By I.I. Alekseev Thousands of great and radiant lights burn before us, illuminating and warming with the rays of their gracious light the souls opened to them. Our earthly life, as one venerable father says, is a race toward heaven,…
What is conscience in a person? How can one learn to hear it? In life, we often face choices, and we want to act according to our conscience. Conscience is directly connected to what humanity gained after the Fall: the…
What is the ideal moral image of a Christian? Is it the one according to which we were created—in the image and likeness of God? Is it the image of Christ, which we are called to emulate today? In the…
What are the main Christian commandments and virtues? Are they innate to human nature from birth, or must they be cultivated and nurtured through effort? The commandments of the Christian faith, on one hand, present a lengthy list of what…
For several months now, the war has dragged on, claiming thousands of victims—our sons, brothers, and fathers. By God’s mercy, victory follows our warriors. Submissive to the will of God, we bear the sorrow and hardships of war with faith…
By Bishop Mikhail (Semyonov) The Prologue tells an instructive story. In the monastery of St. Theodosius, there were two monks who took a vow of eternal friendship. And it came to pass that one of the brothers slipped and fell.…
The spiritual life of a Christian is built upon relationships with those around them. The Lord has given us a guiding principle: our faith and love for Him are not measured by outward displays of religiosity, but by our attitude…
How can one be happy? How can one live in difficult circumstances (family, domestic challenges, health problems, work issues, etc.) and still “rejoice always”? If a person strives to keep all the commandments and church rules, will there be fewer…
In ancient times, a wise man was asked: What is most precious to a person? “Time,” he answered; through time one can acquire everything, but time itself cannot be bought for anything; it is not within man’s power either to…
The fear of God, or the fear of the Lord, is described by the wise King Solomon as the beginning of wisdom. However, there seems to be a visible contradiction when comparing this idea with the teaching of the holy…