Christ, the Passover great and most Holy! O Wisdom, Word and Power of God! Grant that we may more perfectly partake of Thee in the day of Thy Kingdom which knows no night. (Orthodox Paschal Hymn).   Easter is the feast of real joy because it celebrates ‘Christ, the Passover’, our Saviour’s sacrifice and His Resurrection! These great events powerfully reveal God’s love for all humankind, and they have allowed us to hope in the miracle of eternal life. Such a life no longer ‘knows night’, since Christ’s sacrifice has decisively destroyed the power of death, darkness and decay. Easter [...]

The Brothers Karamazov By Fyodor Dostoevsky Published by Bantam Classics; Reissue edition - April 1, 1984. The Brothers Karamazov, as the title suggests, is a story that revolves around a family of three brothers and their wayward father. The story begins with an explanation of the family history that formed the events that take place in the novel, and this introductory section ends with the two older brothers, Ivan and Dimitri, living lives outside of the town of their birth, whereas Alyosha, the youngest brother, has become a novice in the town’s local monastery. The central events in the book [...]

FREEDOM - REALITY OR FANTASY ? The dominant dream of young people is to be free. There is no nation on earth, the history of which does not include a fight for freedom, and this fight almost always is spearheaded by its younger generation. At the personal level, young people want to be free of any constraint, as they feel that this path will advance themselves, and achieve great things in this world. What would be your response, if someone tells you, to really be free you have to submit yourself to some form of discipline, you have to sacrifice [...]

Service of the Great Canon of St Andrew St Andrew of Crete (660-740 AD) was a bishop, born in Damascus, who served the Church in various ways until being sent to Crete, which was his final place of office. He is counted as one of the most prolific and important hymnographers of the Orthodox Church, traditionally being known as the first hymnographer to write the type of hymn known as the κανόνα (canon). Amongst his works are major hymns sung on the feasts of Christmas and of the Holy Apostles, Saints Peter and Paul. His most well known work though, [...]