Today’s theologians have become scientists, like the doctors, chemists and engineers, because by presenting themselves as such they will be honored by the world. And they go to Europe, the place of spiritual darkness, to receive a degree. They stuff their heads with a multitude of ungrounded and vain philosophies, and come to our land to transmit their unbelief instead of the Faith…. They do not enter into the Heavenly Kingdom, and hinder others from entering, as our Lord has said. Their punishment is that they do not see any of the wondrous things that are seen by believers, and hence they lack contrition and are cold. They are separated from God and His Kingdom, because they love the glory of men, instead of the glory of God.

***

They endeavor today, with the plight of the Church, to find its causes, and hold that the answer is to be found in scientific theological education. But the evil is to be remedied only by education in piety…. What will it benefit the Church if students go to (say) Geneva? They will return with Protestant principles. We are told by these same persons that our Church has remained behind a whole century. How good it would have been if the members of the Church today had the piety of those who lived a century ago! External [secular], scientific education is fine when it is joined to piety.

Photis Kontoglou
From “Meetings with Kontoglou”, by Constantine Cavarnos

Christ is in our midst, my dear readers!

Today in our country we see a stable growth in psychiatric illnesses. The main cause provoking these illnesses is the media. It is precisely thanks to their efforts that people are going out of their minds in the direct sense of the word. The media destroys the psyche, kills the soul, and destroys the health of entire populations. During the Second World War there wasn’t such a growth in psychiatric illnesses as we can observe today in our society. Some people are on antidepressants, others having taken to drink, and yet others just go out of their minds by themselves.

During the blockade in Leningrad, cinemas were open in the city where they showed for free, as a rule comedies, or gave concerts of symphony music. People related that one session of such psychotherapy plus a cup of hot water worked miracles. A person would be revived, rise out his depression, and try to go on living. The authorities understood how important it is to take care of their fellow citizens’ psyches.

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.

“”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

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

— How are we servants of Christ supposed to react to these challenges against the Church and Christianity? What should we change in ourselves? What should we do?

— We should do what I heard many years ago from a fool-for-Christ in the Smolensk Cemetery in St. Petersburg. She said to me then, “Go deeper, father, go deeper!”

Orthodoxy is the modern Job. You can take everything away from it, but you can’t touch its soul. God preserves the soul. Testimony to this is all that has happened over these thousand years since the time of Prince Vladimir…

Metropolitan Amfilohije Radovic of Montenegro (+30.10.2020)
Source: https://orthochristian.com/81604.html

All days, brothers and sisters, are beautiful days, don’t get confused by secular forecasts, what will happen tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. The light of the new day shines, the light of the Resurrection. The Lord is with us today, He will be tomorrow and the day after tomorrow and all the days until the end of the ages. That is the prognosis of the Church. But the world (says): “Maybe, I don’t know, we’ll see, let’s push it until the end of September, then in October… some viruses, some circuses…” That’s, be careful, that’s also secularism. What are you talking to me… I am not interested in that. It is not the spirit of my Church. It is the spirit of fear, children of this world… We here feed on the Heavenly Bread and drink from the Cup of Salvation, singing to our God… “Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises.” Do you want to sing with us? Sing. If you don’t want to… go back to the one who sent you.

Igumen Raphael Bolevich
Source: Youtube

Macedonian and Serbian hierarchs concelebrated on September 3, 2023 the Divine Liturgy and enthronement of His Eminence Metropolitan Jovan as the ruling hierarch of the newly created Diocese of Kruševo and Demir Hisar in North Macedonia.

The Liturgy, in which Met. Jovan was joined by Their Eminences Metropolitan Petar of Prespa and Grigorij of Kumanovo, and Their Graces Bishop Joachim of Deljadro, Marko of Del?evo, David of Dremvit, Kliment of Heraklej, and Jacob of Stobi of the Macedonian Church, and His Eminence Metropolitan Joanikije of Montenegro and His Grace Bishop Pachomije of Vranje of the Serbian Church, was celebrated in the St. Nicholas Cathedral in Kruševo, reports tvhram.rs.

At the end of the Liturgy, Met. Petar of Prespa served the rite of enthronement of Met. Jovan. The newly enthroned hierarch then offered a sermon about life in eternity as “constant communion, without division, without schism, without self-satisfaction.”

On 4 July 2023, after the verdict of Metropolitan Pavel’s detention was announced in court, the Lavra abbot told the UOJ that he disagrees with the decision but accepts it as God’s will.

“I do not agree with this decision. The judge showed that she is under pressure from people who are interested in this decision. But I accept it as God’s will,” the metropolitan said.

He added he had no money to pay bail.