A Young Child is Born Who is Pre-eternal God

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

Today Christ is born of the Virgin in Bethlehem.

Today He who knows no beginning now begins to be,

and the Word is made flesh.

The powers of heaven greatly rejoice,

and the earth with mankind makes glad.

The Magi offer gifts, the shepherds proclaim the marvel,

and we cry aloud without ceasing:

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will among men.

(by John the Monk)

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The Orthodox Path: A Great Multilingual Resource

As quite a few readers of Lessons from a Monastery are from various countries and know various languages, I wanted to introduce you to a new website called The Orthodox Path, a multilingual Orthodox website. It is a great resource and has made spiritual articles available in many languages, including Greek, English, German, Albanian, Romanian, Turkish, as well as others. Below is just one of the website’s many jewels. It is a translation of a talk given by the renowned Elder Symeon of Panorama. Enjoy!

People today are complicated, multi-faceted, confused, and in one way or another, their souls are layered: layer upon layer of blindness, layer upon layer of callousness, layer upon layer of pride. For this reason they are never healed once and for all. As soon as you take a humble attitude, though, Grace intervenes and works a miracle: you are freed. But the work does not end here. This Grace, this light, this healing that comes proceeds also to the next layer further down. And here the sin is more unyielding, is more strongly rooted, the resistance is uncompromising. If you say, “May it be blessed, My God. I will look even deeper and I will acknowledge my stubbornness and my sin, and will humble myself”, then another miracle takes place. And in some incomprehensible way, the second and the third, the fourth and the fifth layers of the soul are put right. But some people will not accept this. They remain at the superficial layers, and spend their life like this and are never healed.” 

Transcribed talks by Arch. Symeon Kragiopoulos (trans. by Fr. Matthew Penney)

Through the prayers of the Holy Fathers, may we have the courage to continually look deep within ourselves and receive the grace of healing!

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Preserve Us, O Lord our God

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How Shall I Rightly Praise Thee?

(History of the icon, from this post)

The holy icon pictured above is called “Diasosousa” (the one who saves) and is housed at St. Anthony’s church here in Thessaloniki. St. Anthony’s is a metochian of St. Theodora’s monastery in the same city. She is miracle-working and her feast day is today, October 28 (“Ohi Day”). The liturgical feast of the Holy Protection of the Theotokos was transferred to this date some years ago in Greece because the people felt that it was through the Theotokos that they successfully withstood Italian troops (in cahoots with the Nazis), who on Oct. 28, 1940 wanted to come into Greece and set up military stations in unspecified locations. Since Greece refused to allow this, they were forced to enter the Second World War.

During this period of war a group of Greek men (I think there were five) were being chased by German soldiers in Thessaloniki. They ran into the church of St. Anthony in order to hide. At that time it was a monastery and the Abbott was in the altar. When the Greeks came in they told the Abbott they needed to hide from the Germans. The church is quite small and there is no obvious hiding space. The Abbott told them to all stand behind the above icon of the Theotokos – which at that time was located next to the iconostasis and didn’t have such a majestic encasing nor rizzo (the silver covering over the icon).

When the Germans came into the church they looked everywhere for the Greek men: around the stasidia (seats), in the altar, everywhere, but they couldn’t find them. Panagia had made them blind to the five men standing behind her. They left in great frustration and the Greeks came out from behind the icon. Just then they noticed that the Theotokos was covered in myrrh. One of them (I think it was the Abbott) said, “She is sweating from the stress of having to hide you. Let’s kneel down and say a Supplicatory canon to her.” And this is how the icon came to be known as “the one who saves”.

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Lamentations to the Most Holy Lady Theotokos

I hope everyone had a very blessed and spiritually profitable two-week fast for the feast of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Mother of our God. I hope you celebrate her Dormition with great joy – for despite physical death she lives: “And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads” (Rev. 22: 4).

