn into if he was not taken care of by his guardian angel. Serving God is always fraught with great risk and with great danger, because you never know where you may stumble, for spiritual warfare is very subtle, complex and unpredictable. Therefore, the angels were given to help humanity. Staying with us all the time, they show us the right path and a way out of various difficult situations.

The angels have a great many obediences, and one of them is associated with the protection of man. Every person, nation, and the universe itself has its own guardian angel. Saint John of DamascusSaint John of Damascus was born about the year 680 at Damascus, Syria into a Christian family. His father, Sergius Mansur, was a treasurer at the court of the Caliph.

“>St. John Damascene teaches us: “They (the Angels) guard parts of the earth, rule over peoples and places, as ordained by the Creator.” An angel, following the example of his Creator, is a lover of man and merciful; therefore, when a person stumbles he does not abandon him. St. Paisios the Hagiorite and His Animals, or How to Learn to Talk to Snakes“They are all filled with love, and I draw love from them, and together we praise, bless and worship God.””>St. Paisios the Hagiorite was once asked: “Is it true that our guardian angels turn away from us when we commit a sin?” To which the saint replied: “If angels were to turn away from us so easily, the world would have perished long ago.”

Photo: Pinterest Very often, when a tragedy could have happened to a person but in some miraculous, incomprehensible way it was avoided and he has gotten off lightly, wise people with good life experience like to say, “He has a strong guardian angel.” In fact, each one of us has a strong guardian angel. We should not measure and distinguish the angels by their strength—they have different kinds of service, but all of them have the same power. The secret is that some people know how to listen to the voice of their guardian angel, while others simply do not hear this voice. How can we hear the voice of our guardian angel? It is important to tune your heart, like a radio frequency, into the same wavelength of the angelic world. Those who are attentive to their inner spiritual life undoubtedly feel and invisibly contemplate the angelic realm.

To hear the voice of your guardian angel you should imitate the angels in their perfection. Just as angels rush to help people, so we, following their example, must hurry to do good to Who is Our Neighbor?Love of neighbor is a clear test of our Christian life. But in order to understand what the love of our neighbor is, it would be good to first clarify who in fact is our neighbor?

“>our neighbors. Just as the angels in their zeal defend God before the evil spirits, so let us fearlessly carry the Word of God into this world, denouncing all untruths and closing lying mouths. Just as the angels burn with love for God and people, so let us learn this Heavenly love and melt cold hearts with this love. Just as the angels praise God day and night,without knowing rest, so let us glorify God with our words, prayers, and most importantly, with our lives. The saints teach us that we must see an angel in every person, and then our lives will be transformed, because we will look at everyone with the eyes of God.

Among other things, we can become guardian angels for someone here on earth. What prevents us from taking care of someone or being living examples for someone? This is also an imitation of angels. But there is always a hazard here: Living like an angel, you may not remain on the side of good and turn into a demon, and this transformation can happen very easily. As soon as we forget about God as the vivifying Source of our lives and begin to get rich in ourselves and for ourselves, making a name for ourselves instead of being rich toward God (cf. Lk. 12:21), we turn into demons and become such for others.

Let us try to imitate the angelic powers in everything as we live, and most importantly, not forget that both we and the angels are limited beings, that we are both servants of God. Let’s not forget for Whom we live and to Whom we owe everything, and then the Lord, seeing our desire, will make us co-partakers of the Angelic light in the radiance of eternal glory. Amen.

At a party I attended not too long ago, the conversation steered most unwillingly to religion. The stranger asked if I was religious, a status I conceded in that halted, Hollywood sort of manner. He replied that he was an atheist, a position he’d reached after reading the Talmud, Bible, and Koran and finding the lot wanting. 

I argued this was a terrible way to go about it: Sometimes context matters just as much as the text; if you read “Animal Farm” without working knowledge of Joseph Stalin, you might walk away with a wacky tale about pigs in top hats.

I couldn’t help reliving this conversation throughout the runtime of A24’s “Heretic,” which details the worst case scenario of such Reddit autodidactism.

The film follows Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East), two young Latter-Day Saints out on their mission. They haven’t had much success, which is surprising because if either of these actresses evangelized at this reviewer’s door, I’d likely be writing for a different publication. 

Sister Paxton is the cradle Mormon, all sugar and rainbows and blonde optimism. Sister Barnes is a convert and thus more streetwise and cynical, the “bad cop” of the partnership. Their final stop after a long day of rejection is one Mr. Reed’s house. Reed (Hugh Grant), seems friendly enough, inviting the girls into his rustic abode with the promise of theological discussion and blueberry pie. 

