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  And rose on the third day according to the Scriptures.   “ ‘Why do you mingle the ointments with your tears full of pity, O women disciples?’ Thus the Angel who was shining in the tomb cried to the myrrhbearing women, ‘See for yourselves the empty tomb and understand, that the Saviour has risen from the sepulchre’.” (Resurrectional Evlogetaria, Sunday Matins) Every Sunday morning, the hymnology of our Orthodox Church fills the ears and hearts of her faithful with an abundance of references to the central event of the Orthodox Christian faith; the glorious Resurrection of our Lord Jesus [...]

Christology- St Nektarios of Pentapolis   Saint Nektarios of Pentapolis, in his preface to Christology, writes that: “Our chief aim in compiling the book… was to strengthen the faith of Christians; so they may become firm and immovable in the faith, live worthily of the Gospel of Christ, being frightened in no way by the adversaries (Philippians 1:28); that they may live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.” This book does what Saint Nektarios sought for it to accomplish. First published in Greek in 1900, it has lost none of its relevance for a contemporary Western audience. In [...]

“I have begotten you from the womb before the morning star” (Psalm 109:3/110:3) We hear a series of prophecies in the often cited Psalm 109, many of which are sung on Christmas day. Verse 3 is one such example. It is chanted on Christmas day by way of prokeimenon in the matins service, and as the entrance hymn following the small entrance during the Divine Liturgy. Verse 3 proclaims the first birth of Christ, who is referred to as the “morning star.” It is not the only place in which this description is used. It also appears in Revelation 22:16: [...]

St Zenobius Metropolitan of Tetri-Tskaro St Zenobius was born on 14 September 1896 with the name Zacharias. He was from Chernigov in Russia, and lost his father when he was three years old and his mother when he was eleven. He lived a humble childhood in poverty and entered the Monastery of Glinsk. After being conscripted into the army during World War I, he was tonsured a monk with the name Zenobius in 1917. When the Communists closed the Monastery, Zenobius was ordained deacon and then hieromonk, serving until 1930 in the Church of St Nicholas in Sukhum. Along with [...]

Jael and Sisera (Judges 4:17-23)   The book of Judges records that the Israelites fell away from God after arriving in the Promised Land. Having fallen into idolatry, Israel was enslaved for twenty years to King Jabin of Canaan. When the Israelites realised their sin and repented, Deborah and Barak led them to victory over the Canaanite army led by Sisera. However, the victory was not complete because Sisera fled the battlefield. In fleeing, Sisera reached the tent of Jael, who was the wife of Heber the Kenite. Jael received Sisera and gave him a blanket. When Sisera asked for [...]