Τhird Stasis (Tone 3)

1. Ev’ry generation / to thy grave comes bringing / its dirge of praises, O Virgin.

2. All of creation / to the grave comes bringing / a farewell hymn to our Lady.

3. Christ’s holy Disciples / tend to the body / of Mary, Mother of my God.

4. Orders of Angels / and Archangels / invisibly hymn her presence.

5. Pious Women / with the Apostles / now cry out their lamentations.

6. She who was at Cana / at the marriage / hath been called with the Apostles.

7. The Master descendeth / to Gethsemane / with countless hosts of heaven.

8. The choir of the Disicples / seeing the Lord descend / in glory greatly rejoiceth.

9. Let the earth leap for joy / as it beholdeth / our God from heaven descending.

10. Let us go out quickly / meeting the Lord Jesus / Who cometh once more among us.

12. Let us be attentive / God now speaketh / with His most pure Mother.

13. Most sweet Mother / come and rejoice with / thine own most sweet Child, Jesus.

14. Behold now thy Son / cometh to bring thee / into His home in the heavens.

15. Come, My most lovely one / and enjoy the beauty / of thine own Son thy Maker.

16. Come indeed, My Mother / come into divine joy / and enter into the kingdom.

17. What will I bring Thee / O my Son, the God – Man / the Maiden cried to the Master.

18. What will I bring Thee / O my God in heaven / except my soul and body.

19. The Father I glorify / to the Son I sing a hymn / the Holy Spirit I worship.

20. Adam and Eve came out / to behold the glory / of their own Virgin offspring.

21. Blessed be the parents / Joachim and Anna / who for the world bore a daughter.

22. Grant to thy Church peace/ to thy flock salvation / through thy most holy Dormition.

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William Paris’ “The Legend of St. Christina”

During his time as a political prisoner, William Paris, Chaucer’s contemporary, wrote what has been called “The Legend of Christina” (1397 or so). Originally written in Middle English, below are excerpts from a Modern English translation from Chaste Passion: Medieval English Virgin Martyr Legends, edited and translated by Karen A. Winstead pp. 63-69. I would have preferred to post the original in Middle English, but alas I could only find a very small excerpt on the internet.

Holy Saint Christina, pray to God for us! (And happy name’s day to my mum!)

(Source)

That maiden had gods of shiny gold and silver in the tower with her, which she was supposed to worship and honor day and night. But suddenly almighty God sent help: he made her yearn to bring her soul to heaven’s light. The holy ghost within Christine taught her to forsake every one of her false gods, which are only pallid sticks and stones. She resolved to fear nothing but think only of heaven. See how God can turn non-Christians into his holy martyrs! Some – like good Saint John the Baptist – had grace before they were born; some – like fair Christine – acquired it in their youth; and some – as we can see in Paul’s life – got it after youth was gone…

She had incense, but she hid it in a window, and she did so in good conscience, for she intended never to sacrifice to the false gods of heathendom, no matter who told her to. She asked Christ that she might be martyred before that happened!

One day Urban wanted to see his daughter. Christine’s attendants all said, “Lord Urban, we tell you that your daughter and our noble lady scorns our goes and everything has to do with them. In fact, she says she’ll be a Christian if she can!”

***

“Fetch her,” said Urban. “I want her brought before the bar and I’ll try to make her change her wicked ideas. She said she wasn’t my daughter… She broke my richly crafted gods. No wonder I’m furious!

***

Then the lovely maiden Christine said to her father, who sat so high, “What an honor you’re doing me by no calling me the devil’s daughter! The child of a devil is a devil himself, and you father, are the direct descendant off that cursed fiend satan!”

Urban then commanded that her clear white flesh be scraped from her bones with sharp hooked nails… By Saint John, it was a shame to see what was done to that maiden!