Read is like the man above, a self-described searcher for the divine while never satisfied with the answers given. He too has read the Abrahamic trilogy, and as it turns out, the Book of Mormon. His questions switch gears from inquisitive to inquisitional, with the girls not having many rebuttals to his pointed questions about the church’s shady history.

But poking apart Mormon theology is hardly difficult or sporting, and what was supposed to be a conversation feels all the more like a grown man bullying a couple of college students, like a more nefarious Ben Shapiro video. His increasingly hostile questions raise some silent questions from the girls, like: where is the wife he promised was just in the other room? Why is he so reluctant to let them leave? And just what sort of captive audience does he have in mind?

Hugh Grant, for his part, has spent most of the last 30 years stammering and charming his way into American hearts and increasingly larger houses. Now in the back nine of his career, he has decided to weaponize and thus destroy that goodwill. His last several roles have flipped the rock on the persona to reveal the dirty old man beneath, which such mannerisms usually disguise. After all those weddings he’s finally getting to the funeral, and it’s more fun than he’s had in years. 

Grant is the best part of the film, a charming rake even when the story inevitably plunges into bloody Hell. As it turns out, Reed isn’t interested in conversation as much as an…experiment, where he will decide once and for all if his own theory on religion passes muster.

Reed is clever, which is quite distinct from intelligent. It’s easy to fall for Grant’s soothing cadence, while his sophisticated arguments don’t invoke contemplation but déjà vu, a Proustian sense memory back to your freshman roommate’s laundry bin. 

Lesser films would have let him get away with it. But to its credit, “Heretic” doesn’t. The missionaries might not be able to explain away polygamy, but they can at least rebut that crock of nonsense about Jesus getting stolen from Horus. Reed doesn’t care for this; he’s unable to improvise from his lecture, or account for new arguments than the ones he already rehearsed and won in the shower.

Once past the stellar first act, the film feels similar, carefully rehearsed and not able to anticipate the spontaneity of human nature. Our characters crumble into symbols, mere vehicles for monologues even as they lie bleeding out. Part of the human element missing is a true understanding of religion.

You don’t have to understand religion to understand it, if that makes sense. It simply means taking the believer at their word that they actually believe it. There’s dialogue near the end that encapsulates my frustrations, where one of the missionaries admits she doesn’t believe prayer works. To her it’s just a way to think of others and be kind, and at the end of the day isn’t that what religion is all about?

Pope Francis warns of this mentality, where faith isn’t accepted on its own terms but rather as a “spiritual NGO,” and in which religion is seen as just an excuse for good works. (Flannery O’Connor’s line about the Eucharist, “If it’s a symbol then to hell with it,” comes to mind.) Religion can be slandered in a myriad of ways, but the most insulting name you can call it is “useful.” If that’s all it is, there are more useful ways of being useful.

The film tries to adopt a principled agnosticism, but part of that equation is tolerating the possibility, indeed the sheer terror, of God being real. Despite the filmmakers’ offers of diplomacy, they start to look an awful lot like their Mr. Reed, starting a dialogue where the parameters (and thus the results) are rigged from the start. 

So even as I recognize the extended olive branch, I trample it underfoot. At the end of the day, I would rather have my nose broken by a devout atheist than suffer the largesse of a condescending pat on the head. 

Portimão, Algarve Region, Portugal, November 20, 2024

Photo: orthodoxspain.com     

The church of St. Daniel of Girona in Portimão became the Russian Orthodox Church’s first fully consecrated church in Portugal over the weekend.

On Sunday, November 17, His Eminence Metropolitan Nestor of Korsun and Western Europe, administrator of the Spanish-Portuguese Diocese, celebrated the great consecration and Divine Liturgy at the church, the diocese reports.

Photo: orthodoxspain.com     

The minor consecration of the church was celebrated Orthodox Church consecrated in PortugalAn Orthodox church in Portugal was consecrated this weekend.

“>last month.

The Metropolitan was concelebrated by his vicar, His Grace Bishop Peter of Kafa, the church rector Archpriest Vyacheslav Vlasenko, and clergy from the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Paris.

The St. Daniel Church was purchased thanks to the community’s benefactors, and through the efforts of the Dean of Portuguese parishes, Archpriest John Gerbovetsky, the church premises were renovated and prepared for consecration.

