By Gleb Chistyakov. The church reforms of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and his son Peter Alekseevich concerned not only liturgical rites but also, more broadly, changes in the position of the Church within the state. Through the efforts of these two…
For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then…
May 10. Presided over by I. I. Zykov. Chairman. Honorable and devout assembly! In this session, the question of the mystery of Holy Communion will be discussed. Given the importance of the subject, I most humbly request that the public…
To the beloved children of the one, holy, catholic, apostolic, ancient-orthodox-catholic Church, abiding everywhere and in all places, who preserve and keep the sacred dogmas of the right faith and the traditions of the holy Apostles and the holy and…
By Bishop Mikhail (Semyonov) In secular art, following a tradition that nonetheless has its roots in ancient Christian iconography, the Holy Virgin or the angel in depictions of the Annunciation is often shown with lilies. The lily is a beautiful…
Dimitry Urushev Bishop Pavel of Kolomna is one of the most significant figures in Russian spiritual history of the 17th century. Alas, he was not fortunate. His name failed to attract the attention of scholars. He remained in the shadow…
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Matthew 6:14-15) Have you ever noticed how frequently the Holy Gospel…
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…
(Printing House of the I. D. Sytin Partnership, Pyatnitskaya Street, own house. Moscow, 1907) I. The First Stage The title of the article may seem pretentious. It recalls Herr’s pamphlet How I Became a Social Democrat. We confess: we deliberately…
By Bishop Mikhail (Semyonov) “O Lord and Master of my life, drive away from me the spirit of despondency, negligence, avarice, and idle talk…” There is hardly a prayer (after the Lord’s Prayer) that moves the soul more than the…