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St Sophia of Kleisoura (1883-1974)   Also known as Saint Sophia the New Ascetic of Kleisoura, Sophia Saoulidi was born in Pontus, Asia Minor, in 1883, at a time of growing hostility between the Turkish and Greek populations. Her married life was short-lived following the disappearance of her husband and the death of her new-born son. These events led Sophia to turn completely to God and marked the beginning of her ascetic way of life. In 1919, Sophia fled the tense environment in Turkey. Upon her arrival to Greece, the Mother of God appeared to her saying, “Come to my [...]

The Visitation of Abraham (Gen 18:1-8)   In this passage, Abraham revealed the aspects of his character that led to God promising the land of Canaan to his descendants. These characteristics were his hospitality and his spiritual discernment. Abraham was sitting at noon in front of the door of his tent (v. 1). He did this to extend his hospitality to anyone travelling past. This alone is extraordinary: the intensity of the heat of the Middle East at midday indicates the level of holiness that Abraham had achieved, being prepared to suffer on behalf of others in a way which [...]

Words from the Pulpit   Prior to his retirement, he served as a Greek Orthodox parish priest for many decades in Australia. Every year his strong voice would deliver powerful commemorative services on behalf of those who had fallen for their faith and their homeland, whether it was for our Greek National Day, or for 28th October, or in memory of other significant events in Greece’s troubled history. Father’s voice was melodic and strong, and deeply emotional. His words affected all his parishioners, young and old. For the younger members, the events that were being commemorated were distant and story-like, [...]

Monastic Wisdom: the Letters of Elder Joseph the Hesychast Published by St Anthony’s Greek Orthodox Monastery (Arizona US), 1999   Elder Joseph the Hesychast (†1959), a renowned holy elder of our times, is associated with the renewal of monastic life on Mt Athos, whereby many of his spiritual children and grandchildren have been instrumental in renewing six of its twenty monasteries. One spiritual child, Elder Ephraim, became Abbot of Philotheou Monastery, and later founded several monasteries in North America, including St Anthony’s Monastery in Arizona, the publisher of Monastic Wisdom: The Letters of Elder Joseph the Hesychast. The book book [...]

Gospel Reading Sunday October 22 (Luke 8:26-39) A Demon-Possessed Man Healed   Gadara was one of ten cities known as Decapolis east of the Jordan River. In this arid place, a demon-possessed man went about among the tombs where he resided, naked, tormenting himself and those around him. In fear, the locals had him shackled in chains but the ferocity of the demons with which he was possessed was too great to be tamed. Encountering this tormented soul, Jesus asked him his name: “Legion” was the reply. A legion was an armed regiment numbering 6000 soldiers, indicating the man had [...]