Delivered in the Church of Hagia Sophia on Friday of the First Week of Great Lent I stand before you, having come earlier than the appointed time and hastened to offer you, in advance, the due tribute of my duty. For the voluntary fulfillment of an obligation, when offered as a gift by those who…

The church service of the first week of Great Lent is dedicated to the commemoration of the Council held in Constantinople in the year 843, during the reign of Emperor Michael and his mother, Empress Theodora. This Council marked the end of a grievous and terrible period in the history of the Greek Church—more than…

On the First Sunday of Lent, a Teaching of Saint John Chrysostom on Spiritual Benefit From experience itself, beloved, you have seen the goodness of fasting and the benefit that comes from it. For whoever has observed this first week of the holy and great fast understands well his own nearness to God and will…

A Narrative of Archbishop Nektarios on Why We Commemorate the Holy Great Martyr Theodore the Recruit on the Saturday of the First Week of Lent Come, faithful, and hear how Christ our God, who is good, did not leave us to be caught in the teeth of the raging evil one but, for our salvation,…

On Friday of the First Week of Lent, a Teaching of Saint John Chrysostom, from the Holy Gospel Exhortations Listen, brothers, to how many various edifying exhortations there are: Ahab, having humbled himself, found consolation; the Ninevites, by fasting, escaped the wrath of God; Zeno, by almsgiving, was delivered from sins; the harlot, by tears,…

On Thursday of the First Week of the Fast, Concerning the Words from the Book of the Prophet Haggai: “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine.” Question: God, through the prophet Haggai, says: “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine.” Does this mean that every person becomes wealthy by God’s hand? Answer: Some say, as…

On Wednesday of the First Week of the Fast: A Teaching of Saint John Chrysostom on Wednesday and Friday Brethren, the time hath come for a good confession and for hastening unto God. Now is the season of purity, refreshing the thirsting fasters. Lo, the Healer of sinful wounds draweth near, driving away deceit and…

On the First Tuesday of the Fast, a Teaching of Saint John Chrysostom: “Let Us Cease from Our Sins” I have great sorrow in my heart for you, my children, because I see that you have not changed in any way from your unrighteous deeds. A mother does not grieve so deeply when she sees…

On the First Monday of the First Week of the Fast: A Teaching of Saint John Chrysostom The course of the good and beneficial fast has arrived—let us not grieve, nor grow lazy, brothers, nor be negligent concerning the commandments handed down to us by the holy apostles and the holy fathers. For it is…

John 1:43–51 Dear brothers and sisters! Today, during the Divine Liturgy, we heard a reading from the Gospel of John, which recounts how, on His way to Galilee, Jesus Christ met Philip and said unto him: Follow Me (John 1:43). Philip responded to this call and followed Christ. Of his encounter with the Lord, Philip said to…