The days draw near when the Holy Church commemorates the saving Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, in today’s Gospel reading, the Lord foretells to His disciples His coming sufferings: “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests and unto the scribes; and they shall…
The custom of commemorating St. John, the author of The Ladder, on the fourth Sunday of Great Lent entered our Church together with the Jerusalem Typikon in the 14th century. This Typikon, preserving the form and order of worship from the Palestinian monasteries, thus highlights the memory of one of the pillars of Palestinian monasticism, who…
By Bishop Mikhail Semyonov This Sunday is dedicated to the memory of St. John of the Ladder, the author of a remarkable book about the Path to Heaven—thirty steps of ascent “up the ladder”… to that place where the seraphim stand before the Divine Throne, covering their faces. The image of the ladder to heaven is…
By Bishop Mikhail Semyonov Today we commemorate Saint John of the Ladder. He was a holy ascetic, enlightened with a deeply Christian spirit and great wisdom. He was a man who placed the Lord at the very center of his life in all its aspects—for him, “God is the object and goal of all endeavors, for…
On the Fourth Sunday of Lent: A teaching of St. John Chrysostom on fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. Come now, children of the Church, that I may give you the customary instruction on fasting, prayer, and almsgiving for your edification. Behold, beloved, the greater part of the fast has already passed. Each of you knows the…
On the Same Day [Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent], a Homily of Our Holy Father Niphon, on How Orthodox Christians Ought to Eat at the Table in Silence Once, as the venerable Father Niphon was walking, he saw a man sitting at table, eating with his wife and children, and with others who…
On Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent: A Teaching of Saint Basil and the Message of the Angel to the Faithful The Angel of the Lord proclaims a message from God to those who suppose themselves to be faithful Christians, but who have not the fear of God, saying thus: “Woe to the man…
On Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent: A Teaching of Saint John Chrysostom on the Fear of God Listen, my brethren: above all, have the fear of God in your hearts. For if a man acquires the fear of God in his heart, he can be lifted away from all evil. Be diligent and…
On the Same Day [Thursday of the Fourth Week of Lent], A Teaching of Saint John Chrysostom When you see someone living in wicked wealth—that is, in unrighteousness—and yet seeming to suffer no evil here on earth, do not call such a man blessed, but weep for him, for he shall receive all the torments…
On Thursday of the Fourth Week of Lent: The Command of Our Holy Fathers, Found in the Wisdom of Saint Basil the Great, Concerning Humility. Listen, brethren and beloved ones, to the voice of the great high priest, who speaks, saying: “If any among the faithful and God-loving, whether by the devil’s prompting or by…