Appeal for help

Dear Parishioners, Glory to the Lord:

In recent years we have witnessed and participated in major events in our community in Calgary; The purchase of the new land, construction of our Church and the completion of the landscape surrounding the Church. We believe that each of you is proud of what has been accomplished. Continue reading

While There Is Time

“In an acceptable time, I have heard you…” In a very old book, I read that there was a king a long time ago who had the following custom. Throughout his entire kingdom and whenever he came near a city with his army, he carried two flags; a white one and a black one. When he approached the city; he raised the white flag which meant that as long as that flag was raised, a soldier did not have permission to disturb anything, not even the hair on a person’s head! All of the city’s inhabitants had also the ability to request favors from the king, whatever they desired. This, however, was for a short duration only and it had a very definitive time limit. As soon as time was up, the black flag was raised and then mothers would weep for their children; in homes and in fields there would be fire, murder, blood, everywhere, to people and to animals alike…

Do you comprehend what I am telling you? Christ, our good King, raises His white flag over this world through His Holy Cross. Let all the sinful come, all people, all nations, while there is time! The time will soon come that the white flag of love and mercy will be lowered and then all gates will be shut. The day will come that you will arrive only to find the Church door closed. You will keep knocking but not even the chanter will be there to answer. The stars and the sun will be extinguished and the rivers will dry up. The moment of judgment and justice will be upon us all!

My brethren, as long as we remain in this vain world, let us repent, let us weep, and let us all beg God’s mercy; May God deem us worthy to spend the rest of our life “in peace and repentance,” through the intercessions of our Holy Theotokos and all the saints. Amen.

Bishop Augoustinos of Florina
Source: www.orthodoxinfo.com

Fast is abstaining from all evil things

“Fasting is not only abstinence from food. It is only one element of fasting. Fasting is abstaining from all evil things… If I steal, I must especially take care not to do so during the Great Lent. If I have another evil habit, either of foul language or of going out to party in places that are not very decent, during Lent I should make every effort not to do so. Lent is about the whole person: from food to evil thoughts, evil feelings and evil desires.”

“The man must always resist evil, but by fasting this struggle must be subdued, that is, even greater… when a person keeps such a fast, it becomes a treasure for him/her.”

“Fast is a good thing that we should do with regard to ourselves, a heavenly treasure. There are earthly treasures that moths eat and rust destroys, which thieves sneak up to, undermine and steal. And there are spiritual treasures, these are good deeds, which neither moth nor rust destroys, which thieves do not steal. This is the feast to which the Church calls us before the Holy Great Lent.”

Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev
Source: Union of Orthodox Journalists

My Lord, do whatever you want

When life goes wrong, when expectations are not fulfilled according to our ideas, when relationships in our family are difficult, when our children are not progressing, when illness and incurable diseases occur, when we do not know what to do, when we cannot find peace, when we are unable to learn, when we cannot pray and feel completely lost – let us not lose hope. Let’s just say: “My Lord, do whatever you want. I do not know; You know: You love me. If you want to separate me and my household – let it happen, if it is Your will.” When we say this, then God, Who loves His creation, comes and gives us strength, grace, and comfort that are beyond the understanding of anything that comes from the outside (surrounding). Then we really understand what it means that “Jonah cried out of the fish’s belly and was saved” and that “Christ is risen from the dead.”

Arhimadrite Vasilios of Iveron
Source: Monastery Podmaine

10 years in the new church

On February 26, 2024, on the day of St. Simeon Mirotocivi, it will be 10 years since moving into the new church.

“Nothing in life is accidental. Here, on Cheesefare Week, you moved to the new church – on the day when we remember Adam’s expulsion from Paradise with the hope that one day we will return there again.

You showed your faith when you built this church and won a reward both on Earth and in Heaven. But you should not forget that you do not build the Church, but She builds you. Our Lord established the Church on the Earth.

Even though the church is magnificent and well-built, you built it not so that people could pass by it and say “Wow!”, but to save your souls and educate your children in faith.”

“You have built the church, now continue to build up yourself spiritually by coming to Holy Services and saving your souls.”

Excerpts from the sermon of Bishop Georgije, February 26, 2014
Find more photos on our Facebook page

Why St. Nektarios is a saint

When in 1961 St. Nektarios of Aegina (+1920) was officially canonized, in one of the monasteries of the Holy Mount Athos the brotherhood was divided in their opinions about his canonization.

Some acknowledged the holiness of the Saint, while others refused flatly to pray to him as a saint of God. The atmosphere in the monastery became tense and heated up from day to day.

