From the Service of the Royal Hours of Christmas - Hymn of the 1st Hour   Ἦχος πλ. δ', Ποίημα Σωφρονίου Πατριάρχου Ἱεροσολύμων Βηθλεὲμ ἑτοιμάζου· εὐτρεπιζέσθω ἡ φάτνη· τὸ Σπήλαιον δεχέσθω, ἡ ἀλήθεια ἦλθεν· ἡ σκιὰ παρέδραμε· καὶ Θεὸς ἀνθρώποις, ἐκ Παρθένου πεφανέρωται, μορφωθείς τὸ καθ' ἡμᾶς, καὶ θεώσας τὸ πρόσλημμα. Διὸ Ἀδὰμ ἀνανεοῦται σὺν τῇ Εὔᾳ, κράζοντες· Ἐπὶ γῆς εὐδοκία ἐπεφάνη, σῶσαι τὸ γένος ἡμῶν. Tone 8. By Sophronios, Patriarch of Jerusalem Bethlehem make ready; let the Manger be prepared; let the Cave receive. The truth has come, the shadow has passed away, and God has appeared among men [...]

Elder Tychon the Athonite (1884-1968)   Father Tychon was born in 1884 in the Russian town of Novaya, Mikhalovka. His God-fearing parents, Paul and Helen, taught him from a young age to love God with all his heart. Such was his longing to devote his whole life to God that from childhood, he wanted to become a monk. Due to his young age however, his parents hesitated to give their son a blessing to join a monastery. He made endless pilgrimages to many monasteries in Russia, where he often refused to accept hospitality, both to cultivate his own asceticism and [...]

Psalm 103 Ο Προοιμιακός (Introductory Psalm read at Vespers)   The start of the Psalm provides us with a description of God’s Creation, and through it, revealing His might and glory. We read of clouds, winds, waters and mountains, all highlighting God’s glory and contrasting small humanity against His greatness and magnitude. But that is not the only image the Psalm projects. Subsequent verses provide a softer image of the Lord’s greatness through all the beautiful elements of Creation such as grasses, springs and trees. There are birds singing and an “earth that is satisfied with the fruit of your [...]

The Enduring Legacy of Faith   Kyria Leah migrated to Australia from her home town of Kozani in the post war era. Like many other women from the north-eastern regions of Greece she had vivid memories of the war years, even though she was a young girl at the time. Most families had suffered tragic losses, especially during the Greek civil war years. Many families had lost a loved one, and in some cases more than one member of the family. In a slow, measured tone, Kyria Leah recalls the two brothers she had lost within the space of one [...]

Blueprints for the Little Church: Creating an Orthodox Home By Elissa Bjeletich and Caleb Shoemaker Published by Ancient Faith, 2016   Blueprints for the Little Church addresses the critical question parents face: how do we provide our children with the spiritual foundations that will keep them close to Christ throughout their lives? A child’s spiritual nurturing comes through their involvement in the life of the Church, both in the parish and at home – the ‘Little Church’. Creating an Orthodox home is about raising saints: ‘It’s not about manners – it’s about holiness. It’s not about ‘good behaviour’ – it’s [...]