Photo: orthodoxspain.com     

After the dismissal, the Metropolitan addressed the concelebrating clergy and parishioners with a welcome speech, congratulating them on the first consecration of a Russian Orthodox church in Portugal.

The parish then shared in a festive meal.

Follow OrthoChristian on Twitter, Vkontakte, Telegram, WhatsApp, MeWe, and Gab!

Los Angeles County Fire officials are investigating the cause of an early morning fire at St. Junípero Serra High School in Gardena’s school’s football field Nov. 20. 

Crews responded after a 911 caller reported the fire around 5:30 a.m. Wednesday morning.  Aerial footage from local TV station KTLA 5 showed firefighters battling flames in the field’s press box and a section of the bleachers just before 6 a.m., well before classes were scheduled to begin. 

No one was injured in the fire, which also damaged a few utility rooms connected to the bleacher area. It was unclear when or where exactly the fire began, and what caused it. The damaged press box and bleacher stands that burned will have to be replaced or repaired. 

But upon inspecting the damage in the press box, school officials were surprised to find the only object inside that appeared to be almost untouched by the fire: a paperback Bible. 

“We’re seeing it as a miracle,” Serra president Dr. John Moran told Angelus. 

Asked why there was a Catholic Youth Bible in the press box, Moran answered simply: “We have Bibles all over the school, we’re a Catholic school.”

While the Serra football team’s season ended last week in a playoff loss to Yorba Linda High School, Moran told Angelus that the field will be open for all scheduled practices and sports events. 

“We thank God that the timing was not worse, that no one was on campus and that the football season is over, and we’re going to live up to our slogan ‘siempre adelante,’ always forward,” said Moran. 

The school was closed to students on Wednesday due to the fire, with classes being moved online for the rest of the day. Moran expected students would be allowed to return to campus on Thursday, Nov. 21. 

Editor’s note: This is a breaking news story and is subject to updates. 

Moscow, November 20, 2024

Patriarchia.ru     

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia celebrated his 78th birthday today with a Divine Liturgy in the Church of the Right-Believing Prince Alexander Nevsky in the Patriarchal skete in Peredelkino, outside of Moscow.

The Patriarch was concelebrated by His Eminence Archbishop Thomas of Odintsovo and his personal secretary His Grace Bishop Alexei of Ramenskoe, reports Patriarchia.ru.

Following the Liturgy, a moleben of thanksgiving was celebrated.

In his homily, the Patriarch recalled his pious relatives who helped shape his path in the Church:

The Lord ordained that I be born into a family of pious people. This includes my grandfather, a confessor who went through many prisons and camps but remained unbroken, never betraying his faith in the Lord and fighting against Renovationism, and indeed against persecution and church closures literally until the time when this sorrow passed. And, of course, my parents, Archpriest Mikhail and Matushka Raisa, who in difficult times took on the responsibility to serve the Lord—my father accepted ordination, and mother always accompanied him everywhere, helping. All this, of course, largely shaped my worldview.

He also spoke about the Patriarchal cross he bears:

As Patriarch, I am conscious of my responsibility for our entire Church. Of course, the Lord is the Head of the Church, He leads it along its historical path, but He accomplishes His will through people; and the Patriarch is one of those through whom God’s will should be accomplished. And for this to be so, the Patriarch must be completely devoted to the Lord, never do anything for himself or his own benefit, and give all his strength to service. If he serves thus, then the Lord assists him; if he deviates, then the Lord ceases to offer him His help.

God will judge how I am traversing this part of my life’s journey, but I feel God’s hand and thank the Lord for everything—for joys and sorrows, for the enormous experience I have received, for the close ones, relatives who surround me, and for my fellow archpastors, priests, monastics who support my hands just as Aaron supported Moses’ hands. Of course, symbolically, but simultaneously quite really—through prayer and through cooperation—many, many people support me, and today I offer my sincere and heartfelt gratitude to all.

The Holy Synod of the Russian Church congratulated Pat. Kirill on his birthday, saying:

On this significant day for you, the entire fullness of the Russian Orthodox Church—archpastors, pastors, deacons, monastics, and laity—offer fervent prayers to God for Your Holiness with sincere love. We ask the Almighty to grant you strong health and inexhaustible spiritual strength, so that you, guided by the Holy Spirit, with your characteristic zeal and wisdom, may continue your primatial ministry for the benefit of holy Orthodoxy and for the salvation of the rational flock of Christ entrusted to You.

Follow OrthoChristian on Twitter, Vkontakte, Telegram, WhatsApp, MeWe, and Gab!