***

When day had gone and night had come, they tied an exceedingly heavy stone around her neck, then they threw her into the sea. But once that evil deed had been done, lovely angels came from heaven and, through God’s grace and great power, held her up. Then Christ himself through God’s grace and great power, held her up. Then came down and baptized Christine in the sea. It w is written that he said these very words: “In my father and in myself Jesus Christ, God’s heavenly son, and in the holy ghost, us three, I baptize you with the water.”

***

Saint Christine said, with heart and soul, “Thank you, God in majesty for all you’ve done to show your might through me. In all my ordeals you’ve protected me, letting neither fire nor water harm me. Now I think it’s time for me to be brought to the fair bliss of heaven.”

***

[Julian] beside himself with fury, he shot her with three arrows. Two landed in her heart, the third in her side. When Christine was struck, her soul want to radiant heaven, where she would feel no more pain.

Her body lies in a strong castle – the book calls it Bolsena – where many sick people have recovered their health, and many blind people have recovered their sight. I truly believe that if anyone prays earnestly to that damsel, she will help him with all her might – if what they want is good and right.

***

Jesus Christ, God’s mighty son, who came down to amend our ills and settled in a pure virgin, Mary, now your mother, grant that all who have heard this will see you in heaven. Let them see you sitting there in bliss with Christine, your radiant maiden! Amen.

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St. Marina and Satan: A Syriac Dialogue Poem

(Source)

Translated by Sebastian P. Brock

O discerning listeners, come and listen to the dispute between Marina and Satan, and sing praise to the Lord of all.

St Marina and Satan: A Syriac dialogue poem

SATAN

The Evil One said to Marina, the dearly beloved virgin,

‘Desert and Sown , in their envy, have spoken falsehood against you’.

MARINA

‘Every word Desert and Sown have spoken against me is in falsehood:

in the name of the Lord do I put my hope to escape victorious from them’.

SATAN

‘In the name of the Lord you shall escape if you pay attention and listen to me, my daughter:

reveal your identity, that you are a woman, and you will escape from all guile’.

MARINA

‘Those men and women who have emerged victorious first entered into trials and were rescued

by the hope they held in the name of the Lord – and like them I too have hope’.

SATAN

‘ I have revealed and shown you the right path by which you shall be victorious, but you won’t listen;

I am greatly upset in my concern for you, and my pain won’t go away since you won’t listen to me’.

MARINA

‘My skin cleaves to my bones [Lam.4:8]: I have greatly toiled in my labours so as to be numbered among males in order to steal

righteousness from them’.

 SATAN

‘If you wish to be numbered among males, listen to what I have to say to you:

go and reveal your identity, how you are a woman, and then go and live in the world along with men’. 

MARINA

‘What you have to say is miles away from what I have in mind:

my desire is to die in the wild and I shall not do what you have said’. 

SATAN

‘This wild place shall be your tomb and you will not get away from trials,

for if you don’t listen to my words, you will die and perish, with your hope cut off’.

MARINA

‘Great woe is reserved for you and for whoever listens to any of your words.

There is hope in God, and those who hope in him are not ashamed’. [Ps 25:3]

SATAN

‘It is a double woe that you will have if you fail to listen to any of my words:

you will die in the wilderness and wild beasts and birds of prey will devour you’.

MARINA

‘I will sing praise while I live, [Ps 146:2] while I have a place where to sing;

and whether I live or whether I die, it is to the Lord I belong all the time’.

SATAN

‘Sing on then, and don’t stop for in a little while your song will come to an end;

you will go down to Sheol without hope and your lot will be a double woe’. [cp Ps 31:18, 55:16]

MARINA

‘The Lord is living and holy is his name, and whoever hopes in him will not be ashamed: [Ps 25:3]

from this monastery I will not depart. and will not go away from its gate’.

 SATAN

‘Savage animals are roaring, eager to rip you apart, and vultures too;

if you don’t carry out my advice they will tear you apart and drink up your blood’.

MARINA

‘A great blessing will be mine if they tear my body apart and drink up my blood,

for my Lord is the Lord of all: he will not do what you have said’.