Then, the virtuous igumen of this monastery, seeing the turmoil taking place, summoned all the brethren and said:

– Let’s, fathers and brothers, not allow that the question of the holiness of Nektarios became a cause of disputes and spiritual doom in our brotherhood. From today I pronounce in our monastery three days of strict fasting and prayer. Let us fast and ask God to Himself reveal to us – Saint Nektarios or not a saint.

Continue reading

Persecuted Metropolitan Longin attacked at home

His Eminence Metropolitan Longin of Bancheny is known as one of the most stalwart hierarchs of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Therefore, he is also one of the prime targets of those who attack the Church.

During the night of January 22, 2024, an unknown assailant attacked the Metropolitan, striking him in the face. It was noted that due to the blow he lost consciousness, and a surgical intervention was performed on his eyelids. 

“Someone knocked on the door three times, and when I opened it, I was struck and knocked unconscious… I feel good now! Everything is left to the mercy and judgment of God!,” added the hierarch.

Later Metropolitan Longin said: “To calm everyone down, I’ll say a few words so that no one worries. We are doing well; everything is going as it should go according to our Orthodox faith. We must endure, suffer, and pray. I feel ill a little now but I got what I deserved. So the Lord gives. Glory to You, God! But may God forgive and have mercy on everyone. I won’t say anything more,” the hierarch said.

Continue reading

St. Ieronymos of Simonopetra and the Bombs during Divine Liturgy

“”Father, do not officiate tomorrow. It is very dangerous!” “Silence, silence!” “Elder, please! The situation has worsened. Every day bombs fall around us. We are afraid to leave the house. We are worried about you too.”

Unperturbed, Fr. Ieronymos listened to the people who in the last few days arrived anxiously at the Simonopetra Metochi of the Ascension in Byron, Attica. They wanted to protect him, but also to find refuge in his peaceful form. Shut up, shut up,” he told them and prayed secretly with the salutation of the Holy Cross and the Virgin Mary. He deeply believed in the power of Christ and therefore never lost his peace. 1943. Byron is at the center of the warring factions. English ships from Piraeus bomb the area. Fr. Ieronymus performs the Divine Liturgy. He was told to close the church for security reasons. He did not accept. He wanted to stay true to his duty.

Outside the Temple the shells and missiles are raining. At some point a terrible click is heard. Then another and another. The stones and plasters of the church begin to fall. The people are terrified and are looking for a way to escape and be saved. “Do not move!,” the voice of the revered Levite captivates them all. In the Beautiful Gate, his serene form is displayed. “I guarantee you that you will not even get dusty! In a little while it is time to commune. You will all come up and then you will return home quietly.” Indeed, on that day, everyone communed and, as an eyewitness confesses, “went to their homes without the slightest dust, despite the fact that there were piles of rubble around them that had been cluttered. And the damage done to the temple was repaired in just fifteen days. Like the beehives, many people cooperated, helped with money but also with personal work and the Temple became more beautiful than before!””

Source: Orthodox Ethos

Saint Sava’s ideal

“Brothers and spiritual children, mainly I beg you to lay all your hope on God, hold on to the true faith above all.”

~ Saint Sava

“The truth does not exist outside the Orthodox Church. It is the only faithful guardian of all that was commanded by the Lord through the Holy Apostles, and therefore it is the true Apostolic Church. It exists and will remain, according to His promise, unto the end of the world.”

~ St. Theophan the Recluse

“Give up everything for Christ, but Christ for nothing.”

Saint Sava’s ideal (described by St. Justin Popovich)

Wrong goal of life

A young man came to an elder and joyfully told him that the goal of his life had been fulfilled: he had passed the exam well and entered university. The elder asked: “Okay, you’ll graduate from university, but what’s next? – I will apply in the civil service – said the young man. – And then? – I’ll create a family. – And what’s next? – the elder continued to ask. – I will receive rewards and medals. – And next? – I’ll get old and retire. – And then what? – I’m going to die, said the young man, no longer in such an enthusiastic tone. – And what’s next? – the elder asked. – I didn’t think about that, – the young man said.”

Archimandrite Raphael Karelin

Contribution for Peace

As the time goes, crises in the world grow, conflicts and bloodshed multiply. There is an obvious danger of expanding of the existing wars. As Orthodox Christians, we must pray to God for peace, but with this we have to strive to obtain it first in our souls. To reconcile with God and our conscience, to overcome all quarrels and disagreements with our loved ones. If we contribute the peace of God in our surrounding then our prayer to God, the source of peace and every consolation, will be heard. And He, according to His philanthropy, will respond to the prayers and cries of the faithful, especially those who suffer innocently, with his mercy, and convince the warring parties to stop the bloodshed and make peace, to the joy and salvation of their people.

Nativity Epistle of Metropolitan Joanikije of Montenegro and the Littoral