Elder Haralambos of Dionysiou   The Athonite Elder Haralambos Dionysiatis was another of that luminous generation of eminent elders hailing from the southern region of the Athonite peninsula, the caves of Little Saint Anna. Elder Haralambos was born in Russia in 1910 to pious Greeks who had emigrated from Pontos. He was popular in the world, capable and sociable, with a bright future available to him. However the call to the angelic habit consumed him in a way no calling of a life in the world could. Even prior to the day of his renunciation, Haralambos lived in the world [...]

Psalm 135 Ἐξομολογεῖσθε τῷ Κυρίῳ Give Thanks to the Lord Because the line “for His mercy endured forever” appears in each of its twenty-six verses, this Psalm, along with Psalm 134, is known in Orthodox worship as the polyeleion or “manifold mercy”. It starts with three introductory verses, as St Jerome states: 'Give thanks to the Lord of lords' refers to the Son. The 'God of Gods' to the Father. We give thanks, therefore to the Father and to the Son.’ After these verses that call for the praise of God, one may distinguish three stanzas in this Psalm. Stanza [...]

Encountering the Mystery, by His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. Published by Image, 2008.   Encountering the Mystery by His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew It is a warm work drawn from his personal experience of living the riches our Orthodox Christian faith has to offer. This very readable book focuses on encountering, which means essentially to meet face to face. The book’s title presents a paradox: How is it that one meets mystery face to face? Furthermore, when one meets mystery face to face, what does one see? What does one do? Rarely does an encounter exist without struggle, a [...]

Gospel Reading Sunday 1st January (Luke 2:20-21, 40-52)   During the period between Christmas and Theophany, many of the Gospel readings are focused on the life of the young Jesus. One reading during this period is Luke 2:40-52. In this passage we read that Jesus’ parents would go to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. When Jesus was twelve years of age, He went to Jerusalem with His parents, as was the usual custom. When the feast was over, the young Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem for three days. His parents initially assumed He was with them [...]

Why Do We Celebrate Christmas on 25 December?   In the first century the Church did not celebrate the birth of Christ. It is important to remember that in the very first few years of the Church, the only feast days being celebrated were those to do with the death and resurrection of Christ: that is, Pascha. After a few decades the Church desired to also celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord on 6 January. This meant celebrating the fact that God took on human form and visited us: “God is the Lord and has revealed Himself to us!” Later [...]