SATAN

‘So torture you consider a blessing? What then do you think of eternal woe?

Flee from the error in your mind; follow my advice and live’.

MARINA

‘Let the sea and land testify concerning me, the heavens too, and all that is in them, [cp Deut 4:26, 31:28]

that I renounce you and your words: cursed is your counsel, and accursed your name’.

SATAN

‘I know that women don’t have much intelligence or brain, for they don’t know what they are saying,

and they do what is harmful to themselves’.

MARINA

‘All the advice that you give is bad; your words are bad too because you are bad:

as our Lord said in his Gospel, “a tree that is bad bears bad fruit”’. [Matt7:17]

SATAN

‘Check your words, stupid woman, and shut up: you don’t realize it is your duty to save yourself,

as far as you are able, and live a normal life, and not perish’.

MARINA

‘Accursed are your words, Satan, and accursed is the instruction which you teach.

for your mouth is full of cursing and wickedness, and on your tongue are fraud and deceit’.

SATAN

‘You haven’t read or learnt the Scripture; you are ignorant and you don’t listen.

My words and utterance are full of truth, and deceit is far from my heart’.

MARINA

‘If I listen to you I will indeed perish, for you have set a trap that leads to perdition,

and I won’t be able to save myself if I listen to you and your counsel’.

SATAN

‘My advice is crystal clear, its light is illumined by the sun, but because the light of your mind is darkened

you don’t see the light even when it shines out’.

MARINA

‘Take a rest from laying your traps, for I shall break them all up:

I place my hope in Jesus’ name and no harm will come to me’.

SATAN

‘You should give a rest to your words: that I should rest is not my wish.

It is a great sin that you commit if you remain in this wild place.

SATAN

‘You will do yourself harm at the hands of marauding robbers:

if they realize you are a woman I don’t know what they will do to you!’.

MARINA

‘The hope that I’ve placed in God will rescue me and I will not be harmed;

he is the hope of the poor and the orphans, and to all who hope on him’.

SATAN

‘Escape from all sorts of harm while you still have a chance to escape:

don’t put the Lord, your Lord, to the test, hoping he will perform a miracle with you’.

MARINA

‘It is from you that I will make my escape and I won’t touch your words of advice;

if I escape from you and your words, then will I be accounted blessed!’.

SATAN

Satan replied and said ‘If you reveal that you are a woman all the abuse you are getting

will go away and then you can sing praise and rejoice’.

MARINA

‘I will not give you any answer for all your talk is importunate:

all that you say is false. You give a lot of advice, but you are the one who needs it’.

SATAN

‘Cruel crosses are set up in readiness for you on every side:

summer is preparing burning heat for you, and winter, snow and ice’.

MARINA

‘Our Saviour endured the Cross because of our human race, and if he holds me

worthy to endure it, then this will be a great blessing for me’.

SATAN

‘Get up and prepare yourself to receive crosses, sufferings and torments which evil people,

and the monks, will bring upon you – just as you are wanting!’.

MARINA

‘I have already received these from you, and I will do so in future for I am ready for suffering:

whether from you, O Evil One, or from human beings, from wild animals, or from reptiles’.

 SATAN

‘It is pride that women love, and boasting is in their heart, but in a little while they grow weak and are defeated:

then tears start coming, flowing from their eyes!’.

MARINA

‘Yes, women love pride – as you have said in your pride; but they are humble before their Lord, while it is you and your pride they will trample down’.

Give peace to your Church and her children with that peace that pacifies all; rebuke the Evil One and his band: let them be scattered like smoke! [cp Ps 37:20]

Let peace reign in the midst of your Church; let fights and schisms be brought to an end:may they be brought under your yoke and do service before you.

May your handmaid enter her monastery and in the Holy of Holies offer up to you a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving – and may both Desert and Sown be joined in peace. 

May my supplication enter and be accepted in the presence of your divine tribunal;  may the Evil One and his band feel shame, and may the Church be radiant in giving praise!

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